All articles by Ian Smith – Page 4
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OpinionEditorial: Good riddance to bad rubbish?
In the past week we've reported on another pension scheme ditching hedge funds, this time Cornwall Pension Fund, due to concerns over transparency and cost.
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News
How the Law Commission report affects your scheme
The Law Commission has released what has been branded a “common sense” guide for trustees, clarifying their fiduciary duties in respect of responsible investment as well as weighing in on defined contribution scheme governance.
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Features
Institutional investors warn pension funds not to become shadow banks
Chief investment officers at two historic institutions have raised concerns about pension funds stepping into the space left by banks constrained by tougher capital requirements, pointing to the potential risks and costs.
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Features
How the DA pensions bill could affect your scheme
Schemes have been left pondering how their benefit structures would be considered under the the government’s latest pensions bill, which codified three types of pension scheme, including “shared risk” schemes.
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OpinionEditorial: You're right from your side
One in seven trustees doesn't sound like a lot. But when you think that could be one person on every pension scheme board, the proportion starts to feel a bit more tangible.
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OpinionPensions bill looks to provide substance to 'defined ambition'
Editor's blog: The pensions reform hamster wheel is spinning again and the industry is rushing to see what surprises are hidden in the pensions bill laid before Parliament today.
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OpinionEditorial: Emerging versus frontier markets
Emerging market advocates are finding that where there were once believers, there are now sceptics, cynics and outright deserters.
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OpinionAdmit it: social impact investing is done for the social impact
Editor's blog: There has been a flurry of stories this month on local authority pension funds allocating to investments that target a positive social or environmental impact, giving a shot in the arm for proponents of activist investment.
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OpinionEditorial: Guidance without the notes
It is hard to imagine, but not long ago there was a time of blissful ignorance when the industry was not obsessed with the words ‘guidance guarantee’.
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Features
Strathclyde taps renewables as alternatives fund swells
Strathclyde Pension Fund has removed the £300m maximum from its New Opportunities portfolio, and will review its 3 per cent allocation limit, as it makes a suite of diversifying investments predominantly in renewable energy.
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OpinionEditorial: Education v condescension
Mext week we will start to publish in print, and later online, a roundtable discussion on exchange traded funds and the role that they can play in pension scheme portfolios.
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OpinionEditorial: Future glories
Many congratulations to all the winners of this year's 15th annual Pension and Investment Provider Awards, and thank you to all who came to the evening at the Sheraton Park Lane on May 21.
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OpinionThe cases for and against Labour's plan to extend auto-enrolment
Editor's blog: Labour's former shadow pensions minister Rachel Reeves, now shadow work and pensions secretary, has made the opposition's most substantial pledge yet on workplace pensions – to reduce the lower eligibility threshold from £10,000 to £5,772.
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OpinionEditorial: Derisked out of pocket
The trend away from equities is inevitable for many schemes, making it a matter of when, not if, they increase their bond holdings to reduce risk and cover a maturing membership.
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Opinion
PIPA 2014 in tweets: to the victors, the spoils
The best of the tweets from the victors and the rest at the 2014 Pension and Investment Provider Awards. For many more search #pipa2014.
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OpinionEditorial: Finding the tipping point
When will institutional investor sentiment towards Africa pass the tipping point from outside bet to portfolio mainstay?
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FeaturesHow FirstGroup doubled its online engagement through AE comms
Transport operator FirstGroup has seen its online engagement more than double since before auto-enrolment following a tailored, multimedia communication exercise last year to educate its 30,000-plus employees on pensions.
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OpinionEditorial: Back to school
First off, thank you to all those who attended our Leadership of DC Pensions event last week. You can read a review of the day in tweets, pictures and comments on our new blog at pensions-expert.com/the-cut.
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OpinionRelive our DC Leadership event in tweets
Editor's blog: This morning pension decision-makers and policymakers came for the first ever Leadership of DC Pensions summit, presented by #FTLive, to debate the challenges facing defined contribution pension schemes.
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OpinionEditorial: When is advice not advice?
The great advice versus guidance debate of 2014 is gathering apace. Let us step back for a moment and consider it from the viewpoint of the person on the Clapham omnibus.