Over 300 pension professionals from Europe and further afield look set to descend on Monte Carlo to attend the EFRP/NAPF International Conference early next month.
The NAPF says that bookings are well under way to ensure a capacity crowd at this event, held every two years. EFRP committee member Ray Martin, who has been putting the programme together believes that has all the ingredients needed for high-calibre attendance.
There are high hopes that the speaker from the EC will be the new commmissioner with responsibility for the pensions area, but at time of going to press this was not confirmed.The latest thinking in Brussels about the next steps the commission have in mind will be eagerly awaited, whoever delivers the message, says Martin.
The other top-flight pension fund speakers from across Europe will include Santiago Fernandez Valbuena of Fonditel in Spain, Peter Murray of the Railways Pension Trust in the UK, Peter Scherkamp of Siemens in Germany, Jean Espaignet of Schlumberger in France, and Jos van Niekerk of the Unilever in the Netherlands.
Martin will talk on tax issues in the context of the proposed pensions directive and the chairman of the EFRP Kees van Rees of the Shell pension fund in the Netherlands will be an active particpinat as chairman of a session.
There will, in addition, be the full range of social activities over the three days from October 4–6. “We promise there will be nothing at all to do with donkeys,” Martin adds. Further details are available from Kate Farmer at the NAPF on: + 44 171 730 0585; e-mail kate farmer@napf.co.uk