Indonesia

The asset allocation of Indonesian pension funds showed a flight to safety last year, but did fear outweigh the numbers? Some experts argue, in the light of local equities, for staying the course.

Intrust Super chief executive to step down after merger; Aware acquires site for essential worker affordable housing; China bans cryptocurrency-related business activities; Hong Kong insure FWD filed for US listing of ADRs; Nippon Life acquires wealth life insurance from MassMutual; NPS to hire five investment managers to diversify portfolio; Malaysia to review Spacs framework; EPF reports $8 billion investment income; and more

Generally, however, Asian pension funds’ allocations to alternative assets demonstrated only a modest increase of 0.6% from 2019 to 2020.

Yin Haining and Markus Egloff join KKR as managing directors for its client partner group; QIC CIO to retire, promotes Allison Hill; Fidelity China President resigns; AIA Singapore appoints chief distribution officer; PE fund appoints VP of ESG and risk; Haitong International hires global head of asset management from Goldman Sachs; and more

HSBC Asset Management names Michael Cross as global fixed income CIO; Jessica Jones has been appointed PGIM Asia head; Eastspring welcomes former HSBC Apac CIO; BlackRock names Apac index investments head; Haitong International launches family office business; Jupiter hires from AllianzGI; State Street names Apac collateral lead; and more.

Covid and digitalisation will have an impact on investments in Asean markets, although in the long run, the outlook is generally positive for the region, Eastspring experts said.

Asset owners across Asia Pacific weathered some difficult market conditions in 2020. While most emerged from the year successfully, some notable exceptions suffered asset drops.

Hesta reports record 23% return for sustainable growth option; Aware Super reaches $110 billion in AUM; People's Bank of China to continue supporting ESG bonds; US-based Generate raises $2 billion from international pension funds; Korea's CWMAA looking to hire for foreign infra mandate; Temasek enters $103m JV with nanotech firm; and more.

The Australian's Asic launches ESG fund review for greenwashing; Cbus hires from Apra; Hesta hires from AMP Life; Dai-ichi Life Insurance invests $50 million in climate infra fund; Korea's GEPS awards $105 million overseas infra mandates; Teachers' Pension calls for bids; QIA increases Credit Suisse stake; and more.

Hesta hires Hostplus ESG head; Prudential head of HNW solutions joins Transamerica Life Bermuda; Chubb appoints Philippines country president; QIC chief executive to retire in 2022; Amundi adds ESG investment specialist; Aviva Investors expanded EM debt team with three hires; HSBC private banking regional head retires; and more

AsianInvestor reveals the reasons why we picked the first half of this year's most impressive local fund managers, across the region's leading investment markets.

Indonesia Hajj Fund Management Agency (BPKH) says that pandemic woes hit direct investment in 2020, but the fund remains firm in its commitment to using it as a tool to drive ESG change

GIC leads funding round for Indian insurer; Taiwan's BLF sees returns rebound; Korea's NPS adds two British investment firms as managers; HKMA to increase allocation to ESG stocks and bonds; US pension fund agency approves $300m to Blackstone Asia PE fund; UN PRI's chief executive steps down; and more

Harvest Global Investments' Asia equities head leaves; Schroders losing multi-asset deputy head to rival; Northern Trust names head of Apac; Singapore's Central Provident Fund names new chair; Amundi appoints Hong Kong CEO; MAS renews Ravi Menon as managing director; NZ Super makes general manager promotion; and more.

GIC to open new Sydney office; Japan's life insurers to ramp up allocations to foreign bonds; Samsung Life acquires stake in Savills IM; Indonesia's new sovereign wealth fund to invest in infrastructure; CPP Investments forms JV for mall in Kolkata; Goldman Sachs Asset Management to set up Chinese wealth management firm with ICBC; and more.

Swelling assets are prompting regional pension funds to look beyond home markets and outsource alternatives and ESG investments, say experts.

Rest Super mulls selling 50% stake in gas pipeline company; Australian super returns could drop amid high public market prices; several Dutch pensions cutting stakes in Chinese companies to protest Uyghur oppression; Japan's Nippon Life invests $230m in reinsurer; NPS and Korea Post plough $400m into KKR North America fund and more.

AsianInvestor is pleased to reveal the winners of its annual Asset Management Awards. For our third day, we reveal the standout fund managers in each major Asia market.

Boe Pahari to leave as AMP Limited demerges; Temasek backs Indonesian telemedicine startup; Korea Post and GEPS looking to hire fund managers; GIC and Sequoia India co-lead funding for Razorpay; AustralianSuper appoints senior manager of portfolio strategy; Thailand's new pension fund to draw $1.7 billion; Taiwan fines fund houses over BLF bribery scandal; CPPIB doubles investment in Korean logistics JV

A range of issues prevent pension funds and insurers from fully embracing opportunities in infrastructure. A closer alignment of interests would help plug the gap, say regional players.