Jenny Buck joins London CIV as CIO
Buck will take up her new role as London CIV’s CIO in early March
Norway’s SWF rekindles Trump-backed end to quarterly reporting
NBIM says mandatory quarterly reporting by businesses can lead to short-term decision-making, hindering sustainable growth and innovation
Actuary MP Joseph proposes mandatory ballots on Dutch DC conversion
Joseph’s amendment will, together with the one that arranges the extension of the transition period, be discussed on 29 January in Parliament
Brunel, NEST to help steer body eyeing ‘friction’ in UK equity markets
Investor & Issuer Forum to tackle contentious issues to enhance London’s equity market
Swedish Pensions Agency’s analysis chief quits in row over ‘private commitments’
Ole Settergren to remain at the agency until a replacement takes over
L&G master trust reaches £30bn in assets under management
According to L&G, it is the first commercial master trust in the UK to reach the milestone
Generali creates €1.9trn asset management JV with Natixis IM
Generali and BPCE have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for each to own 50% of the joint venture
PFA warns of higher economic risks around China
Danish pensions giant says Trump’s election, and resulting asset manager exodus from climate cooperations, is clear signal that world is changing fast
TPI adds coal mining sector to carbon performance assessments
The move comes as investors and governments aim to tackle the environmental fallout of coal mining
BarmeniaGothaer AM ditches third-party managers for corporate bonds
‘The new team we will be able to manage certain types of investments such as corporate bonds in the future,’ says co-CEO
LGPS Central reaches £43bn AUM with oversight and stewardship mandate
Partner funds have appointed LGPS Central to provide oversight and stewardship services for over £11bn in passive funds
Dutch pension funds divest from Tesla
ABP and Bpf Bouw, two of the largest four pension funds in the Netherlands with over €600bn in assets between them, have sold their shares in Tesla over ESG concerns
Generali Investments buys majority of MGG Investment for $320m
The acquisition comes as Generali is close to creating a joint venture with Natixis Investment Managers
IOSCO hails final ethical framework for sustainability reporting assurance
Securities regulators forum calls on national regulators to make use of IESBA standard
Sampension urges mental well-being action, despite dip in early-retirement
Norway’s political parties agree to abolish mandatory early retirement for armed forces, police, prison staff
Schroders wins £170m fiduciary management mandate
Mandate involves integrating ESG factors into investment decision for Royal National Institute of Blind People Retirement Benefits Pension Scheme
Germany’s AfD proposes employment pension account for capital market investments
Capital flowing to the employment pension account would be invested in capital markets through ETFs, funds and stocks, according to proposal
26 UK councils call on chancellor to remove ‘principal advice’ on asset allocation
Chancellor Rachel Reeves proposes that LGPS pools replace role provided by investment consultants and independent advisers in providing investment strategy advice
Akademiker overhauls equity strategy behind new market-rate product
Danish labour-market pension scheme dials risk levels both up and down within range of AlfaPension profiles
Omnibus changes would need to be reflected in SFDR review, say Dutch
Pensioenfederatie flags concern about pension funds’ ability to label investments as ‘transition’
Inarcassa boosts domestic investments as 2024 returns exceed expectations
The scheme is increasing allocations in private markets and equities as it records returns of more than 7.6% in 2024
Taskforce on inequality and social-related financial disclosures unveils new committee
Among the organisations represented in the committee are ING, CalPERS and AXA
DAX-listed firms’ pension schemes see funding ratios reach new record of 83%
Pension assets of DAX companies increased last year by €6bn year-on-year to €264bn, while pension liabilities fell to €320bn last year, from €324bn in 2023
Central banks and actuaries both publish climate risk proposals
Analysis looks at how physical and transition risks can be transmitted and exacerbated, and offers tools to help monitor vulnerabilities
Swiss corporate schemes under stress while risk of persistent low interest rates returns
Corporate schemes’ assets went up by 1.5%, partially offsetting increasing liabilities, but funding ratios fell to 120.9% in December 2024, from 121.1% in September 2024
Consolidation of UK LGPS funds branded ‘hazardously ambitious’
The government plans to consolidate LGPS funds into handful of ‘megafunds’ to allow more investment in infrastructure
Mandating minimum size for DC schemes won’t push for UK investment
Consolidating DC schemes will take a long time, cause massive cost and disruption and may still fail to deliver government’s objectives, says LCP
The People’s Pension targets £4bn private markets investment
The independent master trust aims to appoint a private markets specialist and to create a research capability, initially investing in infrastructure and real estate
LSEG calls for overhaul of EU sustainable finance regulation
Make it easier to invest in polluting companies through SFDR and climate benchmark rules, and simplify green taxonomy, group tells policymakers
2024 a record year for European ETFs but thematics disinvested
Morningstar research confirms 2024 as top year for ETFs although ESG sales have continued to decelerate
German liberal party pushes programme for pension investments in equities
FDP is campaigning for a “real statutory equity pension” based on the Swedish premium pension model
Using investment profits to finance social security can impact private pensions
BVI CEO Thomas Richter has labelled the plan of chancellor candidate for the Green Party, Robert Habeck, as a ‘populist foolish idea’
People moves: Alecta poaches duo from AMF
Plus: Aviva Investors picks head of EMEA institutional client relationship management; Regeneration.VC adds partner, chief impact officer
UK welcomes Torsten Bell as new pensions minister
Emma Reynolds is appointed economic secretary to the Treasury in a cabinet reshuffle
Ares’s direct lending fund raises €17.1bn at final close
Closing above its €15bn target, Ares Capital Europe VI is the largest institutional fund in the global direct lending market to date
Italy’s Banca Etica expands business into ESG asset management
The bank is stripping current external asset manager Anima of its mandate to manage the mutual funds of Etica SGR, the bank’s asset management arm
WPV asset management reshuffles team as it shifts to thematic focus
German pension fund for auditors and chartered accountants manages around €5bn for approximately 17,000 members and beneficiaries
Human capital is growing focus for investors, ISSB staff say
The project is in its initial phase with a focus on understanding the market need for more useful disclosure of information about the topic
Forca outsources Danish pensions IT to Netcompany
Joint pensions administration firm for PKA, PBU and Lærernes Pension says new integrated system meets its owners needs ‘faster, better and cheaper’
AP2 hires new CIO Anna Hammer to continue portfolio changes
Gothenburg-based buffer fund poaches Länsförsäkringar CIO to fill gap after losing Erik Kleväng Callert to SEB Trygg Liv
AP7 indicates BlackRock’s NZAM exit could affect future mandates
Sweden’s biggest state pension fund to meet world’s largest asset manager ‘to better understand’ decisions after BlackRock fled net zero alliance
Net Zero Asset Managers initiative halts activities
UN-backed body removes member commitments in attempt to steady the ship
German economists push for review of civil servants pension system
By splitting first and second-pillar pensions for civil servants, new contributions remain available to finance old pensions, says Martin Werding
Transition plans not yet useable for financial stability purposes, says FSB
Financial Stability Board (FSB) examines relevance of transition plans for financial stability assessments as tool gains traction
LBP Asset Management strengthens private markets offering
LBP AM European Private Markets has raised €9.4bn and invested €8.4bn in more than 300 transactions
KPA calls for action on pensions investment in local climate adaptation
Swedish municipal pension fund says preparedness investments have a long-term perspective that suits the management of occupational pensions
ABP orders fiduciary manager APG to shed all other clients
The move means APG’s three other fiduciary pension fund clients have to find alternatives
UK regulator urged to support switch to DB surplus focus for growth drive
TPR and other economic regulators have been called in to Downing Street on Thursday to explain how they will support the government’s growth agenda
PRA to continue scrutiny of funded reinsurance in BPA market in 2025
Regulator will consider ‘further use’ of its powers if firms are not meeting its expectations
Profond’s returns climb to 9.4%, funding ratio to 110% in 2024
Board of trustees decides to apply interest rate of 8% on retirement savings
