Topics cover Exchange Traded Funds, Smart Beta and Private Equity
The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has today (Thursday) launched three new Made Simple Guides covering Exchange Traded Funds, Smart Beta and Private Equity. The guides are designed to explain some of the most complex and technical areas of investment and pensions management in accessible, jargon-free language for pension schemes.
Commenting on the launch of the new Made Simple Guides, Joanne Segars, Chief Executive, NAPF, said:
“In recent years the world of pensions and investment has become increasingly complex, so the NAPF’s Made Simple Guides are an essential resource for trustees, pension managers and anyone involved in pensions trying to understand the most technical areas.
“Each Made Simple Guide provides information on a specific area in straightforward terms − no jargon, no business speak and no technical talk. Producing the content for these guides would not be possible without the industry-knowledge of our sponsors and this year it is my pleasure to thank iShares, HSBC Global Asset Management and BVCA, whose expertise has shaped the content of our guides launched at this year’s NAPF Annual Conference 2014.”
Mark Johnson, Head of Pension Sales EMEA, iShares, sponsors of the Exchange Traded Funds Made Simple Guide, commented:
"ETFs are fast becoming a key exposure tool for pension funds. We hope the Made Simple guide will bring their benefits of transparency, low cost and liquidity to more trustees and their advisers."
Stuart White, Head of Institutional, UK, HSBC Global Asset Management, sponsors of the Smart Beta Made Simple Guide, commented:
"We recognise that Smart Beta is gaining traction in the UK pension industry as an alternative investment approach to traditional cap-weighted indexation. There are, however, many interpretations of what Smart Beta actually means and why it makes sense. At HSBC Global Asset Management we firmly believe in the future of alternative indexation as an important investment approach and this year we are delighted to sponsor the NAPF's Smart Beta Made Simple Guide, which we hope will go some way to providing more clarity and understanding into this exciting area."
Tim Hames, Director General of the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA), sponsors of the Private Equity Made Simple Guide, commented:
“In the wake of the global financial crisis, pension funds are re-evaluating their asset allocation strategies to avoid declines in the value of their investment portfolios. Central to this effort has been the need to acquire financial asset diversity through increasing allocation to alternative asset classes. Owing to its long-term, sustainable, high performance compared with public markets, pension fund managers, already significant backers of private equity, are increasingly viewing the asset class as both a profitable and responsible investment vehicle in which to allocate capital and to diversify their portfolio.”
PDF versions of these Made Simple Guides will be available to download FREE from the NAPF website. Each guide (hard copy) costs £18 for NAPF members and £35 for non-members. They can be ordered online at www.napf.co.uk.
The new Made Simple Guides were launched at the NAPF Annual Conference 2014 in Liverpool, 15-17 October 2014.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
Other recent made simple guides include topics such as transition management, indices and benchmarking and derivatives and benchmarking.
About iShares
iShares is the global product leader in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) with over 700 funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade on 20 exchanges worldwide. The iShares Funds are bought and sold like common stocks on securities exchanges. The iShares Funds are attractive to many individual and institutional investors and financial intermediaries because of their relative low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account. The iShares customer base consists of the institutional segment of pension plans and fund managers, as well as the retail segment of financial advisors and high net worth individuals.
About HSBC Global Asset Management
HSBC Global Asset Management, the investment management business of the HSBC Group, invests on behalf of HSBC’s worldwide customer base of retail and private clients, intermediaries, corporates and institutions through both segregated accounts and pooled funds. HSBC Global Asset Management connects HSBC’s clients with investment opportunities around the world through an international network of offices in approximately 30 countries, delivering global capabilities with local market insight. As at 30 June 2014, HSBC Global Asset Management managed assets totalling US$465bn on behalf of its clients. For more information see www.global.assetmanagement.hsbc.com.
HSBC Global Asset Management is the marketing name for the asset management businesses of HSBC Holdings Plc.
About BVCA
The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) is the industry body for the UK private equity and venture capital industry. The BVCA has over 500 member firms, representing the vast majority of UK-based private equity and venture capital firms and their advisers.
About the NAPF
The NAPF is the voice of workplace pensions in the UK. We speak for over 1,300 pension schemes that provide pensions for over 17 million people and have more than £900 billion of assets. We also have 400 members from businesses supporting the pensions sector.
We aim to help everyone get more out of their retirement savings. To do this we promote policies that add value for savers, challenge regulation where it adds more cost than benefit and spread best practice among our members.
NAPF Media Contacts:
Lucy Grubb, Head of Media and PR, NAPF, 020 7601 1726 or 07713 073023, [email protected]
Eleanor Bennett, Press Officer, NAPF, 020 7601 1718 or 07825 171 446, [email protected]