mallowstreet University Digital Roundtable: 2020 - A Volatile Year for UK Pension Schemes, How Have Cashflow Strategies Fared and What Lessons Have Been Learned?

Speakers

• Robert Price

  Rob is a Portfolio Manager in AXA IM's London Buy and Maintain Credit team, and focuses on the design and ongoing management of cashflow solutions.

  He has 10 years’ experience working with UK pension schemes on their investment strategies, firstly as an investment consultant and then within asset management.

  Robert joined AXA IM in April 2013 as a Solutions Manager, working closely with pension schemes and their advisors to design derivative-led investment strategies such as hedging and overlay solutions, before moving into the Buy and Maintain team following the development and growth in Cashflow Driven Investment (CDI) strategies.

  Prior to AXA IM, Rob worked at KPMG Investment Advisory as an Investment Consultant, advising trustees and sponsors of UK defined benefit pension plans on investment strategy, with a focus on asset liability modelling and liability driven investing.

  Rob holds a degree in mathematics from the University of Cambridge and is a qualified actuary.

• Rachel Basarab-Horwath

  Head of UK Institutional Sales

  Rachel Basarab-Horwath is responsible for leading our work with UK institutional investors including pension schemes, corporates and professional trustee relationships, in supporting them to meet their objectives. Rachel also leads our Global Pensions Group to ensure we are leveraging our global experiences to enhance our support to pension funds in each local region.

  Rachel joined AXA IM from Mercer where she worked as a Sales Director and a Senior Investment Consultant. Rachel’s previous roles include Director of EMEA Client Services for the Cash Business at State Street Global Advisors and Director of Global Accounts at BlueBay Asset Management.

  Rachel holds an MSc in Actuarial Science from Bayes Business School (formerly Cass University) and bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Sheffield.Director of Institutional Core Business

  Rachel Basarab-Horwath is responsible for leading our work with UK institutional investors including pension schemes, corporates and professional trustee relationships, in supporting them to meet their objectives. Rachel also leads our Global Pensions Group to ensure we are leveraging our global experiences to enhance our support to pension funds in each local region.

  Rachel joined AXA IM from Mercer where she worked as a Sales Director and a Senior Investment Consultant. Rachel’s previous roles include Director of EMEA Client Services for the Cash Business at State Street Global Advisors and Director of Global Accounts at BlueBay Asset Management.

  Rachel holds an MSc in Actuarial Science from Bayes Business School (formerly Cass University) and bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Sheffield.

Program

1. 8:45 AM Login & Access Meeting

   The University Roundtable will take place online via a 'Zoom' meeting (a widely used webcast meeting provider). We will provide further information, including an access link and password to all attendees in advance of the event.

2. 8:55 AM Welcome & Introductions

3. 9:00 AM Presentation

   With pension schemes continuing to mature with each passing year, trustee boards have increasingly turned their efforts towards the long-term aims of delivering promised benefits and implementing successful end game strategies. But with the impact of COVID-19 and significant market changes, trustees have been forced to prioritise shorter-term risks and investment considerations. In light of the market turmoil, Robert Price and Rachel Basarab-Horwath will discuss what we can learn from those schemes, how such schemes have navigated this period of volatility and uncertainty and the opportunities and learning points for those that are considering embarking on this journey.

4. 10:00 AM Questions & Close

5. 10:15 AM End