All articles by Ian Smith – Page 11
-
Features
DC schemes dump trackers for multi-asset funds
Schemes have dropped equity trackers for better performing multi-asset and target date funds over the past five years, according to research published this week.
-
FeaturesWHSmith doubles surplus through LDI hedging
The newsagent’s pension scheme has managed to double its accounting surplus through its liability-driven investment strategy, following continued low interest rates.
-
FeaturesNationwide uses flexible retirement to engage staff
The UK’s biggest building society has benefited from letting staff draw their pension while continuing to work, since the abolition last year of the default retirement age (DRA).
-
Features
Merseyside limits losses with low volatility stocks
The £5.1bn local authority pension fund has reduced its losses in recent equity downturns through a low volatility investment strategy.
-
FeaturesPPF trims comms as numbers near 500,000
The pensions lifeboat has streamlined its communication materials to improve its performance as it prepares to take over customer service for its growing membership.
-
Features
Pearl wipes £19m off liabilities with Pie exercise
The Pearl Group Staff Pension Scheme has closed its funding gap by £19m through a derisking exercise that achieved a 40 per cent take-up among eligible pensioners.
-
Features
Schemes adopt flexible retirement to engage members
With seven out of 10 of schemes already implementing, or set to implement, flexible retirement, Ian Smith looks at how the policy can help them improve engagement.
-
Features
Bank scheme lifts contributions through age profiling
Ian Smith explores how the National Australia Group defined contribution (DC) plan and others are improving their communication through direct engagement with employees.
-
Features
Alternatives replacing equities to protect big funds
Schemes have taken advantage of alternatives to protect themselves from stock market volatility, with The Pensions Trust and GEC funds already benefiting from this approach.
-
Features
DC schemes harness apathy to drive up contributions
Defined contribution (DC) schemes are increasing members’ retirement savings by using a combination of apathy and education to ensure high levels of contributions.
-
FeaturesSchemes warned to keep an eye on illiquid assets
Schemes such as British Coal are closely managing their liquidity risk to ensure they are not locking away too much cash in hard-to-sell investments such as private equity and infrastructure.
-
Features
Half of schemes considering ETVs to reduce risk
With research finding 50% of schemes are considering an enhanced transfer value (ETV) exercise to reduce their longevity risk, Ian Smith analyses five key elements of the process.
-
Features
Engagement vital to improve member data, schemes say
Ian Smith and Owen Walker analyse how the Kingfisher, Aviva and Scottish TV pension plans have encouraged members to update their records and improve their administrative performance.
-
FeaturesWarburtons drives huge rise in member engagement
Warburtons' pension scheme has increased the amount of defined contribution members taking investment decisions from 2 per cent to 41 per cent following an intensive, country-wide communication campaign.
-
Features
One in four employers to mitigate 2012 costs
Ian Smith looks at new data revealing how defined contribution (DC) schemes and employers are planning to control the cost of auto-enrolment.
-
Features
Greater Manchester prepares for 25% fall in membership
Greater Manchester Pension Fund has set up a working group to draw up an investment strategy in expectation of a much-reduced membership.
-
FeaturesScottish & Newcastle diversifies with 5% in EMD
The Scottish & Newcastle Pension Plan will allocate 5 per cent of its assets to emerging market debt in a bid to diversify its growth portfolio.
-
FeaturesHeineken targets quicker changes with contract scheme
The beverages business has revealed it chose a contract-based rather than a trust-based defined contribution scheme to speed up its investment governance.
-
FeaturesTesco: Control the cost of losing contracting out
The government is plotting a statutory override to help schemes remove contracting-out rules. Tesco's group pensions director tells Ian Smith how to control the cost of the changes.
-
Features
Hybrid DC ruling prompts review of safety nets
Schemes should revisit how certain benefits are protected by funding legislation, following the Supreme Court judgement on hybrid scheme design.