Governance is a word that is increasingly heard and read in modern times, be it corporate governance, global governance, or investment governance. Investment governance, the central concern of this modest volume, refers to the effective employment of resources—people, policies, processes, and systems—by an individual or governing body (the fiduciary or agent) seeking to fulfil their fiduciary duty to a principal (or beneficiary) in addressing an underlying investment challenge. Effective investment governance is an enabler of good stewardship, and for this reason it should, in our view, be of interest to all fiduciaries, no matter the size of the pool of assets or the nature of the beneficiaries. To emphasize the importance of effective investment governance and to demonstrate its flexibility across organization type, we consider our investment governance process within three contexts: defined contribution (DC) plans, defined benefit (DB) plans, and endowments and foundations (E&Fs). Since the financial crisis of 2007–2008, the financial sector’s place in the economy and its methods and ethics have (rightly, in many cases) been under scrutiny. Coupled with this theme, the task of investment governance is of increasing importance due to the sheer weight of money, the retirement savings gap, demographic trends, regulation and activism, and rising standards of behavior based on higher expectations from those fiduciaries serve. These trends are at the same time related and self-reinforcing. Having explored the why of investment governance, we dedicate the remainder of the book to the question of how to bring it to bear as an essential component of good fiduciary practice. At this point, the reader might expect investment professionals to launch into a discussion about an investment process focused on the best way to capture returns. We resist this temptation. Instead, we contend that achieving outcomes on behalf of beneficiaries is as much about managing risks as it is about capturing returns—and we mean “risks” broadly construed, not just fluctuations in asset values.

More than 80% of the financial assets in the United States fall under the purview of a trustee. That's a big responsibility for an estimated 1% (around 1.5 million people) of the U.S. working population charged with overseeing investments for millions and millions of beneficiaries, public sector, and non-profit organizations. In a world proliferated by investment products, increasingly dominated by indexes, faced—particularly in the pension world—with increasing liabilities, more regulation, and a growing number of social and sustainability objectives, what's a trustee to do? The Trustee Governance Guide is here to help guide today’s board trustee through the brave new world of 21st century investing. The book focuses on the critical aspects of the Five Imperatives: Governance, Knowledge, Diversification, Discipline, and Impact. Based on more than a decade of research, practice, and discussions with many key decision makers and influencers across the industry, this book addresses the many topics related to better governance, greater mission-driven financial performance, and impact. The questions the book addresses include: · What is good governance, how do we know it when we see it, and why does it matter? · How much knowledge is necessary to be a competent board member? · How big should my endowment be? · What are the key elements of a diversified portfolio? · How much does cost matter? · What's the difference between socially responsible and ESG investing? · Can I focus on sustainability and still be a good fiduciary? This book provides a way for boards to improve and benchmark their own governance performance alongside their peers, and uniquely covers related investment topics in each chapter.

Crucial methods, tactics and tools for successful pension fund management Achieving Investment Excellence offers trustees and asset managers a comprehensive handbook for improving the quality of their investments. With a stated goal of substantially and sustainably improving annual returns, this book clarifies and demystifies important concepts surrounding trustee duties and responsibilities, investment strategies, analysis, evaluation and much more. Low interest rates are making the high cost of future pension payouts fraught with tension, even as the time and knowledge required to manage these funds appropriately increases — it is no wonder that pensions are increasingly seen as a financial liability. Now more than ever, it is critical that trustees understand exactly what contributes to investment success — and what detracts from it. This book details the roles, the tools and the strategies that make pension funds pay off. Understand the role of pension funds and the fiduciary duty of trustees Learn the tools and kills you need to build profound and lasting investment excellence Analyse, diagnose and improve investment quality of funds using concrete tools and instruments Study illustrative examples that demonstrate critical implementation and execution advice Packed with expert insight, crucial tools and real-life examples, this book is an important resource for those tasked with governing these. Achieving Investment Excellence provides the expert insight, clear guidance and key wisdom you need to manage these funds successfully.

This "primer," written as if addressed to a new investment trustee for a university, is a comprehensive discussion of investment issues relevant not only to investment trustees but also to investment professionals who work with trustees. Taking an individual step by step through the process of responsible trusteeship, it offers a solid introduction to basic investment principles.

Fiduciary Management offers an in-depth explanation of every facet of this fast-growing approach to organizing the management of an institutional investment portfolio. Expert author Anton van Nunen begins by outlining the historic shift that has brought this strategy to the attention of the investment community and quickly moves on to illustrate fiduciary management in practice; giving advice in terms of asset-liability modeling and financial markets, constructing portfolios, selecting and overseeing investment managers, benchmarking and performance measurement, and reporting.

"Corporate Governance and Investment Fiduciaries" is a guide to corporate governance issues arising under Australian law, in relation to contemporary financial markets transactions by Australian companies, financial institutions, and investment funds. Taking a transactional and product-oriented approach, the authors discuss the complex areas of innovative financial products and transactions.

Traces the rise of public and private pension funds, which now control as much as 50 percent of the equity in American corporations, and argues that shareholders in those funds could use their power to make corporations more responsive to social needs.

This multi-faceted analysis of institutional investment defines fiduciary finance institutions as the third pillar of the financial system, alongside banks and insurers. It documents the role played by investment funds and the money management industry during the recent financial crisis, and provides an unashamedly critical review of the business disciplines which can dominate investment practices. It clarifies the economic significance of the investment industry (circa $60 trillion in assets) and the features which differentiate fiduciary finance from traditional financial institutions such as banks and insurers. Martin Gold reviews the intellectual foundations of the investment discipline and synthesizes the literature into the principal scientific paradigms . He explores the legal frameworks (prudential investment standards) that govern mainstream portfolio management practices which, combined with the commercial imperatives of the investment industry, can create marked differences from textbook depictions of investment management. Recent events have again called into question the worth of the now ubiquitous collective investments such as pension funds and mutual funds, and the integrity of the financial markets. Given the trillions of government funds which have been committed to financial bailouts, and the volatility experienced by investors, the author asserts that a critical analysis of fiduciary finance must question whether better outcomes can be achieved. Tellingly, most fiduciary finance institutions remain outside the perimeter of macro-prudential regulations. This challenging and multidisciplinary work promises to provide a fascinating read for academics focusing on economics and finance, money and banking, as well as for investment and financial services practitioners, policymakers and market regulators.

Investing in Pension Funds and Endowments focuses on institutional tax-free investing by pension funds, endowments, and foundations. This type of investing is highly susceptible to returns, and the fiduciaries involved with the fund face dramatic effects with even a 1 percent change in long-term rates of return. It is crucial that fiduciaries operate prudently in order to achieve higher rates of return. The book covers a gamut of investing insights and tools for managers who focus on pension funds, endowments, and foundations. From setting investment objectives to the pros and cons of such funds, Rusty Olson shares his expert experience to help readers get the most out of their funds. Based on the author's previous book The Independent Fiduciary (Wiley, 1999), this new guide includes insight into asset allocation, risk, and calculating rates of return. The book then moves on to cover higher-level topics, including venture capital funds, hedging foreign exchange, and fund governance.