All Consultants articles – Page 6

  • News

    PLSA pitch for light-touch tender rules raises eyebrows

    2018-08-31T00:00:00Z

    The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association has called for mandatory fiduciary management tenders mandates to be closed processes with no minimum number of applicants, but some experts have questioned whether the move would do anything to change the status quo.

  • Dev Jadeja
    Opinion

    Would your portfolio benefit from a hedge fund allocation?

    2018-08-28T00:00:00Z

    Multiple institutional investors have brought their sizeable hedge fund allocations under review over recent years, prompting a wider reassessment of the asset class.

  • Features

    Avon asset managers warned over poor performance

    2018-08-15T00:00:00Z

    The Avon Pension Fund has raised the prospect of dropping some of its active managers after a significant period of underperformance.

  • Mandatory tenders welcomed by pensions industry
    News

    Mandatory tenders welcomed by pensions industry

    2018-07-18T00:00:00Z

    UK pension schemes will be required to conduct competitive tender processes before hiring their first fiduciary manager, under recommendations set out by the Competition and Markets Authority on Wednesday.

  • News

    CMA wants mandatory tendering to tackle competition weaknesses

    2018-07-18T00:00:00Z

    On the go: UK pension schemes will be required to conduct competitive tender processes before hiring their first fiduciary manager, under recommendations set out by the Competition and Markets Authority on Wednesday.

  • News

    Disclosure standard aims for strengthened trustee buy side

    2018-06-26T00:00:00Z

    Investment consultants could be required to disclose scheme data allowing clients to judge the quality of their advice under a new performance framework, which has already attracted positive early statements from two top 10 firms including 'big three' member Mercer.

  • Roger Brown
    Opinion

    Time gap to stop fiduciary flipping looks CMA’s best bet

    2018-06-11T00:00:00Z

    The Competition and Markets Authority has found evidence indicating “that a significant proportion of pension schemes buying fiduciary management have appointed their existing investment consultant to supply these services”. The CMA puts the proportion at 55 per cent.

  • Richard Dowell
    Opinion

    CMA investigation: Prepare for positive change

    2018-05-29T00:00:00Z

    The Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into the UK’s investment consultants and fiduciary managers, launched last autumn, has the potential to drive seismic change.

  • News

    Rate of investment consultant tenders has plummeted, survey finds

    2018-05-18T00:00:00Z

    Less than 3 per cent of pension schemes retendered for investment consulting services last year, compared to 18.6 per cent of schemes in 2008, according to research from selection specialists IC Select. 

  • News

    Lack of trustee engagement leads to higher fees, CMA finds

    2018-05-11T00:00:00Z

    The Competition and Markets Authority has turned its attention to the negotiation abilities of trustee boards, with a working paper that highlights the benefits of engaging third-party oversight of consultants or fiduciary managers.

  • News

    Are trustees engaging with fiduciary managers properly?

    2018-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Most trustees are perfectly capable of operating beyond the conflicts of interest inherent in fiduciary management, but some small schemes lack resources and support, according to experts.

  • News

    CMA: Fiduciary management not overly concentrated

    2018-04-27T00:00:00Z

    Neither the investment consultancy or fiduciary management industries show signs of excessive concentration, the Competition and Markets Authority has found, but the vertical integration of the ‘big three’ firms could distort the market in future.

  • News

    Trustees with fid man less likely to check quality of service

    2018-04-12T00:00:00Z

    Trustees employing fiduciary managers are less engaged in assessing the quality of their provider than those with a traditional investment consultancy relationship, the latest report from the Competition and Markets Authority has found.

  • News

    Can schemes still justify active management?

    2018-03-26T00:00:00Z

    The average active fund manager cannot outperform their benchmark net of fees, and according to the Competition and Markets Authority, the average investment consultant cannot reliably identify those managers who do. Can an average trustee board reasonably keep the faith in active management?

  • Features

    Solving consultancy's transparency problem

    2018-03-05T00:00:00Z

    Analysis: The first findings to be presented by the Competition and Markets Authority show that no one is squeaky clean in the investment consulting and fiduciary management businesses. How can both products become more transparent?

  • News

    CMA sets out publishing timetable for fiduciary investigation

    2018-02-21T00:00:00Z

    The Competition and Markets Authority could publish the first of its findings on the UK investment consultancy market as early as this month, according to a provisional timetable released on Wednesday.

  • News

    Consultants commit to flagging ESG factors

    2018-01-22T00:00:00Z

    Sixteen investment consultancy firms have said that they will seek to ensure that pension schemes take into account environmental, social and governance factors where they are financially material. 

  • News

    DB advisers could be sued over climate change risk

    2017-11-30T00:00:00Z

    Defined benefit investment consultants and actuaries may be legally bound to advise on material climate change risk, according to new research.

  • Bloomberg
    News

    CMA begins consultant investigation as FCA calls trustees 'weak'

    2017-09-14T00:00:00Z

    The Financial Conduct Authority has finalised its referral of the investment consultancy industry to the Competition and Markets Authority, beginning an 18-month period of investigation into conflicts of interest in the sector.

  • Features

    Schemes regain faith in fid man evaluators

    2017-09-07T00:00:00Z

    Trustees have shown more inclination towards using third-party evaluators as part of the fiduciary management selection process, a new report has shown. Mid-sized schemes continue to flock towards fiduciary management.