Letter to the Editor: TPA’s benefits are real, and accessible
In a Letter to the Editor, Stefano Cavaglia and Donald Raymond argue the reported performance gains using TPA are not only plausible but that TPA-like strategies, such as applying an optimizing total portfolio overlay, can provide significant benefits without massive governance changes.
TfL Pension Fund: A bespoke benchmark in Bridgewater mandate strikes gold
Transport for London Pension Fund styled a bespoke benchmark to gold in its Pure Alpha mandate with Bridgewater. It has added hundreds of millions of pounds to the portfolio, says chief investment officer Padmesh Shukla. In a wide-ranging conversation, he also explains the rationale for reducing equity to just 18 per cent of the total fund and why emerging markets aren’t offering the diversification or returns they used to.
LACERA braces for lower expected returns across portfolio ahead of SAA review
The $94 billion LACERA has been warned that expected returns across major asset classes in its portfolio will shrink over the long-term as it gears up for an asset allocation review in 2027. In a recent board meeting, chief investment officer Jonathan Grabel highlighted several investment dynamics the fund is keeping an eye on.
LPPI: Keeping AI risk in check
As the risk of an AI bubble grows, LPPI’s Richard Tomlinson reflects on how the LGPS pool manages and measures AI exposure. In an interview with Top1000funds.com, he also explains how he has been moulding the fund’s investment structure to be fit for a post-LGPS reform future.
How private credit investors are preparing for software’s AI reckoning
As the private credit industry matures, the first real stress tests are emerging – from AI-exposed software loans to eroding covenants in megadeals. Institutional investors are responding by rethinking where the illiquidity premium justifies the risk.
The Asset Owner Directory is an interactive tool to give readers an insight into the world of global asset owners. It includes key information for the largest asset owners around the world such as key personnel, asset allocation and performance.
| Fund Name | Country | AUM ($B) | Articles | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association | United States | $86 | 5 | View Info |
Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) | Japan | $1,809 | 57 | View Info |
Utah Retirement Systems | United States | $59 | 8 | View Info |
PFA Pension | Denmark | $139 | 10 | View Info |
New Jersey’s $85 billion fund stockpiles cash, eyes PE secondaries
An underweight position across private markets, predicated on a view that geopolitics and inflation mean interest rates are not coming down any time soon, has positioned the New Jersey Division of Investment with plenty of dry powder and a cash position four times the policy allocation. It is now readying for opportunities in private equity secondaries and with emerging managers. Chief investment officer Shoaib Khan spoke to Top1000funds.com.
Impact investing’s case for scale
Impact investing has come a long way in the past two decades, going from a niche strategy to a $1.5 trillion industry, but there are still challenges for it to reach institutional scale due to the lack of products and insufficient evidence of outperformance in some parts of the market.
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.
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 economy dynamics. By accessing faculty of England’s most esteemed university, this event will leave investors empowered to tackle disruption in their portfolios and working lives.
La Caisse’s oil exit pays off as renewables portfolio pulls ahead of fossil fuels
Divesting from the oil sector has been a boon for La Caisse’s performance, as the Canadian pension giant says its energy investments have earned billions in value-add compared to the benchmark since the inception of its climate strategy. Head of sustainability Bertrand Millot unpacks the fund’s approach in an interview with Top1000funds.com.
China in ‘very precarious’ position as debt strains investment-led growth model
Michael Pettis, leading expert on China’s economy and financial markets, says investors should be concerned about the nation’s record total-debt-to-GDP ratio as it threatens to strangle the investment-led economic growth model it has maintained for decades. In the latest episode of the Top1000funds.com podcast, Pettis unpacks why China’s pivot to a consumption-led society will be painful.
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.
Falling dollar dents Canadian pension returns; triggers hedging rethink
A weakening US dollar has eaten into the returns of Canada’s largest pension funds as annual reports revealed the currency shock forced a fundamental rethink from some investors around hedging practices. OMERS has pivoted from a policy hedging target to a more flexible approach fulfilling multiple objectives, while OTPP more than halved its US dollar exposure in 2025.
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Ohio STRS warns of higher US recession risk; prioritises liquidity
The State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio has warned of a “material” increase in US recession risk compared to last year as the fund braces for a wider, “negatively skewed” distribution of outcomes in the next 12 months. It came as the mature plan, which is 81 per cent funded, is tilting to fixed income and new asset classes like liquid alternatives over equities.
Rest Super’s selective approach to PE pays off as program comes of age
A concentrated bet on fewer, better GP relationships is paying off for one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds. Built on selective manager and deal selection rather than a broad roster, the A$112 billion ($78 billion) Rest Super delivered private equity returns more than double the peer average last financial year, as the fund proactively courts top-tier PE firms instead of waiting to be approached.
Editorial