Investor Strategy – Page 210
-
News
New consolidation moves in Iceland
ICELAND -- Two mergers of Icelandic pension funds have been proposed while the possibility of a third is being discussed.
-
News
Putnam’s investment head Oristaglio retires
US - Steve Oristaglio is to retire as head of investments at Putnam Investments and be replaced by his deputy Kevin Cronin.
-
News
Assets surge NIB’s asset management arm
NETHERLANDS – NIB Capital, the bank owned by the two largest Dutch pension funds ABP and PGGM, said assets under management at its investment management unit rose 70% in 2004.
-
News
New hires at Swiss consultant Ecofin
SWITZERLAND - Ecofin, one of Switzerland’s largest investment consultants, has brought in a pair of new senior advisers and, for the first time, has opened itself up to private banking clients.
-
News
Ireland’s NPRF to put 18% into new asset classes
IRELAND – The €11.69bn National Pensions Reserve Fund has targeted an 18% allocation to property, private equity and commodities by 2009 – but it will not invest in hedge funds for the moment.
-
News
Dutch central bank confirms FTK on schedule
NETHERLANDS – The Dutch central bank has reaffirmed that the FTK, the new financial assessment framework for pension schemes, will come in as planned on January 1 2006.
-
News
Watson Wyatt restructures Stockholm office
SWEDEN – Watson Wyatt says it is restructuring its Stockholm-based benefits consulting team – with some staff being based in the UK in future.
-
News
Rabobank says swaps may ease Dutch FTK impact
NETHERLANDS – Rabobank says the new Dutch FTK, or financial assessment framework, will have a “marked impact” on Dutch pension schemes’ investment policy – and that a swap overlay strategy could be a solution.
-
News
UBS says institutional business almost doubles
SWITZERLAND –UBS said its Global Asset Management arm reported a pre-tax profit increase of 64% in 2004 and that institutional business almost doubled.
-
News
Ireland’s CFOPS outlines shift to specialists
IRELAND – The administrator of the €540m Construction Federation Operatives Pension Scheme has outlined the scheme’s move from balanced managers to specialists.
-
News
UK occupational contributions 'rise 50%'
UK - Employer contributions to occupational schemes have risen almost 50% to £8.3bn (€12bn), according to a survey by Incomes Data Services.
-
News
Ireland sees no scope for pensions complacency
IRELAND – The head of the Irish central bank has said that the country must not get complacent about how it deals with the pensions crisis.
-
News
Deutsche denies it plans to sell DeAM in UK
GERMANY - Deutsche Bank has poured cold water on speculation in London that it is on the verge of selling all or part of Deutsche Asset Management in the UK, stressing that its first priority is “to fix the business”.
-
News
ABN Amro AM lost almost 10% of staff in 2004
NETHERLANDS – ABN Amro Asset Management’s staff numbers fell almost 10% in 2004 amid a levelling off of assets under management.
-
News
Sanofi-Aventis’ pension chief Zamagna leaves
GLOBAL - Petra Zamagna, head of benefits finance and asset management for pension and saving plans at pharmaceuticals group Sanofi-Aventis, has stepped down as she prepares to leave the company.
-
News
Watson Wyatt & Co. benefits group profit slips
US – US-based Watson Wyatt & Co., which is merging with its European affiliate, saw profits at its benefits group slip more than five percent in the second quarter.
-
News
UK's Turner warns on obesity and pensions
UK - The chairman of the Pensions Commission, Adair Turner, has warned that rising obesity could hit pension dependency ratios in the future.
-
News
Ex-PGGM ALM specialist joins central bank
NETHERLANDS – Mohamed Lechkar, who worked on asset liability modelling at the E60bn Dutch health care scheme PGGM, has joined the central bank’s pension supervisory division.
-
News
IPE-QUEST: Dutch schemes tender GTAA, equities
NETHERLANDS – Two Dutch pension schemes have tendered separate Japanese equities and global tactical asset allocation briefs via IPE-Quest.
-
News
Anglo Irish launches Isle of Man schemes
ISLE OF MAN – Anglo Irish Bank’s Isle of Man pension arm says it has launched “tax neutral” plans for international executives and multinational firms.