In March 2024 the Institute held the Global Asset Owner Peer Study symposium in London, in partnership with the Future Fund. This symposium was held to discuss results of the Global Asset Owner Peer Study on best practices, an examination of 26 prominent asset owners from around the world.
At this event we interviewed several of the asset owner participants about the importance of international peer discussions, key takeaways from the peer study and additional areas they would like to see covered in more depth in the future.
It’s stated that the soft stuff is the hard stuff, and I think that’s so true…it is the reality that we are living in.
Alexandre Roy, Senior Managing Director, Total Fund Management, PSP Investments
It’s great to get out and meet other people, people with a similar set of challenges to us. (It’s) excellent to hear what other people are doing, both to challenge what we’re doing and also to confirm what we’re doing.
Simon Pilcher, Chief Executive Officer, USS Investment Management
Trying to navigate through that trade off between being long term, with…short term market headwinds, as well as managing stakeholder expectations. That trade off is a big challenge.
Sonia Bluzmanis, Head of Research, External Equities, Rest Super
There (is) lots of learning…understanding that others are struggling with precisely the same governance issues as we are ourselves. And then realising that we will benefit from having deeper discussions with other peers around this.
Pål Bergstrom, Chief Executive Officer, AP7
The thing that has really landed with me is the idea about thinking of the organisation as a system, as a whole. It’s something that we’ve been grappling with at New Zealand Super. To have it, articulated in a way that I can digest and understand has been incredibly useful.
Paula Steed, General Manager, Strategy & Shared Services, NZ Super Fund
Diving a bit deeper on total portfolio approach (TPA). What does that practically look like day to day and how might it need to adapt in a multi client organisation?
John Greaves, Director of Fiduciary Management, RailPen