Alternative asset classes are featuring strongly in plan sponsors’ asset allocations. Alternatives often include such asset classes as real estate, infrastructure, hedge funds, private equity…
Towers Watson recently held its annual U.K. client conference, bringing together clients, consultants and money managers to discuss topical issues. Delivered through a case-study environment,…
As a result of the two market crises of the past decade, it has become evident that a more holistic way of looking at risk…
Alternatives has been the buzzword among pension investors for the past few years. Investments in alternative asset classes were going to solve everyone’s problems—improve returns…
The news over the past few years has been dominated by stories of massive frauds and Ponzi schemes—Enron, Bernie Madoff and Earl Jones to name…
Indexed or passive investing has grown in popularity over the last few decades, in part the consequence of occasionally disappointing results from active management, but…
More than a year has now passed since the start of the “credit crisis”. While there are signs that global economies and markets have stabilized,…
There has been much discussion about the state of the Canadian pension system. Many defined benefit (DB) plans are underfunded, most defined contribution (DC) plan…
As with any other pool of assets, the key to success in managing the investment portfolios of endowments and foundations lies in establishing a strong…
There is no doubt that following 2008, which was a difficult year for all market participants, there will be changes to the way managers, consultants…
The report and recommendations of the Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions were released November 20, 2008. The Commission’s mandate, while not explicitly stated as such,…
The past few weeks has been eventful, to say the least. We have watched the disappearance of Lehman Brothers and the changing status of Goldman…
There is always much debate about whether being part of a defined benefit (DB) or defined contribution (DC) pension plan is better. People who wish…
Every 18 months or so, those of us who do manager research at Watson Wyatt get together on a global basis to discuss new approaches…
You may read the title of this article and think that I am going to write about James Bond, 007. Sorry to say this article…