All articles by Barbara Ottawa – Page 3
-
News
German, Swiss and Austrian investors report spike in ESG investments
Sustainable investments volume increased by 50% across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, says FNG
-
NewsSwiss authorities consider ban on pension broker commission
Pension fund association Asip has supported plans to overhaul the country’s rules on fees paid to brokers for promoting second-pillar funds
-
NewsGerman Pensionskassen announce major cuts to reserves
Ailing Caritas and Kölner PK have agreed recovery terms with member representatives and the national financial regulator BaFin
-
NewsSwiss pension funds bounce back from 2018 losses
The average funding ratio of Swiss Pensionskassen declined by more than 5 percentage points during 2018 after the fourth-quarter equity crash
-
AnalysisAnalysis: Experts warn of bank stress test impact on covered bonds
ECB’s banking sector stress tests have caused concern among covered bond analysts over the potential impact on the attractiveness of the asset class
-
Features
Handelsblatt Conference: De-risking comes to the fore as past costs loom large
German pension schemes reveal ambitious overhauls to reduce sponsor burdens; Generali moves to reassure over sale of insurance business to Viridium
-
News
Munich Re overhauls German pension provision with 90% guarantee
German reinsurer closes old plans, sets up new pension provision with guarantees below 100%
-
News
BaFin warning on Pensionskassen was ‘wake-up call’ to sector
Chair of Wacker Chemie Pensionskasse argues that regulatory intervention was ‘beneficial shock’ for some organisations
-
News
German chemicals company de-risks with lump sum payments
Employees respond positively as Henkel offers one-off payment to reduce DB liabilities
-
News
BaFin approves sale of Generali life insurance arm to Viridium
Members’ interests “sufficiently safeguarded” in takeover, says supervisor
-
News
Generali Germany, Viridium ‘confident’ about run-off regulatory approval
Talks with regulator still going on, but executives hopeful of approval ‘before summer’
-
NewsState pension fund could help ‘anchor’ Germany’s credit rating: Scope
Researchers call on government to use its position as safe haven to finance pension gap
-
NewsReport lays out plan for German pension dashboard
180-page report by academics and consultancy proves feasibility of cross-pillar information service – if there is political agreement
-
Country ReportVBV: Exciting possibilities
Günther Schiendl, CIO of VBV, Austria’s largest pension fund, talks to Barbara Ottawa about the importance of illiquidity and the EU’s sustainable finance initiative
-
Country Report
Pensionskassen facing challenges
The number of insurance-based pension funds on the supervisor’s watchlist is falling. But some providers are in serious trouble
-
Country ReportGermany: BRSG beyond the new DC plans
A year into the implementation of Germany’s BRSG law to strengthen occupational pension schemes many legal uncertainties remain
-
News
Zurich scheme cites Brexit as it reports ‘disappointing’ performance
CHF16.6bn fund loses 3.3% in 2018, roughly in line with market average
-
News
German regulator urges take-up of new DC model
Also: Union representative hints at “major project close to completion” involving insurer for new non-guaranteed pension
-
News
Porsche drives VBV’s growth with transfer of Austrian pension fund
Only two independent company Pensionskassen are left after a wave of consolidation
-
NewsGerman pension schemes tripled use of pooled funds since 2005
Increased securitisation and diversification could lead to “disruptions”, warns Kommalpha
