Leaders in Investment - IPE

In Episode #12 of IPE’s Leaders in Investment podcast series, Jaakko Kiander, Chief Executive Officer of Keva, Finland’s largest pension provider, speaks with IPE Editorial Director Liam Kennedy. 'Until a couple of years ago, it was a rule that we shouldn’t invest in arms... Now, we think it’s socially responsible to invest in the European arms industry.’ Keva, Finland’s largest pension, looks after state and local government pensions there as well as administering the pensions of other public sector organisations. The two discuss the €70 billion fund’s increasing equity allocation, how it integrates ESG principles into investment decisions and how they work with outsourced managers to invest in alternatives as well as emerging market along with the role of pension funds in Europe’s green transition and evolving views on defence investments.  Additionally, Kiander talks about the role that AI will play in digitising pension processes and why this is important for increasing efficiency. This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #11 of IPE’s Leaders in Investment podcast series, Joe McDonnell, Chief Investment Officer of UK Local Government Pension Scheme pool Border to Coast speaks with IPE Editorial Director Liam Kennedy. ‘Asset owners are going to work much more closely together. I think that's going to be a huge feature of the market over the next five or six years.’ Liam Kennedy interviews Joe McDonnell, Chief Investment Officer at Border to Coast, a UK local government pension scheme pool managing £50 billion. McDonell discusses the benefits of pooling assets, citing his experience at IBM and Shell. He highlights Border to Coast's business model, emphasising internal management capabilities and investment choice. The conversation covers the launch of new funds at Border to Coast, including a UK real estate fund and a UK Opportunities Fund as well as the importance of ESG integration. In addition, McDonnell addresses concerns about market risks and geopolitical issues, while expressing optimism about future collaboration among asset owners. This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #10 of IPE’s Leaders in Investment podcast series, IPE Editorial Director Liam Kennedy interviews professor Dirk Schoenmaker, Investment Committee Chair, PFZW. ‘Let’s face the music – a large part of the economy still has to go through the transition, and we want to help them out.’ Noted finance professor Dirk Schoenmaker and longtime leader in the Netherlands’ financial sector chairs the investment committee of PFZW, the €225bn Dutch pension for the care and welfare sector, which has more than three million active and retired members. He reflects on the fund’s bold decision to move to an impact investment strategy across all asset classes, how the fund has communicated this with all its stakeholders and his belief that a positive impact can future-proof a pension’s business model. This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #9 of IPE’s Leaders in Investment podcast series, IPE Editorial Director Liam Kennedy interviews Michael Wissell at HOOPP “Within HOOPP we are tenaciously focused on liquidity because it’s an enabler of tomorrow’s returns if something were to go bump in the night.” Michael Wissell, Chief Investment Officer of HOOPP has spent 20 years at the coal face of Canadian pensions. Overseeing the portfolio’s C$104bn in assets, Wissell discusses his market views, changing allocations and discusses HOOPP’s new London office, which will allow it to invest directly in real assets in the UK, Europe and beyond. This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #8 of IPE’s Leaders in Investment podcast series, IPE Real Assets editor Richard Lowe interviews Patrick Kanters, CIO Private Markets, APG  "The asset-owner programme allows us ultimately to write these bigger tickets and access transactions that would otherwise not be available" As CIO of private markets at APG, Patrick Kanters oversees a €150bn-plus portfolio of real estate infrastructure, private equity and natural capital on behalf of several Dutch pension funds, including the country’s largest, ABP. He reflects on 20 years at APG and the challenges and opportunities facing the institutional investor today.  This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #7 of IPE’s Leaders in Investment podcast series, IPE Editorial Director Liam Kennedy interviews Mark Fawcett, CEO of Nest Invest.  “We're doing something really valuable for UK society and for our members, who tend to be lower paid.” As Head of Investment and CEO of NEST Invest, Mark Fawcett is in charge of the long-term savings of 12 million defined contribution pension holders in the UK. He reflects on investment beliefs, sustainable investing policy and ramping up the private markets allocation to 30%.  This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #6 of IPE’s Leaders in Investment podcast series, IPE Real Assets editor Richard Lowe interviews Marieke van Kamp, head of private markets at NN Group.    “One the one hand, there is the need for more private assets; at the same time, the M&A market is slow. That is a strength – managers are very picky at what they do. But it needs a different kind of steering towards desired exposures, as it takes quite a long time to build up exposures, and that is, from a portfolio perspective, sometimes difficult to navigate.”  NN is Dutch insurance group with insurance businesses throughout Europe and Japan. In this episode, Marieke van Kamp talks about building up NN’s exposure to private markets – particularly in infrastructure, private credit and ‘climate solutions’ – and the challenges this has posed over the years and in today’s new high-interest-rate environment.  This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM.    In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.   The result will be a valuable library of downloadable insights into what motivates both individuals, teams, boards and trustees as they set about achieving their long-term investment goals with a view to improving the retirement outcomes of hundreds of millions of pension holders.  If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #5, of IPE’s new Leaders in Investment podcast series, IPE editorial director Liam Kennedy interviews Richard Tomlinson – CIO, LPPI. "You've got to find that right balance between challenging the individual – giving them growth and opportunity – and executing the goals for the stakeholders. I think we do a pretty good job of getting that right." Local Pension Partnership (LPP) manages around £25bn for three local government pension schemes around England, including in Greater London. In this episode, Richard Tomlison, CIO of LPP Investments reflects on team values, ESG investing and what makes a good long-term focused pension investor. This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #4, of IPE’s new Leaders in Investment podcast series, IPE editorial director Liam Kennedy interviews Kristin Magnusson Bernard – CEO, AP1. “The main challenge of 2024 will be maintaining the trust in what you do for your beneficiaries so that you are a credible guardian of their wealth.”  The Stockholm-based fund manages around a quarter of the €175bn capital bufferthat backs Sweden’s national income pension system. Bernard reflects on AP1 and its investment thinking, as well as on the reasons behind a planned reform of the AP funds. This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #3 of IPE’s new Leaders in Investment podcast series, IPE Editor Liam Kennedy interviews Mads Gosvig Chief Officer, Fiduciary and Investment Management, and John Greaves Director of Fiduciary Management from Railpen. "The death of DB pension has been proclaimed by many people...It's intellectually stimulating to be in a position to think about how to make it work better", says Mads Gosvig. Railpen is a relative rarity in the UK - a sector focused pensions provider serving the railindustry, and an open DB scheme. This podcast explores how Railpen manages its £34bn (€40bn) assets via a pooled fund structure with a multi-asset bias, how it approaches risk management, and how it sees ESG. Liam Kennedy is joined by Mads Gosvig, chief officer, fiduciary and investment management, and John Greaves, director of fiduciary management for another insightful conversation in IPE's Leaders in Investment podcast series. This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode #2, of IPE’s new Leaders in Investment podcast series, IPE Real Assets Editor Richard Lowe interviews Damien Webb, deputy CIO and head of real assets at Aware Super. “There seems to be a particularly large opportunity set in property at the moment… I think there is quite a significant mismatch in the supply of opportunities and the capital provided. We are a capital provider, but we're seeing other groups that are on sidelines at the moment.  Damien Webb, CIO and head of real assets at Aware Super, one of the largest superannuation funds in Australia, recently relocated from Sydney to London to launch the organisation’s first international office, which he describes as “a big investment for Aware Super.” Webb speaks with IPE Real Assets Editor Richard Lowe in the second of IPE’s new Leaders in Investment podcast series about the A$160bn institutional investors’ global investment plans, opening their first overseas office in London and the challenges and opportunities in the market right now.  This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#1 Leaders in Investment: Conversation with Timo Löyttyniemi, CEO, Finland's State Pension Fund (VER) Timo Löyttyniemi, CEO of Finland’s State Pension Fund (VER), speaks to IPE Editor Liam Kennedy in our first Leaders in Investment Podcast.     “We don’t have any motivation other than a good return and a good risk/return ratio,” says Timo in the interview.  As CEO of Finland’ State Pension Fund (VER), Timo Löyttyniemi heads an organisation with €20bn under management. He returned to the role in March 2020, having previously held the position between 2003 and 2015.   From 2015-19, he was the Vice Chair for the Single Resolution Board (SRB) in Brussels. His previous roles were in banks and investment banking.  This episode of Leaders in Investment is sponsored by PGIM. In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.  Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. If you like what you hear, do tell friends and colleagues, and please let us know us what you think by contacting us on podcasts@ipe.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leaders in Investment An IPE and IPE Real Assets podcast In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content. Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Capturing diversity of thinking towards mainstream and alternative investments, both liquid and illiquid, conversations will dive into investment governance, strategic and tactical asset allocation, implementation, in-house teams, manager hiring and firing, sustainability and how to deal with partners and stakeholders. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions. Your host are Liam Kennedy – Editorial Director, IPE and Richard Lowe – Editor, IPE Real Assets. We would like to thank our partner PGIMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.