All articles by Tom Dines – Page 22
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Features
Charges cap stifles investment sophistication, say experts
NAPF Investment Conference 2014: A cap on annual management charges could lead to some actively managed funds becoming unavailable to defined contribution schemes, industry figures have said, as they called for greater transparency and innovation in DC investment.
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Features
Push to extend trustee diversity efforts to company board selections
NAPF Investment Conference 2014: Pension trustee boards can provide a governance training ground for mid-level executives looking to get onto company boards, but diversity efforts have stumbled among member-nominated trustees, experts have said.
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FeaturesAsset-backed funding on the rise as schemes beef up security
Industry experts have predicted asset-backed funding strategies would survive a Scottish independence 'Yes' vote as well as current regulatory scrutiny, as greater accessibility has seen the average size of these structures decrease.
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News
End of contracting-out adds urgency to CDC decision
Data analysis: Figures show more than four-fifths of active defined benefit members remain contracted out, as consultants have said the costs associated with ending the arrangement have bolstered the hunt for alternatives.
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News
Care provider scheme overhaul nets 8% opt-out rate
The charity Alternative Futures Group has condensed its staff pension plans to two down from five in a bid to simplify its offering for auto-enrolment, achieving an 8 per cent opt-out rate in the process.
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News
Institutions boost calls for diversity to increase board effectiveness
News analysis: Voting strategies are growing in both popularity and complexity among institutional investors, after the Local Authority Pensions Fund Forum launched a drive to encourage gender diversity on the boards of companies it invests in.
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News
Hewden: simplicity crucial to managing auto-enrolment
Plant hire company Hewden has stressed simplicity was crucial to its auto-enrolment project, and questioned whether hiring a consultancy always provided value for money.
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News
BT 'pleased' as 30,000 members seek Pie advice
BT has attracted interest for its pension increase exchange exercise from more than 30,000 members, as one of the highest-profile employers to offer the liability-reducing tool.
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NewsBAE shrinks pensioner committee in efficiency bid
BAE Systems is reducing the size of its joint pensioner committee as part of a comprehensive review of the body, as technological advances have made it easier to communicate with members.
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News
Essex mulls delaying SME rep election as reform hits
Essex Pension Fund is considering extending the tenure of its smaller-employer representative, allowing time for the government to provide more clarity on local government scheme governance changes.
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News
Scheme valuation process 'broken', consultants say
Industry figures have called the triennial valuation process poorly suited to help schemes assess their needs, with technological advances allowing trustees to instantly assess their scheme’s funding level.
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News
FCA review prompts calls for trivial commutation increase
Industry figures have called for an increase to the trivial commutation limit after a Financial Conduct Authority report found small-pot holders were more likely to get a bad annuity deal.
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News
Regulator's DC self-assessment tool gets cautious welcome
Industry figures have welcomed the governance 'nudge' provided by the Pensions Regulator's self-assessment tools, but questioned whether schemes can hold themselves to account.
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News
How the pension fraud action group will tackle scam increase
The Pension Liberation Industry Group will develop a code of practice on pension transfers to protect trustees, as liberation schemes find new ways of targeting members.
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News
Lloyds derisks to stabilise scheme funding
One of Lloyds Bank's defined benefit pension funds has increased its allocation to bonds in an effort to boost stability, as European regulation puts pressure on bank sponsors to reduce volatility.
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Features
Schemes weigh up long-term value in Japanese equities
News analysis: Despite recent turbulence, Japanese economic prospects opened the window for pension schemes to invest in the country's equities market, consultants have said – provided investors approach it with caution.
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News
Equity market growth sees schemes rerisking
Data analysis: Schemes were rerisking in the last quarter of 2013 as they sought to benefit from rising equity markets to improve their funding levels.
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News
PPF to coinvest in private debt to diversify credit portfolio
The Pension Protection Fund is looking for two investment managers to coinvest in a direct lending strategy in a bid to diversify its credit portfolio and maintain more control over investments.
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News
Bulk annuity growth could tackle competition gap
New analysis: More insurers are expected to join the bulk annuities market to meet growing demand from pension funds, after concerns were raised over competition in the sector.
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News
Less than a quarter of 2014 stagers ready for auto-enrolment
News analysis: Only 23 per cent of employers staging for auto-enrolment in the first half¹ of 2014 have confirmed their provider and completed everything necessary to be ready to comply, data has shown.