Emma Powell
- News
Johnston Press DB recovery to net 25% of sold sponsor assets
Johnston Press Pension Plan has agreed a revised recovery plan with its sponsor, entitling it to a chunk of the proceeds from the sale of company assets, to help plug its rising deficit.
- Features
WMPF markets third-party services to neutralise costs
West Midlands Pension Fund plans to market its internal support services to third parties in order to become cost-neutral by offsetting its administration costs.
- Features
CofE scheme mulls infrastructure diversification to drive returns
The Church of England Pensions Board is considering spreading its infrastructure portfolio outside Europe, following a similar decision to rebalance its property portfolio towards the US and Asia in a hunt for return.
- Features
Non-disclosure agreements: schemes give mixed reaction
Scheme managers and consultants have given a mixed response to the question of non-disclosure agreements for fund management fees, after concerns were raised that they may inhibit schemes’ ability to negotiate value for members.
- Features
Caterpillar scheme delays derisking over stock volatility concerns
Caterpillar Pension Plan has postponed a decision to cut its equity exposure to increase its liability-driven investment allocation as a result of concerns over stock market volatility.
- Opinion
Where bribery is smiled upon: Is paying for feedback worth the effort?
Any other business: With market research companies offering incentives such as vouchers, electrical goods and even hard cash to consumers who complete their surveys, it is clear getting feedback on any product or service can be a struggle.
- News
Corporate schemes up alts but stem fixed income flows
UK corporate schemes ploughed 20 percentage points more of their assets into alternatives in the past three months than the previous quarter, while cutting inflows into fixed income, investment data have shown.
- Features
Cambridgeshire fund tightens payment reporting ahead of regulatory changes
Cambridgeshire County Council Pension Fund has mandated its largest participating employer to detail member contributions, in order to more effectively monitor late payments to the scheme as new reporting requirements come into play.
- Features
South Yorks ups property, EMD and high-yield in search for returns
South Yorkshire Pension Fund has increased its allocation to property and placed greater emphasis on emerging market and high-yield debt as it searches for greater balance between risk and returns.
- Features
Hunting yield in an unpredictable fixed income market
A slump in government bond yields has caused some defined benefit schemes to delay derisking and look for greater returns in more volatile assets.
- Features
EE ditches gilts for absolute return as institutions hunt yield
The largest UK mobile group’s defined benefit pension scheme is removing a set allocation to index-linked gilts in favour of absolute return bonds and hedge funds, the latest institutional investor to reset its portfolio in a hunt for value.
- Features
HSBC plans cash lifestyle default for ex-DB members
HSBC Pension Scheme plans to default members of its defined benefit section to its cash lifestyle fund following the closure of the section in July next year, as part of a wider post-Budget review of its defined contribution arrangements.
- Opinion
Issuing a 'trustee P45' – is firing scheme reps ever justifiable?
Any other business: Going against the grain is not necessarily a bad thing in a trustee; in fact it can be a necessary part of acting in members’ best interests.
- Features
SABMiller to offer pension-plus savings options after 20% opt out
NAPF Annual Conference 2014: Drinks company SABMiller will launch additional savings vehicles after one in five workers opted out of its UK defined contribution scheme, with reductions in tax relief a principal factor.
- Features
Warburtons kicks off three-pronged comms strategy
NAPF Annual Conference 2014: Warburtons, the UK’s largest bread baker, has this year launched the first of a three-part plan to boost engagement among a new swath of pension savers.
- News
Aussie lessons for your scheme's post-Budget strategy
NAPF Annual Conference 2014: The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia has called upon UK schemes and providers to ensure the minimum advice they provide equips members to make well-informed decisions with their new retirement flexibilities.
- Features
Hillingdon targets equity dividends, looks to lock in gains
London Borough of Hillingdon Pension Fund has shifted its equity portfolio away from UK holdings and towards unconstrained strategies, but the move has so far failed to perform.
- Opinion
How to use your DGF in a post-Budget environment
Kevin Frisby from LCP, JLT Investment Consulting's Allan Lindsay, Axa IM's Yoram Lustig, HR Trustees' Giles Payne, Aon Hewitt's Ryan Taylor and Bruce White of LGIM discuss how schemes can invest in DGFs in the post-Budget environment, in the final instalment of a four-part panel discussion.
- Features
Hyde Group uses employees to design flex bens
Housing provider Hyde Group has set up a flexible, employee-designed system for scheme members to access their benefits, in a drive to retain and attract talent.
- Features
Tyne and Wear switches PE benchmark to limit relative volatility
Tyne and Wear Pension Fund has switched to using an absolute return benchmark for its private equity investments in a bid to reduce the relative volatility of returns.