Val Cipriani
NewsUSS weighs up costs and benefits of outsourcing investments
Despite hiring an external asset manager to run its climate transition index earlier this year, the £90.8bn Universities Superannuation Scheme is keen to cut investment management costs by developing its in-house investment capabilities.
NewsWest Yorkshire Pension Fund averts recruitment crisis
On the go: The £17.8bn West Yorkshire Pension Fund has made three senior appointments to its in-house investment team in response to ‘critical’ staffing issues that occurred last year. It has also weighed up the risk of handing assets over to external managers in the future.
NewsUnisys schemes appoint Cardano as fiduciary manager
On the go: The Unisys Pension Scheme, the Unisys Payment Services Pension Scheme (Unisys Section) and the Unisys Public Sector Pension Scheme have appointed Cardano as fiduciary manager.
NewsWHSmith scheme completes £1bn full buy-in
On the go: The WHSmith Pension Trust has secured a £1bn full buy-in with Phoenix Group subsidiary Standard Life.
NewsNest invests £200mn in offshore wind farm
On the go: The £24bn National Employment Savings Trust has acquired a stake in an offshore wind farm.
NewsUniversities Superannuation Scheme acquires Butlin’s assets
On the go: The £90.8bn Universities Superannuation Scheme has acquired three real estate assets handled by holiday resort operator Butlin’s.
NewsWhitbread Group scheme secures £680mn buy-in
On the go: The £3bn Whitbread Group Pension Fund has secured a £680mn buy-in with Standard Life.
NewsUSS launches £1bn asset-backed securities push
On the go: The £90bn Universities Superannuation Scheme has launched an in-house mandate to invest in asset-backed securities.
NewsWorcestershire invests in climate fund, insurers lock in net zero targets
ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, including the Worcestershire County Council Pension Fund investing in a climate fund, bulk annuity insurers all having set net zero targets, and the Church of England Pensions Board slashing the carbon intensity of its holdings by a fifth.
NewsUniversal Office Supplies scheme agrees £47mn buy-in
On the go: The Universal Office Supplies Pension Scheme has agreed a buy-in with Legal & General.
NewsWilliam Hill insures all liabilities, boarding school agrees full buy-in
Risk watch: A roundup up of the latest derisking transactions, including the William Hill scheme’s transaction with Rothesay and Gordonstoun School’s full buy-in with Legal & General.
NewsWandsworth weighs up renewables, asset owners demand engagement
ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, including the Wandsworth Pension Fund assessing opportunities in renewable infrastructure, the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance pushing for greater engagement, and the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change highlighting the investment opportunities linked with the Paris Climate Agreement.
NewsHealth research charity closes DB schemes to future accrual
On the go: The Wellcome Trust decided to close its two defined benefit pension schemes to future contributions.
NewsUSS strengthens net zero goal, PIC and Railpen invest in social housing
ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, as the Universities Superannuation Scheme increases the scale of its net zero ambitions, the Pension Insurance Corporation backs Northern Irish social housing and the Railways Pension Fund agrees to fund affordable housing in east London.
NewsUSS switches to green equities, Aviva warns firms on sustainability
ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, with the Universities Superannuation Scheme moving more than £5bn of its global equity investments to a climate transition index, Aviva firing a warning shot at the companies in which it invests, and BMO setting out its engagement priorities for 2022.
NewsTwo councils target net zero, East Sussex buys sustainable equities
ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, with the Lambeth and Shropshire pension schemes setting goals for net-zero carbon emissions, and the East Sussex scheme investing in a new passive global equity ex-fossil fuels portfolio.
NewsUSS increases Thames Water stake
On the go: The £82.2bn Universities Superannuation Scheme has made an additional investment in utility company Thames Water, increasing its holdings in the business to almost 20 per cent.
NewsPension funds ‘outcompeted’ on UK green infrastructure investments
Sky-high demand for UK green infrastructure assets means pension funds are often unable to invest as much as they would like in the asset class, industry figures have argued.
NewsWarwickshire County Council hires pensions admin
On the go: Warwickshire County Council has hired the West Yorkshire Pension Fund as pensions administration provider for the Warwickshire Firefighters’ Pension Scheme.
NewsWates Pension Fund appoints fiduciary manager
On the go: The £333.9m Wates Pension Fund has appointed Russell Investments as fiduciary manager for its £300m defined benefit section.