All articles by George Coats
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Country Report
Arrivederci to the era of La Dolce Pensione
Italy can no longer afford a generous state pension, that left little room for private provision. But there is little appetite for a new approach following the financial and economic crises, finds George Coats
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Features
Deficits raise questions over the future of Sweden’s AP funds
George Coats examines whether it is time to put politics aside and create one buffer fund that can provide for all generations and save money in the process
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Country ReportCommon factors despite diversity
Cyprus, Malta, Greece and Turkey have many factors in common. Not least is a need for pension reform, finds George Coats
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Country Report
Patching up a monolith
Patching up a monolith Pension reform in Greece has been a work in progress for the past 75 years and there is still a long way to go, finds George Coats
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Country Report
A way forward to the past
As the Maltese government stalls on a commitment to introduce second and third pillars, George Coats points out that the island nation had an occupational system some years ago
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Country Report
Different views of sustainablilty
The government is claiming that recent changes increasing contributions to the state pension system are a major reform. But George Coats finds there are those calling for a more fundamental overhaul
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Features
AMF bonuses become a toxic issue
The outrage sweeping Europe and North America at bonus payments and large pension pots awarded to executives of loss-making financial services entities is also reflected in Sweden. The highest profile victim is AMF, Sweden’s largest pension insurance company and one of its most trusted brands.
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Features
CEE funds air crisis challenges
The financial crisis and economic recession are taking their toll on the stability of the pension reforms, Chris Verhaegen, secretary general of European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP), told her organisation’s 24 March conference in Budapest on the private pension systems in central and eastern European countries.
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Country Report
A review of performance
Austria’s government has responded to the poor 2008 performance of pension funds by establishing a pension reform commission to discuss possible changes to the system. George Coats makes an assessment
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Country ReportIt’s all a matter of timing
Market downturns and French pension reforms appear to co-incide. George Coats assesses the issues
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Country Report
RAPF: allocating for the long term
The past year has been a busy one for RAFP, the €6.3bn French civil service supplementary pension scheme that was established in 2005
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Country Report
Flying a flag for the Perco
In 2004 Christel Bapt and Benoît Magnier saw an opening in the market. At the time they were both working for bfinance, but they decided to branch out on their own and formed Altedia Investment Consulting.
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Country Report
Forced to settle for a draw
The FRR has looked vulnerable for some time and the market downturn has not helped its cause. But it has fought off the immediate threats to its future, finds George Coats
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Country ReportA Napoleonic view of sovereign wealth
Last October president Nicolas Sarkozy surprised a European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg by announcing that France was to have a sovereign wealth fund. Subsequently, government officials spoke of a €100bn fund.
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Country ReportStart of consolidation wave?
The SGAM/CAAM merger is expected to trigger a shakeout among French asset managers. George Coats examines why it is happening and what the new landscape might look like
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Country ReportOpting not to rebalance
Pension funds see their key asset managers forced to ask for government bailouts and many funds are holding new contributions in cash, finds George Coats
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Country ReportRefocusing on the first pillar
Belgium’s new pensions minister has set up a National Pensions Conference to re-examine the whole issue. But she is not an admirer of the second pillar, finds George Coats
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Special ReportAfter the bubble bursts
Spain’s banks were hit by the collapse of the local property market. And they control the pension funds, notes George Coats
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FeaturesThe advantages of conservatism
Portuguese pension fund asset allocation has been criticised in the past for a traditional approach that lost out on potential gains. But George Coats finds that at a time of market crisis it may limit losses
