James Mawson
- News
UK government on wrong pensions track survey finds
UK – Pension funds believe that government policy is moving in the wrong direction for both occupational and state provision, according to the Association of Consulting Actuaries’ Pension Trends Survey 2005.
- Features
Multinationals try to hold the line
Multinational companies based in the Netherlands are re-evaluating how much control they need to impose on their different pension plans around the world in light of ballooning costs and liabilities. But despite this increasingly close attention to their international liabilities and scheme designs – and the impact this is having ...
- Features
Making the right choice
For the majority of pension funds, taking on a multi-manager is an all-encompassing decision that can risk making the trustees look like they are just following the latest fad without boosting returns. As a result, trustees or those in charge of the pension scheme are being more cautious than multi-managers ...
- News
Fujitsu UK arm facing High Court pension writ
UK - A UK subsidiary of Japanese technology giant Fujitsu has been issued with a High Court writ by one of its former employees and pension fund trustees.
- Features
UK set to offer 50-year bonds
Pension funds will see an immediate benefit from the introduction of 50-year bonds by the UK government from this month. The ultra-long bonds are expected to help pension schemes better match their liabilities and help set the price of the synthetic products being expensively sold by investment banks. Gordon Brown, ...
- News
SSgA's Alan Brown resigns while Leahy is promoted
Alan Brown, group chief investment officer at State Street Global Advisors and one of the most influential figures in fund management, has resigned while his internal rival for the top job has been promoted, the company said.
- News
Calpers to move to 15-year contribution smoothing
The $186bn (€139bn) California Public Employees’ Retirement System (Calpers) has provisionally agreed to smooth employer contributions by viewing the changes in asset values over a 15-year period instead of three years.
- News
OECD warns of asset meltdown after €1,000bn in pension losses
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned of a potential “asset meltdown” in financial markets as more people retire, having just seen more than €1,000bn knocked off pension assets in a year.
- News
Fidelity creates separate US institutional arm
Fidelity Investments is creating a separate institutional arm separate from its retail mutual funds in the US.
- News
Turner & Newall to cost Protection Fund £225m
UK- Turner & Newall, the failed UK engineering company, could cost the Pension Protection Fund £225m to help meet its promises to employees, according to independent consultant John Ralfe.
- News
Executives choose early retirement over pension tax
UK - The UK government’s decision to impose a cap on people’s pension pot has sparked the first public early retirement plan and warnings of a talent drain of senior executives.
- News
UK actuaries start huge shake-up after report on conflicts of interest
UK actuaries are facing its biggest shake-up in the last 100 years as the government –appointed expert recommends independent scrutiny of the profession and other measures to address the “quite serious” problems and conflicts of interest it faces.
- News
UK Budget introduces 50-year bonds
Pension funds will see an immediate benefit from the introduction of 50-year bonds by the UK government from next month.
- News
Skandia reaches friendly settlement with former chair
SWEDEN - Skandia, the Swedish insurer, has reached a friendly settlement with Lars Ramqvist, a former chairman of its compensation and audit committees, over allegations he failed to properly oversee the staff bonus scheme.
- News
MLIM appoints Anne Swift and warns on equity overconfidence
Merrill Lynch Investment Managers has appointed Anne Swift as its relationship manager and investment officer in the defined contribution pension team but has also warned that institutional fund managers were more overweight in equities than at any time since 1999.
- Features
Managing in a cold climate
For Theo Jeurissen, investment manager of the e22bn Pensioenfonds Metaal en Techniek (the Dutch metalworking and mechanical engineering sector pension fund), the two newest issues are: how to deal with the rule changes requiring pension fund valuations to use market rates when valuing a portfolio rather than a fixed 4% ...
- News
Martin Currie sees big mandate wins but denies sale rumour
UK - Martin Currie Investment Management has won significant new mandates in its latest financial year but has denied speculation that its latest appointment signifies its planned sale.
