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Emerging Markets

Active management and ideal weighting in emerging markets

From a strategic asset allocation point of view, AustralianSuper is one of the most aggressive investors in emerging markets, particularly Asia. About a quarter of the $43-billion fund is in international equities, and nearly half of that is in emerging markets. Equities is the vehicle for AustralianSuper’s emerging market exposure because growth remains the reason […]
Amanda WhiteJuly 12, 2013
Investor Profile

Position shift at University of Toronto Asset Management

In organisational terms there isn’t a stone unturned at University of Toronto Asset Management (UTAM). The organisation has a new board, new staff, new risk and reporting systems and has restructured its portfolios, including a new policy portfolio. Where previously the assets were managed in a traditional method, with public market assets and alternatives allocated […]
Amanda WhiteJune 14, 2013
Uncategorised posts

Building consensus for investment beliefs at CalPERS

An investment-beliefs workshop for the CalPERS board, held in April, revealed five areas, including active management, where the views of the board and staff lacked consensus. The contentious, or unsettled, topics for discussion were active management, private asset classes, sustainability (environmental, social and governance), investment performance targets and stakeholder considerations. At the board workshop, Janine […]
Amanda WhiteMay 10, 2013
Uncategorised posts

Breakfast with AQR’s Cliff Asness

Having a breakfast meeting with Cliff Asness is a wake-up call. He will let you know if you’re late – something he holds in very little regard. He admits he has to constantly remind himself that just because he’s 20 minutes early to everything that others are not automatically then 20 minutes late. Asness is […]
Amanda WhiteMarch 1, 2013
Uncategorised posts

Swiss investors on the hunt for alternatives

A company pension fund might not be the first place you would think of applying for a mortgage. According to Matthias Weber, a partner at Zurich consultancy ifund services, the issuance of mortgages by investors is likely to deepen as Swiss pension funds continue on their quest to find good alternative assets. Weber has just […]
Dan BillinghamJanuary 18, 2013
Investor Profile

Controlling strategy inhouse at UK coal scheme

Until a few years ago, every aspect of the investment strategy at the UK’s £20-billion ($32-billion) coal industry pension scheme was outsourced. The main inhouse task at the pension fund was benefit payment but now, in a fresh approach spearheaded by straight-talking 38-year old New Zealander, Stefan Dunatov, the new chief investment officer of the […]
Sarah RundellNovember 21, 2012
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