What I took away from the world’s ‘festival of private capital’
The on- and off-stage antics at the extravagant Milken Global Conference in Los Angeles tell us a lot about where institutional capital is right on the money – and where it is putting its head in the sand.
NBIM lays out case for real estate turnaround
Norge Bank Investment Management chief executive Nicolai Tangen conceded the $2.1 trillion fund is “not satisfied” with the performance of its real estate portfolio, as weakness in the asset class was a main contributor to three consecutive years of negative relative returns. All eyes are now on whether its overhauled strategy, which includes new structures and sector composition, can turn things around.
Dutch transition: APG leans into data, IT and communication
APG has successfully shifted its smaller pension fund clients to the new defined contribution pension system and now begins the huge task of moving the giant ABP as well. The defined contribution system has many implications including shedding more than 1000 staff at APG and moving investments more into riskier assets.
PKA ups the risk; builds out infrastructure
PKA, one of Denmark’s largest pension service providers, is exploring whether to increase its risk budget by 10 per cent to boost returns. Michael Flycht, deputy director of equities and liquid alternatives at PKA, outlines why the fund is achieving this objective via leverage rather than direct exposures, and where it’s allocating towards in hedge funds and infrastructure.
From politics to portfolios: the market impact of rising populism
Populism has become part of the global landscape, rooted in frustrations over inequality, stagnant mobility, and a sense that mainstream policymakers have failed to adapt to shifting economic realities.
The Asset Owner Directory is an interactive tool to give readers an insight into the world of global asset owners. It includes key information for the largest asset owners around the world such as key personnel, asset allocation and performance.
| Fund Name | Country | AUM ($B) | Articles | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Norges Bank Investment Management | Norway | $2,218 | 91 | View Info |
ABP/APG Asset Management | Netherlands | $704 | 158 | View Info |
AP Fonden 2 (AP2) | Sweden | $48 | 46 | View Info |
National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) | United Kingdom | $68 | 23 | View Info |
Germany’s largest pension fund VBL ups diversification; invests more abroad
Germany’s €70 billion pension provider VBL is increasing its diversification, notably investing in overseas real estate outside Germany for the first time. It’s also increasing its tilt to international equities over European stocks, enabled by an organisational and investment process overhaul.
Rethinking portfolio construction at the human-AI nexus
As artificial intelligence models become more sophisticated, asset owners and managers are rethinking portfolio construction as an activity sitting at the nexus of human and machine, which means gaining an edge over the market increasingly needs investors to tap into the wisdom from both sources.
Fiduciary Investors Symposium
This event looks at the challenges long-term investors face in an environment of disruption including ongoing geopolitical risk and shifts in global economic dynamics. By accessing faculty of Harvard’s esteemed university, this event will leave investors empowered to tackle disruption in their portfolios and working lives.
Fiduciary Investors Symposium
The Fiduciary Investors Symposium at Stanford University celebrates the fast-moving change taking place in economies and communities and will examine the impact of innovation on our lives, workplaces and investments.
Oil crisis: Curb or catalyst to the green transition?
The blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has left the world facing another energy crisis and warning bells of a global recession are growing increasingly shrill. Ostensibly, the crisis could also push the energy transition back as governments and companies scramble to shoulder the cost of $100 per barrel of oil and prepare for higher
APAC equities moves from tactical to structural buys
The outperformance of APAC equities in 2025 has reignited interest among asset owners in allocating towards the region, but Franklin Templeton’s investment strategist Christy Tan argues the investment case for APAC has shifted from a tactical to a structural buy. She unpacks the reasoning in conversation with Top1000funds.com Asia Pacific correspondent Darcy Song.
CPP Investments, NBIM reflect on lessons from a 5-year transparency journey
The Global Pension Transparency Benchmark has been a driving force in improved transparency of disclosures and reporting among global asset owners. As the project comes to its close after five years, two leading funds reflect on why transparency has been a clear focus for their organisations.
NPS raises hedging ratio as Korea’s capital outflows weigh on won
South Korean investors’ pursuit of offshore investments has become a significant source of won weakness and triggered a shift in hedging rules for the $1 trillion National Pension Service. With an overseas asset exposure greater than Korea’s national foreign reserves, NPS’ move demonstrates the scale of impact FX risks can have on portfolios.
“Top1000funds.com is a breath of fresh air in terms circulating stories that encompass new ideas and original thinking to keep us all abreast of the ideas that matters to us in the asset management industry in general and asset allocation spheres. I thank you for that.”
“Top1000funds.com provides a great mix of stories that are of interest to asset owners and those who work with them, covering both investment topics and organisational ones. While aimed at “the world’s largest institutional investors,” the articles are relevant to all kinds of asset owners, as well as professionals at other investment organisations.”
“The Top1000funds.com newsletter has become a very powerful source of information for the community of asset owners around the world. It is relevant and deep. I’ve known Amanda White for more than a decade now, she probably has the deepest understanding of the topics that are of interest to asset owners in the field globally.”
“I really enjoy reading Top1000funds.com articles for my reference in investment. I would describe it as a kind of lighthouse when I was lost in turbulent market situation.”
“Congratulations to Amanda and the team on this milestone. Your timely and relevant articles consistently offer thoughtful insights about the industry, and I look forward to seeing what the next era of investing will bring.”
Top1000funds.com produces high quality and thoughtful journalism that frequently aids my thinking.
“Accurate, authoritative, informative and readable. Top1000funds.com is everything a specialised industry publication should be. Congratulations on your 1000th issue.”
“I have been a big fan of Top1000funds.com for years and eagerly await the next issue. There are three reasons for this. First, it is very prescient. I will always remember how it was writing about income inequality as a system-level risk like climate change long before this was generally recognised. Second, it is always on top of the most relevant current events in sustainable investing. Third, it brings in guest writers who are luminaries in this domain.”
Long term lens shields Colorado from private credit jitters
As concerns in private credit mount, Colorado PERA CIO and COO Amy McGarrity says the pension fund isn’t seeing any strains in its growing allocation to the asset class, arguing that long-term investors are shielded from the risks because they can lock up their capital to weather market cycles.
Iceland’s LV mulls more EM exposures, PE co-investments after SAA review
Iceland’s LV is eyeing more emerging markets allocation and private equity co-investments after conducting an SAA review, which will be finalised in the first half of 2026. CIO Arne Vagn Olsen says the shift is designed to make the $11 billion pension fund future-ready.
Editorial