The industry is pushing for broader market access and defence-investment frameworks. Simultaneously, defence investing is gaining traction among commercial pension players, signalling a potential strategic shift for the sector – one that blends return objectives with national and European resilience. The giant labour market fund ATP is facing scrutiny for underperformance and archaic guidelines.
An academic discussion in a leading business journal has spilled over into a fully fledged debate with the fund’s leadership
Pension fund/entity | Assets (€’000)
©IPE Research; View the Top 1000 European Pensions Funds 2025 for a comprehensive market overview
Danish pension fund plays down impact of IT problem on customers
Danish pension fund says commitment is its biggest unlisted credit investment yet, as allocation to the asset class expands
“Timing could hardly have been more challenging,” says Danish pensions CIO of lifecycle profiles restructuring
Plus: Norges Bank Investment Management unveils new strategy plan for the Government Pension Fund Global
PensionDanmark, AP Pension and AkademikerPension invest in ETNA, a new Copenhagen-based private equity fund targeting the defence sector
Company | Assets (€m)
As at 30.9.3.23, *30.6.23, **15.11.23, ***10.6.22
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The tone of Europe’s political debate on defence expenditure has shifted markedly this year. And as former Netherlands defence minister Kajsa Ollongren, put it in a Chatham House Q&A in early March: “The mindset should be ‘war economy’.”
The perennial problem of how unlisted assets should be valued has reared its head in Denmark. Data collated by one financial adviser on pension funds’ 2022 private equity investments has led to worries about an apparent black-box approach to valuation processes.
Danish pension fund plays down impact of IT problem on customers
Danish pension fund says commitment is its biggest unlisted credit investment yet, as allocation to the asset class expands
“Timing could hardly have been more challenging,” says Danish pensions CIO of lifecycle profiles restructuring
Plus: Norges Bank Investment Management unveils new strategy plan for the Government Pension Fund Global
PensionDanmark, AP Pension and AkademikerPension invest in ETNA, a new Copenhagen-based private equity fund targeting the defence sector
Norway withdraws ethical investment rules for its sovereign wealth fund
Danish pensions lobby says DKK400bn (€54bn) of new pensions money will flow into investments between now and 2030
Danish pension fund reveals near tenfold increase in defence sector investments since start of Russia/Ukraine war
An academic discussion in a leading business journal has spilled over into a fully fledged debate with the fund’s leadership

Denmark
Sweden