CalPERS aligns performance pay with new allocation strategy

CalPERS is set to change its benchmarks for measuring performance compensation for senior investment staff so they are consistent with recent changes to its strategic asset allocation.Earlier in the year CalPERS introduced a range of new benchmarks, including composite benchmarks for the new asset classes. The proposed performance plan will align with these benchmark changes.

The restructure of asset classes resulted in assets being classified in five main groupings: growth, income, inflation, real assets and liquidity.

Some of the key performance changes reflect CalPERS’ economic outlook for likely returns in the coming year, with infrastructure performance benchmark changed from CPI plus 5 per cent to CPI.

AIM (private equity) moved to a global public markets-based benchmark to better align with global equity and total fund policy benchmark.

In forestland the benchmark for measuring performance was changed to NCREIF Timberland.

Performance plans will also take into account both quantitative and qualitative measures.

Sponsored Content

Chief investment officer, Joe Dear (pictured), will have 70 per cent of his performance compensation in quantitative measures, calculated on a sliding scale of performance above a series of basis points hurdles for the total fund.

Of his performance remuneration, 20 per cent will depend on qualitative factors such as leadership, succession planning, risk management and teamwork.

The remaining 10 per cent will be decided by performance in enterprise-wide initiatives during the fiscal year.

The board will review the new performance measures at its May 17 meeting.  A second board level review is set for June to further refine certain benchmarks and incentive schedules.

Leave a Comment

Sort content by

Investors x embrace ethics

More than half of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, and around a third of the largest US state pension funds, have a disclosed code of ethics for their staff. According to the Public Fund Investment Policies 2015 annual review produced by the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, a code of ethics helps

Shared fund objectives key to investor success

The practice of benchmarking the salaries of senior executives of institutional funds with reference to external financial services firms, instead of the shared objectives of the fund, is a major barrier to their success, according to Professor Gordon Clark of Oxford University and director of Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. Clark sees the

PGGM halves CO2 footprint in investments

Ahead of the COP21 in Paris, the second largest Dutch fund with €161 billion ($160 billion), Pensioenfonds Zorg en Welzijn (PFZW), has announced it will halve the CO2 footprint of its investments by 2020. After an in-depth study with its fund manager, PGGM, the fund has decided its capital should be focused on companies that

Mercer’s seven tools for risk management reflect evolving landscape

Mercer Investments is using its deep insurance and environmental, social and governance (ESG) skills, contacts and processes to evolve its tools for advising clients on investment risk assessment, analysis and reporting – a move that reflects the evolving landscape for risk faced by investors. Partner and global head of responsible investment at Mercer, Jane Ambachtsheer,

OTPP advises on climate risk mitigation

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), an investor known for its advanced risk-management tools and processes, considers that the common tools available to investors to mitigate carbon risk for investors – portfolio carbon footprints and thematic divestment – provide incomplete risk management. The fund has suggested macro- and microanalysis is necessary to understand a company’s complete

PRI to consider new principle focusing on systemic risks

The UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is considering a seventh principle that will focus on broad financial system systemic risks. The six principles were written before the global financial crisis and are focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG) integration. Now, a decade after their creation, consideration of systemic risks is on the agenda and

Previous