As institutional investors’ results expectations continue to expand at a rampant speed, Errico Cocchi doesn’t want to get lost in overcomplicated investment trends. “At the end of the day you want to buy something that’s going to grow, that’s well managed and that has a good valuation,” says Cocchi, head of pension investments and debt […]
The United Nations’ Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance is marking five years of encouraging institutional investors to implement science-based targets towards curbing greenhouse gas emissions in their portfolios. The network launched with just 12 investment organizations and now counts 88 members across 19 countries. Its members’ collective assets under management have nearly quadrupled since 2019, from […]
The International Centre for Pension Management is celebrating 20 years of promoting strong pension governance practices by regularly engaging plan sponsor members, says Sebastien Betermier, the organization’s executive director. “It’s a milestone and it speaks to the value of having candid and quality exchanges among the pension funds . . . it’s a safe space for them […]
With many Canadian defined benefit pension plans in a strong funded position, plan sponsors, particularly those with unionized workforces, are increasingly discussing the use of surplus funds, says Gavin Benjamin, a partner in the retirement and benefits solutions practice at Telus Health. The funded position of a typical Canadian defined benefit pension plan rose on […]
An increase in the frequency of digital breaches among financial organizations is pushing institutional investors to take the necessary steps to prevent cyberattacks, says Sebastien Betermier, executive director at the International Centre for Pension Management. The complexity of the industry as well as the investment patterns of Canadian pension funds can create increased risk in […]
An acceleration of significant weather events are impacting the risk premium earned from insurance-linked securities, providing a significant inflation hedge for institutional investors, says Bernard Van der Stichele, senior portfolio manager of insurance-linked securities at the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. “ILS investments earn a risk premium that is directly proportional to the level of risk […]
The Investment Management Corp. of Ontario is looking at private assets as an opportunity to support investment returns across various Ontario-based pension plans. “We believe in private assets,” says Rossitsa Stoyanova, the IMCO’s chief investment officer. “They allow us to use some of our advantages like having a long-term horizon, our [in-house] expertise and taking […]
Stewardship guidelines are helping institutional investors address climate risks and safeguard their investment in the long run, says Brian Minns, managing director of responsible investing at the University Pension Plan of Ontario. “We need stewardship as [a way of] protecting the investments that we have and trying to enhance their value over time for our beneficiaries. […]
The demand for artificial intelligence is leading to increased energy usage by data centres and creating a link between the two assets, says Matthew Mendes, managing director and head of infrastructure at the Investment Management Corp. of Ontario. “The growth is different than it was before — [there’s] more hyperscale companies coming into the mix. […]
Institutional investors are disclosing the environmental impact of their assets through increasingly sophisticated sustainability reports that use the latest disclosure metrics. While some of Canada’s largest pension funds are at the forefront of how to leverage responsible investment mandates and attempt to enact change through leadership in global organizations, the shortcomings of data reporting standards […]