Analysis

• New sustainability index puts food sector on insurance industry's plate

  01 June 2018

  A new index to capture the investment risks and opportunities in the food sector through the ESG lens has been launched. Abigail Herron discusses the findings on 60 of the largest listed livestock and fisheries companies, many of which will feature heavily in insurers' investment portfolios

  

• World's top insurers stalling on climate change drive

  24 May 2018

  While insurers are increasingly acute to environmental risks which might impact both sides of their balance sheet, new research has found that their investment strategies are not in line with the Paris Agreement. The research was published the same week Royal Dutch Shell held its AGM and shareholders, including some large insurers, were asked to vote on a climate resolution. Did they stand up to the test? Paul Walsh and Vincent Huck report

  

• Using Solvency II metrics in asset liability management

  21 May 2018

  As Solvency II is embedded in all aspects of insurance management, Ed Morgan explains how data produced for the regulation can be valuable in asset liability management

  

• MetLife prioritises ESG over hedge funds

  11 May 2018

  MetLife's CIO Steve Goulart talks about the continued drive towards ESG investments as well as the company's plan to develop its third-party asset management business. By Paul Walsh and Sarfraz Thind

  

• Foresters Friendly ready to dump sterling assets to tackle Brexit

  09 May 2018

  Corrado Pistarino, chief investment officer at Foresters Friendly, outlines his firm's risk management strategy if things deteriorate with Brexit and what asset managers need to do in order to win mandates from insurance clients. By Cintia Cheong

  

• LV=’s CIO on adapting to Solvency II

  03 May 2018

  LV=’s CIO Mark Laidlaw gives an insight into how the business has been impacted by Solvency II’s dictates on asset and liability management and moulded its choice of asset manager. By Paul Walsh and Sarfraz Thind

  

• Hiscox to look at increasing asset risk

  01 May 2018

  Hiscox’s CIO Alex Veys took over the role six months ago and is currently exploring new avenues to improve the business. By Sarfraz Thind

  

• Aberdeen Standard Investments' CIO's interesting 12 months

  26 April 2018

  Rod Paris, CIO at Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI), talks about the company's transformational twelve months following the merger and that cancelled Scottish Widows mandate, likely to cost the company some 20% of its assets. By Sarfraz Thind

  

• Goldman Sachs' survey shows insurers less positive about investments

  24 April 2018

  Insurers are less positive about investment opportunities than they were a year ago, according to a Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) survey.

  

• Not all smart beta portfolios are created equal

  19 April 2018

  Smart beta has been getting smarter. Paul Forshaw looks at the evolution of smart beta approaches and consider the relevance for insurance company balance sheet investors looking for investment efficiencies.