Willis Towers Watson

The biggest public pension in the US is considering a more holistic investment strategy – one others may follow.

The 500 largest fund managers held $2.5trn of alternative AUM at the end of last year, up 5% from 2015, according to the P&I/Willis Towers Watson global 500.

Direct private equity and private equity funds of funds accounted for almost a third of the total AUM of the world’s largest alternative asset managers.

Pension funds have been ramping up exposure to alternatives – with some of the world’s largest pension markets recording a rise in average allocations to 19% from 5%. Consultancy Towers Watson is ‘confident’ the numbers will keep rising.

Pension funds have been ramping up exposure to alternatives – with some of the world’s largest pension markets recording a rise in average allocations to 19% from 5%. Consultancy Towers Watson is ‘confident’ the numbers will keep rising.

Of the $179bn of assets managed last year by the world’s top 50 infrastructure funds, $109bn - or about 61% - correspond to mandates on behalf of pension funds, reports a survey by Towers Watson and the Financial Times. Macquarie manages the largest amount of pension assets of all alternative asset class managers, at $52bn.

The European buyout investor has agreed to sell Opus Holdings, a UK regional insurance broker, to Willis Group for an undisclosed sum.

Willis Group, the insurance broker, has hired three London-based risk insurance specialists from Aon Mergers & Acquisitions Group to build up its European M&A and private equity franchise.

How are placement agents responding to private equity’s woes, and what do investors think they could be doing better?

US managers are increasingly looking to apply their expertise in Europe as appetite for defence investment spreads in the region.

The firm, one of a few in private equity making efforts to tap the defined contribution market, is doing away with the traditional 2/20 private equity fee model for DC retirement plans.

Pantheon, which conducted the study, is one of the private equity firms looking to tap the growing defined contribution pension market.

Partners Group has launched what it describes as the first private markets fund designed for UK defined contribution pension schemes. Other firms will likely follow.

Private equity fund managers oversee $767 billion globally, behind real estate and hedge funds

Global pension assets hit a record high of $32 trillion.

The Hong Kong-based firm is still fundraising for its fifth China-focused vehicle, expecting to reach or surpass its target before the end of the year.