NZ Super co-CIOs chart TPA vision; hunt for new alpha sources

As NZ Super nuts out growing pains in processes and technology, it has made some recent decisions to change its governance route including appointing two co-CIOs, Brad Dunstan and Will Goodwin, last year. In an interview, they discuss the co-delegation model, the evolution of TPA, and new alpha sources.

HESTA prepares AI investment framework for total fund clarity

The A$98 billion ($64 billion) Australian super fund HESTA is laying the groundwork for a more systematic framework for using AI across its total portfolio, solidifying use cases in research, forecasting, risk management and private assets that all centres on the objective of “seeing risks earlier and clearer”.

US Department of Labor slams OECD on ‘Marxist’ ESG policies

The US Department of Labor has publicly condemned the OECD for “pushing members to politicise their pension systems by integrating ESG factors unmoored from returns”, declaring that it will no longer support the OECD’s responsible investment principles and the concept of ESG “a Marxist march through corporate culture”. 

Litigation, fees and structures: Why 401(k) plans won’t jump into alts, yet

President Trump has fired the starting gun on encouraging America’s 401(k) plans to invest in private assets but corporate plans remain concerned about fees, structures and litigation. Meanwhile many DB funds are voicing their concerns about how it might impact access to investments, alpha, and change the asset class.

OMERS flags end to supercharged private equity returns

OMERS has warned that investors need to temper their expectations regarding the performance of more recent private equity vintages, as the favourable environment of high valuation multiples and low interest rates that spurred over a decade of superior returns begins to fade, said APAC head Ashish Goyal in Singapore.