All articles by Tjibbe Hoekstra
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NewsPension fund for Dutch medical specialists indexes pensions by 3.7%
Today’s record-high inflation did not play a role in the decision to provide more indexation
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Features
‘Painful’ private equity fees are hard to avoid
The Netherlands’ €551bn ($576bn) civil service scheme ABP paid a record €2.8bn in performance fees to private equity managers in 2021, prompting the fund’s president Harmen van Wijnen to announce an external investigation to assess ABP’s rising asset management costs. The €277.5bn healthcare scheme PFZW paid €1.26bn in performance fees to private equity last year, accounting for two thirds of total asset management costs.
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News
PostNL scheme introduces Paris Aligned Benchmark for CO2 reduction
The fund has already reduced its carbon footprint below a 1.5°C path, but remains invested in fossil fuels for now
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Interviews
Pension funds on the record: Seeking protection in private markets
Unlisted assets are the safe haven for investors searching for safety in choppy markets
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Opinion Pieces
Delay looms to Netherlands reform process
The Dutch government has vowed to finalise the country’s hotly debated switch to a pension system with defined-contribution variants by 1 January 2023.
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Interviews
Openbare Apothekers Pension Fund: Preparing for change
Ronald Heijn and Maarten Thomassen of the Netherland’s Pensioenfonds Openbare Apothekers tell Tjibbe Hoekstra about the impact of the Dutch pension reform on their fund
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News
Netherlands’ Shell pension fund reduces private equity exposure
The €33bn DB pension fund sold part of its allocation to the asset class because it had exceeded its target exposure
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News
APG moves to central repo clearing
The switch from bilateral transactions follows similar decisions by PGGM and MN
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News
PMT, PME ditch ‘authoritarian countries’ from EM index
The two Dutch pension funds have sold Egypt and Vietnam government bonds as a result of the policy change
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News
Hybrid pension funds want clarity on pension transition
Dutch multi-sector schemes including PGB, PNO Media and SBZ Pensioen fear they may not be able to make the switch to DC under the proposed legal framework
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News
PME sells MN stake to PMT for €1
PMT already had an interest of almost 80% in the pension provider
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News
Pension funds to benefit from ‘exceptionally high’ swap spread
Pension schemes are advised to take the opportunity to change ‘expensive’ government bonds for cheaper swaps
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News
False alarm: no liquidity problems in repo market after rate rises
Dutch financial markets regulator AFM had warned pension funds about liquidity problems if interest rates were to rise further
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News
Dutch pension funds increase investments in high yield
On average, pension schemes in the country now have invested 11% of their fixed income allocation in the asset class
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News
ABP members demand transparency on sustainable investment policy
The pension fund’s current policy has been dismissed as ‘laughable’
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News
Infrastructure performance fees push up PGB asset management costs
But efficiencies of scale drove down admin costs per member by €21
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News
Achmea acquires ABN Amro DC pension vehicle
The insurer expects it can accelerate the growth and profitability of the €3.5bn second pillar DC pension vehicle
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News
PFZW sells 24 companies over ESG failures
The announcement is part of a new transparency drive by the Dutch healthcare scheme
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Special Report
Portfolio analysis: to net or not to net?
Portfolio alignment tools can help build a clearer picture of overall portfolio impact but accounting for negative externalities is problematic
