The level of importance of pensions within socio-economic systems is matched only by their complexity. Building sustainable and inclusive systems which assure decent retirement incomes is a key challenges for pension schemes and regulators.

Effective pension systems rely on the engagement of a significant number of parties, all dedicated to delivering good retirement outcomes for pension-scheme members, including fund managers, scheme administrators and actuaries.

The migration from Defined Benefit (DB) to Defined Contribution (DC) systems has only added to the issues that pension schemes and regulators face as the risk and responsibility for the delivery of retirement income passed from scheme sponsors to members. The role of DB pension provision presents new challenges, including assurance that members make good decisions regarding their contribution levels and investment decisions.

This programme provides delegates with a holistic understanding of pensions from both the perspectives of regulators and pension scheme trustees, and managers. It will review global best practice in the context of developing economies.

This is week two of The Managing Pensions in Developing Economies Toolkit.

Course Objectives

On completion, you will be able to:

• Understand pension principles and engender more robust pension scheme provision
• Apply best practice governance to ensure more effective management of pension scheme risks
• Design and implement change in pension schemes to make them more sustainable and operationally efficient
• Shape objectives and informed decision making on the proper investment of pension scheme assets
• Identify the specific opportunities and threats relating to investment of pension fund assets:
• - In domestic and overseas market
• - In mainstream securities and private assets such as Private Equity and Infrastructure

Key Topics

• Scheme types
• Changes in pension provision
• The role of the actuary
• The valuation process
• Funding and investment management, including Private Equity and Infrastructure
• Portfolio management and performance measurement
• Scheme administration and governance
• Legislation and regulation
• Trusteeship

All courses will be conducted entirely in English. A proficient level of both spoken and written English is required by all delegates so that they are able to fully benefit from the course and participate in our interactive style of training.