All IPE articles in December 2009 (Magazine) – Page 2

  • Country Report

    Under scrutiny

    December 2009 (Magazine)

    Gert Verheij discusses new rules concerning structure and risk management at Portuguese pension companies

  • Features

    Under my roof

    December 2009 (Magazine)

    If you manage money in-house you must ask yourself whether your aim is to add value or to save on fees. Now is also a good time to find talented staff, finds Gail Moss

  • Features

    Nordic lights shine

    December 2009 (Magazine)

    Iain Morse assesses trends in the custody markets of the Nordic countries

  • Features

    A Selective Focus

    December 2009 (Magazine)

    ABN AMRO’s Dutch pension fund believes its focus on all stakeholder interests has helped prevent it from dropping below its statutory funding level. Liam Kennedy spoke to Rob Meuter, chairman of the trustee board, and Geraldine Leegwater, head of investments for the fund’s in-house pension bureau

  • Features

    Decisions, decisions

    December 2009 (Magazine)

    This month’s Off The Record survey looked at pension funds’ approach to their asset allocation. The majority of respondents – 55.5% – said their pension fund was subject to asset allocation restrictions by the respective regulator or fund-specific regulations.

  • Crowded out
    Asset Class Reports

    Crowded out

    December 2009 (Magazine)

    One might imagine small-caps markets to be hives of alpha-generating inefficiency and anomaly – and yet Joseph Mariathasan finds that returns in Europe are dominated by beta

  • Opinion Pieces

    Fund fees challenged

    December 2009 (Magazine)

    Mutual funds managed $1.8trn (€1.2trn), or 48%, of assets in 401(k) and other defined contribution plans in the US as of end-June 2009. Annual management fees earned were more than $10bn but these are now at risk of being cut because of two pending legal decisions. One will be made by the Supreme Court on a case about how much money-management firms can charge. The other one will be made in Congress. The House education and labour committee has already approved the 401(k) Fair Disclosure and Pension Security Act, while the Senate special committee on ageing has its own legislation.

  • Interviews

    American half-century

    December 2009 (Magazine)

    f you are wondering why it took 50 years for American Century Investments to open its first offices outside the US, it is instructive to look at who owns the business. Among the partners, primary control is held by the cancer research group associated with the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in the firm’s home town of Kansas City. About eight years ago American Century’s founder, Jim Stowers, now an octagenarian cancer survivor, donated almost all of his wealth to establish the institute. Since 2000, 40% of the firm’s profits have been paid as an annual dividend to the institute – a total of more than $750m.