All articles by Sameer van Alfen
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NewsDutch pension funds continue to increase interest rate hedges
The increases in hedging ratios come as the moment pension funds will convert DB accruals to DC capital is edging closer
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NewsPFZW’s shift to active equity strategy leads to termination of BlackRock
The Dutch pension fund for healthcare workers replaced BlackRock, LGIM and AQR with Robeco, Man Numeric, Acadian, Lazard, Schroders, M&G and UBS AM
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NewsDutch pension funds should slash government bonds, says BlackRock
The risk-return profile is not attractive compared to other fixed income categories, according to the asset manager
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NewsPMT takes six months to reduce interest rate hedge after DC transition
The Dutch pension fund will start its transition on 1 January 2026, aiming to complete it by 30 June
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News12% rise in asset management costs for Dutch pension funds
The main reason for the increase was a rise in performance-related fees
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NewsDutch funds reconsider US equity exposure
While pension funds are yet to make big changes, decisions about strategic asset allocation are expected in the medium and long term
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AnalysisEuropean pension funds review global weightings in face of US turmoil
As global markets react to the threat of US tariffs, many European pension funds are looking to rebalance their portfolios and reset their investment policies
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NewsDutch pension funds reduce investment-grade credit exposure in new DC system
Many funds will no longer add investment-grade corporate bonds to matching portfolios, preferring instead bonds with higher expected returns
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NewsMN CEO eyes Bpf Bouw’s fiduciary mandate
€69bn Bpf Bouw, which is on the lookout for a new fiduciary manager, could be a great fit for MN, according to Martijn Scholten
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NewsABP to up infra investments in new pension system
In its investment strategy for the new DC pension system, the Dutch civil service scheme will increase the share of private market investments from 20% to 30%
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Special Report
Achmea IM and BlackRock emerge as winners in the Dutch fiduciary management market
Last autumn, Shell’s €26bn Dutch defined benefit (DB) pension fund announced it would swap Samco, the oil giant’s in-house asset manager, for BlackRock as its fiduciary manager.
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Analysis2024: Achmea IM and BlackRock win Dutch fiduciary mandates
Last year, Achmea IM and BlackRock each won +€20bn fiduciary mandates from Dutch pension funds. This makes them the clear fiduciary winners of 2024.
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NewsABP orders fiduciary manager APG to shed all other clients
The move means APG’s three other fiduciary pension fund clients have to find alternatives
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NewsDutch pension funds increase short-term holdings
The increased liquidity reserves risk negatively impacting long-term returns, signals regulator DNB
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NewsImpact-investing RFPs difficult to implement, says M&G
According to the asset manager, the definitions of impact given by pension funds in requests for proposal are often too broadly formulated to build portfolios
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NewsPFZW sells €600m in gambling stocks
The Dutch healthcare scheme decided to divest from the sector following a member survey
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NewsDutch ‘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
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NewsDutch pension funds made 9.5% return on average in 2023
Smaller funds did comparatively better than large funds
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NewsAPG to cut asset management jobs as clients move to passive
Costs are a ‘recurring element’ in conversations with pension funds, says CEO Ronald Wuijster
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NewsDutch pension fund returns back in positive territory
But funding ratios mostly fell as four of the five funds indexed pensions
