Danish watchdog raps two PKA pension funds over private equity
Pension funds’ boards need to be more specific about private equity intentions, FSA tells PKA-run funds
Dutch ‘early birds’ postpone DC transition
Only 10 pension funds are now still scheduled to make the transition to a new DC arrangement by 1 January 2025
Cassa Forense seeks asset managers for investment vehicles worth €4bn
The lawyers scheme is creating the two vehicles to streamline investments and administration of its assets
PLSA calls for superfund regime before establishing public sector consolidator
Association says more time is needed to determine whether public sector consolidator is needed
PPF-run pensions consolidator could unlock £10bn in UK investment
The lifeboat scheme estimates that pension funds with assets totalling £130bn could be interested in a transfer
Rising equity markets spike Dutch funding ratios
ABP and PFZW suffered losses on their government bond portfolios, however, as Dutch and German yields rose
Swiss Fintech Innovations calls for rules to set up pension dashboard
Switzerland currently lacks necessary infrastructure that would make people share personal pension data securely with third-party providers
Private financial sector calls for treaty to end plastic pollution
Treaty should include harmonised targets across plastics value chain and ensure that companies assess and disclose plastic-related risks and opportunities
NBIM misses benchmark in Q1 on drag from real estate
Tangen boasts biggest-ever quarterly gain in kroner for the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund
EU single market report drafts road map for Savings and Investments Union
Report written by former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta recommends changes to unlock €33trn of private savings
Pension funds press TotalEnergies to improve governance
AGM resolution challenges Patrick Pouyanné, who holds both positions of CEO and chair of board of directors
Alecta, APK back $436m Amundi-IFC impact-oriented EM bond fund
Public-private partnership aims to encourage issuance of green, social and sustainability-linked bonds in emerging markets
Asset owners launch pilot for sovereign climate engagement
NZAOA also expands work on private markets in new target-setting rules
People moves: PGGM appoints Lars Dijkstra as interim CIO
Plus: UK’s Smart Pensions names business development director; Switzerland’s Publica picks head of pension provision
FTSE350 DB schemes do not invest in line with Mansion House agenda
Mercer analysis of FTSE350 pension funds shows an aggregate surplus of £66bn at the end of March 2024
Italian pension funds face competition on private assets investments
Current rules and lack of political support can hinder pension funds’ plans to increase private markets commitments
Shell calls on investors to reject climate resolution from European pension funds
Follow This calls on responsible investors to ‘side with their peers’ instead of the board of Shell
Huge amount of work left for schemes ahead of pension dashboards launch
LCP’s survey found that only 39% of its webinar attendees had prepared pensions dashboard ‘project plan’
European financial market authorities set priorities for macro-prudential approach
Austrian FMA, Italian CONSOB, Spanish CNMV and French AMF have identified five key priorities
Publica sets up bespoke ESG benchmarks for EM government bonds
It worked with 17 asset managers on guidelines intended to increase transparency on ESG for investments in corporate loans, infrastructure, and real estate mortgages
FRR nets 9.68% in 2023 as return asset boost brings H2 benefits
Reserve fund also announces that CIO Salwa Boussoukaya-Nasr has been appointed to executive board
TPR’s Statement of Strategy will be challenging and costly for UK schemes
Completing the template as proposed will create a lot of extra work and could add 20% to scheme valuation costs
Dutch pension funds cannot reduce risk without limits, says regulator
Many Dutch schemes plan to dial down investment risk to protect their funding ratios in the run-up to the pension transition
Clean Energy Financing Ratio set to be key theme this AGM season
MSCI found that nearly 60% of listed companies are disclosing their Scope 1 and 2 emissions, an increase of 16 percentage points in two years
Germany’s FDP proposes reworking pension reform with flexible retirement age
Comments made by Christian Dürr, head of the liberal party’s parliamentary group, add a further source of attrition on pension policy among coalition partners
Tangen’s hopes dashed for SWF’s timely private equity debut
Norwegian government refuses to allow NBIM to add unlisted equity to GPFG’s asset mix for now, but moves to gather more information on the idea
Credit Suisse Pensionskasse adjusts plans following UBS integration
Credit Suisse’s scheme will close down 1e pension plans
WTW to launch private equity LTAF with £450m of commitments
WTW is targeting £2bn for its new open ended fund
Grant Thornton Pensions Fund appoints Cardano as fiduciary manager
Cardano will provide services including investment advice, investment management, and risk management for the £250m scheme
Alecta hires Karin Cederbaum as new legal chief
Swedish occupational pensions heavyweight picks new general counsel with legal leadership experience from Skandia and Swedbank
Italian pension schemes reap benefits of banks’ equity investments
The Bank of Italy has distributed dividends to shareholders, including pension funds, for a total amount of €340m
Robeco to start with Asia for new climate transition investing strategies
Dutch asset manager says it is introducing investing in transition assets in public markets
Industry provides further backing for PPF endgame role
The consultation on DB surplus extraction and the public sector consolidator operated by PPF closes on 19 April
Italy economy minister calls for institutional fund of funds
Structural changes are necessary to reduce the fragmentation of the investments in Italy, says finance ministry’s undersecretary Federico Freni
International Corporate Governance Network hires new CEO
Move follows CEO Kerrie Waring’s decision to step down after 10 years leading the organisation
BaFin backs introduction of climate transition label for financial products
Supervisory official was speaking at a sustainable investing event in the German parliament
Germany proposes Ukraine reconstruction fund with institutional investor backing
The fund would be open to institutional investors to finance large-scale projects in key sectors in Ukraine
Finnish pension fund CEO says defence must become more investable
With Russia’s war causing the EU to strengthen its defence industry, the sector represents an investment opportunity that must now be harnessed, argues Löyttyniemi
First quarter sees uptick in sustainability bonds
Market represents a lower proportion of wider bond markets, despite recent growth in issuance
Irish auto-enrolment deadline branded ‘ambitious’
Irish government is targeting 1 January 2025 as a deadline for introduction of auto-enrolment
UK regulator paves way for return of client-funded investment research
FCA consults on allowing asset managers to bundle payments again, with ‘guardrails’
Dutch pension funds made 9.5% return on average in 2023
Smaller funds did comparatively better than large funds
Alecta adds three independents to board, keeps ‘interim’ chair for now
Struggling Swedish pensions giant announces new board line-up for election at 25 April board meeting
People moves: LGIM names deputy head of Europe for institutional [updated]
LGIM, Eurosif, bfinance, IFoA, Cartwright
Lucite International Pension Fund in £130m buy-in with Just Group
The transaction secures the benefits of 438 uninsured members, including 156 pensioners and dependants and 282 deferred members
German Parliament to debate reform of class action law
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has argued that the reform bill is urgent to avoid halting cases brought before the higher regional courts
Swiss corporate pension funds reviewing strategic allocations, says WTW
Re-emerging inflation, progressing de-globalisation, and geopolitical tensions weight on decisions to review investments
DWS avoids using the term 'impact' for its investment products
DWS will continue to consider ’engagement’ as an important tool when discussing sustainability and ESG issues
Sweden’s AP4 eyes biomaterials investment following green analysis
Buffer fund says still focused on wind and solar power, but has also identified ‘interesting areas to monitor going forward’
German pension dashboard developers discuss next steps after portal development ‘achievement’
The portal had been in development for almost 20 years