Clive Davidson
- Features
Keyed into technology
Although pension regimes can differ significantly from country across Europe, pension funds share a belief that technology is critical to successfully meeting the challenges that face them today. A common theme across the region is change – new regulations, new behaviour in markets where assets are invested, new competition, and ...
- Features
Tailoring messages to members
Like many aspects of modern life, pensions are becoming less standardised and more complex, with individuals facing more choice and demanding more information tailored to their needs. As pension funds try to meet the requirements of their members, communication is becoming an increasingly important part of the service they provide. ...
- Features
Approach to IT still uneven
Performance and risk are growing concerns at Austrian pension funds and to better measure and manage these factors, the funds are implementing a range of third-party and in-house developed applications. Some funds are using spreadsheets or programming applications from scratch, while others are making use of the performance and risk ...
- Features
Rising to the challenge
With a relatively young population, higher retirement age and regulations that offer little incentive for early retirement, Iceland faces fewer problems due to ageing than most European countries. However, local pension funds still face many challenges. There is a rising number of disability claims, fund managers must meet targets in ...
- Features
Pioneers can pay a price
Sweden is known for its pioneering approach to pension provision. It introduced member choice of investment in its state Premium Pension defined contribution pension scheme, and make asset and liability modelling obligatory for its Allmänna Pensionsfonden (AP), the funds that back the government’s pay-as-you-go scheme. Such innovations depend upon modern ...
- Features
Waiting to take over
Finland’s biggest pension funds are using modern and sophisticated systems for tasks such as handling new complex investment instruments, risk analysis and the straight through processing of trades. The integration of systems for efficient cost-effective operations appears to be a common goal. However, there are some funds that take a ...
- Special Report
Animal welfare on agenda
New scientific research is beginning to confirm consumers’ instincts that farm animals have feelings, and that their welfare and humane treatment not only ensures higher quality food but is worth paying a premium for on moral grounds. While sales of free range eggs and other pro-animal welfare products are on ...
- Features
Aiming to go paperless
Swiss pension funds see technology primarily as a way of improving the efficiency of their business. Document imaging systems are enabling some funds to become paperless operations, while others are installing systems that will improve automation, lower the costs of investing and provide quicker, more accurate and comprehensive information. For ...
- Features
Technology's pivotal role
German pension funds face a range of challenges depending on the organisations and members they serve, and the pressures upon them to adjust to the current market environment. Technology plays a key role in enabling them to operate more efficiently, manage their investments with greater sophistication and meet members needs. ...
- Features
Going beyond performance
Difficult markets and lower returns have caused pension funds to look ever more closely at performance, either of internal or external portfolio managers. At the same time, they want to examine their risks in more detail, and in conjunction with performance. This has led to a demand for systems and ...
- Features
No fund is an island
Few investment and pension administration applications nowadays operate entirely on their own – most need to be connected to data sources, or reporting, back office or other systems. The internet has simplified the connection to external sources. But the piecemeal implementation and connection of internal systems can lead to inefficiency ...
- Features
Trading places - how to choose
Electronic trading of fixed-income securities continues to grow as the market starts to consolidate around a number of leading platforms. But while the market has rationalised to some degree, there is still a large number of platforms offering a variety of products and different types of trading. In an attempt ...
