Asset managers and owners split over ESG, report finds
The divergence in interests is starkly revealed in a new report on proxy voting at shareholder meetings
Swiss supervisor puts pension fund under WTW administration
Tellco said the move was necessary due to ongoing disputes between members of the board of trustees
UK government to limit controversial Pension Schemes Bill reserve power clause
The power would be limited to no more than 10% of total assets held in default funds and by no more than 5% in UK-based assets
Swedish premium pension’s default fund paid off for most savers, agency finds
0-pp[Just over 13% of pension savers picking own funds actually outperformed AP7’s default product Såfa since the start, Pensionsmyndigheten reports
LAPFF signals further pushback against BP ahead of AGM
LAPFF is recommending a vote against the BP chair and other management-backed AGM items over transparency and governance concerns
APG adjusts executive renumeration policy after €1m CEO severance pay
In the future, salaries of the pension asset manager’s executive board will be more in line with those of its main client and owner, civil service scheme ABP
Germany’s VZB sues former director for investment in insolvent insurtech start-up
The lawsuit has been field for ‘breach of duty’, with damages close to €50m being sought
SIU, IORP II review: Dutch pension federation MD addresses MEPs
Edith Maat sets out the conditions for the success of the European Commission’s supplementary pensions package
Investors pressure freight and logistics companies to tackle air pollution
A coalition of investors, including AkademikerPension, LBP AM, Ethos Foundation, PIRC and Achmea, have said that air pollution is an environmental risk affecting human health
Italy’s Fondo Telemaco picks manager for private debt expansion
The strategy will be focussed on SMEs and mid-caps
People moves: NBIM names new chief risk officer
Norges Bank Investment Management, Smart Pensions, Santander Alternative Investments, Generali Asset Management, H.I.G.
PenSam says revamp ATP contributions to iron out pension inequalities
Danish pension fund for public-sector health and social care workers says the system disadvantages people in physically demanding jobs
UK government plans ‘targeted changes’ to proposed LGPS regulations
Pensions industry previously raised concerns that the reforms could undermine fiduciary duty and local decision-making
IPE Nordic Briefing: FTN rebuts legal challenge to procurement
Plus: Alecta has its own troubles, Sampension and PKA announce leadership changes
Iveco pension fund completes £100m buy-in with Aviva
The transaction secures the benefits of 225 deferred and 1,127 pensioner members
Consultants publish updated ‘climate competency’ guide for asset owners
Latest version said to reflect fact that ‘expectations that were previously aspirational are now generally considered business as usual’
Ethos Foundation condemns CEO pay at largest Swiss banks
Their remuneration reached ‘record levels’ in 2025, according to the Swiss pension fund-backed organisation
Why Dutch funds made negative returns on private equity in 2025
Pension schemes partly blame high purchase prices in the period 2019-2021 for the poor returns over the past three years
Sweden’s AP funds hit back after booby prize from journalists
Buffer funds named ‘Roller Blind of the Year’ by Association of Investigative Journalism for lack of transparency over investment losses on failed battery firm Northvolt
Co-filers decide on protest vote at BP over blocked shareholder resolution
Follow This and 12 co-filers plan to vote against a board resolution about climate disclosures because BP is not tabling its shareholder resolution at its forthcoming AGM
BVK launches new unit to embed 2030 strategy and digital transformation
Germany’s BVK establishes Strategy & Transformation division to implement 2030 strategy while addressing US investment losses
FCA ESG ratings plans attract support but raise concerns over scope
Industry supports FCA oversight of ESG ratings providers but raises concerns over scope, burden and implementation
German government, KfW Capital back €1bn Growth Fund II for start-ups
The fund is anchored by €200m from KfW Capital and €120m from the German government
People moves: Ireland’s Pensions Authority names chair
Fiona Tierney was appointed for a five-year term, taking over from David Begg, who has been chair since January 2016
IPE UK Briefing: House of Lords votes to remove ‘mandation’ clause from Pension Schemes Bill
Plus: Collective defined contribution and pension risk transfer market
APG’s active equity strategies underperform benchmark by almost 7%
The pension asset manager posted a negative return on its actively managed listed equities strategy in 2025, underperforming its benchmark by 6.9%
Finland’s Ilmarinen seeks SBTi validation as part of climate work
Pensions insurer joins peer Varma and other Nordic pension funds – AkademikerPensiona and PensionDanmark – in turning to international initiative for climate target approval
Pension capital taps UK venture via British Business Bank growth fund
Aegon UK, Cushon Master Trust, M&G and the British Business Bank commit £200m to UK venture capital
Dutch pension funds cut US exposure as rebalancing drives shift to Europe
€30bn exits US assets as European allocations rise amid rebalancing and weakening investor sentiment
Standard Life launches private markets-focused pension default
Future Opportunities is latest evolution of the provider’s sustainable multi-asset strategy and builds on existing lifestyle strategy, incorporating access to private markets
Italy court blocks state levy on pension funds for professionals
Italy’s constitutional court rules mandatory pension fund transfers unlawful, citing risks to long-term stability
People’s Pension drops 1.5°C portfolio target due to real-world inconsistency
Master trust says it will continue to have net-zero ambition aligned with Paris Agreement but that this will be implemented bottom-up
‘Extensive lack of proportionality’ in IORP II proposals, says PensionsEurope
Pension fund association critical of prudent personal principle, benchmarking, scope, double materiality and other proposals
More than half of UK SMEs worry staff are disengaged with pensions
45% of UK SMEs said improved communication would help strengthen both member engagement and retention
Dutch government postpones pension lump sum to 2029
It’s the eighth time the introduction of the 10% lump sum upon retirement, originally foreseen to be introduced in 2021, has been postponed
Digital-first rivals push German consultants to adapt amid pension reforms
Germany’s pension reforms accelerate digital and hybrid consulting as neo-brokers capture growing investor demand
Germany passes private pension overhaul to drive equity investment
Germany approves equity-focused pension reform with cost caps, raising concerns over second pillar competition
PRI mulls building out asset owner role in initiatives like Spring
First progress report shows how nature-focussed collaborative engagement initiative has laid ‘groundwork from which investors can leverage stewardship activities’
Italian doctors’ fund eyes €120m SME push through National Strategic Fund
Enpam tenders €120m domestic equity mandate via Fondo Nazionale Strategico Indiretto to support Italian SMEs and market liquidity
UK local authority funds earmark 3-5% of assets to local investments
West Midlands Pension Fund and the South Yorkshire Pensions Authority have updated their respective investment strategy statements
AEIP flags cost, complexity concerns over EU IORP II revision
The association criticises EU pension reform, warning new rules could burden paritarian IORPs without adding member value
Record funding ratios prompt DAX firms to rethink pension strategies, allocations
DAX firms achieved a 2.2% return on pension assets through active management, navigating a challenging economic and geopolitical environment, says WTW
Dental pension fund swaps Apollo loan for direct financing in de-risking move
VZB, Berlin’s dental pension fund, replaces Apollo loan with direct financing to mitigate economic and legal risks
Sweden’s FTN rebuts legal challenge over €18bn fund procurement
FTN dismisses all Indecap Fonder’s claims in its application to overturn results of agency’s largest procurement
Mandatory pensions seen as key to boosting SME coverage, German study finds
German SMEs favour mandatory pensions as low-earner coverage weakens and voluntary schemes lose traction
Portuguese pension funds return 5.1% for 2025
2025 was a strong year for European equities, which had lagged US equities in most recent years, says WTW
People moves: HSBC AM names CEO for alternatives
Thorsten Michalik succeeds Joanna Munro, who is retiring after more than 40 years in asset management, of which 20 have been with HSBC
Denmark’s AkademikerPension divests US company for nuclear weapons links
Pension fund blacklists three Chinese firms and one US firm for links to aiding nuclear weapons outside the EU
DAX firms push fully funded pensions despite regulatory complexity
German corporates increasingly fund pension liabilities fully, strengthening governance, reducing risk, and supporting profitability amid regulation
UK authority embraces supervision as ESG frameworks mature
Financial Conduct Authority signals end of rule-heavy ESG phase, prioritising supervision and embedding existing sustainability frameworks
