NETHERLANDS - The €547m Dutch pension fund of telecommunication systems manufacturer Lucent Technologies has changed its name following the merger of its parent company, IPE has learnt.

Following the merger between Alactel and Lucent at the end of 2006, it was agreed around 150 employees of Alcatel will transfer to the newly-rebranded Stichting Alcatel Lucent Pensioenfonds.

Cor Zeeman, director of the fund, told IPE the old Alcatel fund is now as good as closed for new members.

According to a newsletter on the fund's website, both the Dutch central bank (DNB) and the Alcatel-Lucent pension fund participants council have agreed to the transfer.

Furthermore, the fund has announced it has put in place a sub-commission to research how the fund can implement a new socially-responsible investment policy.

Other, earlier planned changes, such as the introduction of inflation-linked bonds to the investment mix, have been postponed following the negative developments on the global markets.

The fund currently invests around 57% in Eurobonds via Aegon, 11% in emerging market debt via Ashmore, roughly 19% in equities and 7% in real estate via BlackRock, and 6% in emerging market equities.

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