critical thinking,
critical issues℠
Latest episodes
Episode 79 – How are long-term investors navigating regime change? Insights from the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Nashville I June 2024
Episode 78 – The changing nature of the US pensions landscape: insights from the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Nashville I June 2024
Episode 77 – The search for “unicorns”: insights from the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Nashville I June 2024
Episode 76 – Investing through a time of uncertainty: insights from the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Nashville I June 2024
Episode 75 – Exploring alternative investment opportunities for wealth managers
Episode 74 – Leadership both on and off the field with Ireland rugby legend Ronan O'Gara
Episode 73 – Unlocking the power of private markets: insights from the Mercer Global Investment Forum, Dublin I March 2024
Join us as Eimear Walsh, Head of Investments for Europe, takes you live to the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Dublin, where we dive deep into the world of Private Markets.
The growth of private markets presents a multitude of possibilities, but success can hinge on adaptability and the ability to seize the right opportunities. Navigating this arena requires agility, a keen eye for identifying the most promising prospects and the ability to thrive in a competitive environment.
In this episode, Eimear is joined by Mercer colleagues David Scopelliti and Michael Butler and together, they walk us through the opportunities in the private markets landscape and what it means for different types of investors.
Episode 72 – Exploring agile portfolios with Generali: insights from the Mercer Global Investment Forum, Dublin I March 2024
Recent market experiences have highlighted the importance for insurers to construct robust portfolios that not only support their primary business, but also enable them to respond to evolving market risks and opportunities.
In this episode, Marieke de Roo is joined by Francesco Martorana, Chief Investment Officer at Generali and Mercer colleague David Morrow live from the Global Investment Forum in Dublin. Together they unpack what it means to build agile portfolios in today's insurance landscape and discuss how insurers can navigate the ever-changing market dynamics and seize potential opportunities.
Episode 71 − Navigating the Age of Agility: insights from the Mercer Global Investment Forum, Dublin I March 2024
Join us as Mark McNulty, Europe Wealth Leader, takes you live to the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Dublin to discuss the theme for this year’s Forum “An Age of Agility”.
In this episode, Mark is joined by Mercer colleagues, Garvan McCarthy and Jo Holden to explore the key findings from our recent Themes and Opportunities 2024 report and discuss the strategies and insights that could help investors in this age of agility.
Episode 70 − Investing in an era of misinformation: insights from the Mercer Global Investment Forum, Dublin I March 2024
In this episode, our host Mark McNulty, Europe Wealth Leader, takes you live to the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Dublin. Together with Rich Nuzum and Jo Holden, they explore the impact of misinformation and disinformation on the investment landscape.
Misinformation was identified as the number one risk in the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report, making it a topic that demands our attention. Join us as we delve into the challenges of quantifying and assessing these risks in the investment sphere, especially in the face of rapidly evolving information flow and the integration of AI in investment processes.
Episode 69 − Top considerations for alternative investments 2024 I March 2024
Episode 68 − Navigating the new normal: endowment and foundation investing in an evolving market I February 2024
In this episode, Texas Hemmaplardh, US Not-for-Profit Investment Leader is joined by Olaolu Aganga, US Chief Investment Officer and Shane Brereton, Senior Investment Consultant, Australia to discuss the critical issues facing endowment and foundation (E&F) investors around the world and share practical takeaways for E&Fs navigating the ever-changing investment landscape.
Together they also explore the challenges and opportunities that arise from the dynamic nature of long-term investing, including the impact of inflation on long-term investments, the role of private and unlisted assets in portfolio diversification and the importance of aligning investment objectives with changing market conditions.
Episode 67 - The Davos debrief: Reflections from Amy Barnes, Nick Studer and Pat Tomlinson | January 2024
Following the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos, Pat Tomlinson, President at Mercer and Nick Studer, CEO of Oliver Wyman joined Amy Barnes, Head of Sustainability and Climate at Marsh, to unpack some of the key themes emerging on the ground.
They discuss why companies need to be more competitive in a more muted growth environment; how health access has become a priority topic for an increasing number of employers; and why companies need to think more about political risks going into 2024.
You can find all the reports mentioned in this podcast at Marsh McLennan’s website at www.marshmclennan.com
Episode 66 - Driving change: DEI insights for a diverse supply chain | January 2024
Episode 65 - Climate adaptation: Building resilience in a changing world | December 2023
In the year since the previous COP in Egypt there has been little progress made in scaling adaptation.
To discuss, Amy Barnes, Head of Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy at Marsh is joined by James Crask Head of Strategic Risk Consulting at Marsh UK and Rob Bailey, Partner at Oliver Wyman, specializing in climate and sustainability.
Together they share insights into navigating the challenges and seizing possible opportunities presented by climate change. Also exploring how organizations can both build and embrace resilience by anticipating potential disruptions, quantifying risks, and developing response plans.
For more information about Marsh McLennan’s presence at COP28, contact the team at mercerinvestmentsolutions@duojiwuye.com or visit http://www.marshmclennan.com/pages/COP28.html
Mercer is proud of its ESG commitments, which are reported by Marsh McLennan, as well as its responsible investment policy and TCFD report.
For further information, please visit rio4.duojiwuye.com/investing-sustainably or www.marshmclennan.com/about/esg.html
Episode 64 - Driving Change: The role of investors in climate transition with Clwyd Pension Fund | December 2023
In this episode Helga Birgden and Hill Gaston sat down with Debbie Fielder, Deputy Head of Clwyd Pension Fund to delve into the topic of transition.
Together, they explore the crucial role investors play in driving the transition to a net-zero economy and how they can effectively manage investment risks, seize opportunities, and seek to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Read the full Transition today report here.
For more information about Marsh McLennan’s presence at COP28, visit the webpage here or contact the team at mercerinvestmentsolutions@duojiwuye.com.
Mercer is proud of its ESG commitments, which are reported by Marsh McLennan, as well as its responsible investment policy and TCFD report.
For further information, please visit http://rio4.duojiwuye.com/investing-sustainably or http://www.marshmclennan.com/about/esg.html
Episode 63 - Themes and opportunities 2024: An age of agility | November 2023
Our current long-term views on the world and the potential economic and social developments to watch out for fall into three themes:
- Regime change — one-off, open-ended paradigm shifts in conditions
- Supercycles — conditions expected to outlast multiple market cycles
- Megatrends — multidecade transitions that are gradually but steadily materializing
In this episode, Jo Holden sits down with Nick White and Matt Scot to explore the themes and opportunities we believe investors should consider in 2024 and beyond.
Read the full report here.
Episode 62 - Navigating climate risks in today's economy with Guy Carpenter and Oliver Wyman | November 2023
In first episode in our COP28 series, Andrew Bailey, Principal in Oliver Wyman's Government and Public Institutions practice sat down with Julian Enoizi, CEO of Guy Carpenter, Europe. Together, they delve into the evolving challenges posed by climate change and explore the potential measures that both the public and private sector can take to address these issues.
For more information about Marsh McLennan’s presence at COP28, visit the webpage here or contact the team at mercerinvestmentsolutions@duojiwuye.com.
Mercer is proud of its ESG commitments, which are reported by Marsh McLennan, as well as its responsible investment policy and TCFD report.
For further information, please visit http://rio4.duojiwuye.com/investing-sustainably or http://www.marshmclennan.com/about/esg.html
Episode 61 - What role can Private Credit play for insurers in the current environment? | October 2023
In this episode David Morrow is joined by Tamsin Coleman and Niall Clifford to delve into the world of private credit and its growing interest among insurance companies in today's dynamic financial landscape.
Throughout, they explore the latest developments in the private credit market, discussing the potential opportunities for insurers within this asset class while also addressing the potential challenges they may face, including navigating regulatory intricacies, tackling operational complexities and integrating ESG principles.
Episode 60 – Managing legacy: Exploring Single Family Office strategies I October 2023
In this episode, we delve into the world of Single Family Offices, each one a distinct entity with its own set of structures, objectives and internal dynamics. To explore, Paul Fleming is joined by Beth Johnson and Michel Meert, as they shed light on the challenges and opportunities that currently define the Single Family Office landscape.
The discussion includes the role of governance, succession planning and the ever-evolving landscape of long-term investment trends, including the adoption of impact-driven strategies.
Episode 59 - Navigating the longevity economy | September 2023
In an era where people are living longer than ever before, it's crucial for businesses, governments, and individuals to rethink their strategies for planning for the later stages of life.
In this episode, we'll be delving into the concept of the longevity economy looking at three fundamental pillars: quality of life, purpose, and financial resilience, presented in the recent report "Living Longer, Better: Understanding Longevity Literacy," a collaborative effort between the World Economic Forum and Mercer.
To explore these insights, Graham Pearce is joined by Ramsey Alwin, President and CEO, the National Council on Aging, Haleh Nazeri, Longevity Lead at the World Economic Forum and Lin Shi, Global Consultant at Mercer seconded as a fellow to WEF.
Episode 58 - How can wealth managers build resilient portfolios to overcome today's challenges? | August 2023
In this episode the spotlight is on wealth management, particularly portfolio construction. Conor Power is joined by Marieke de Roo and Rebecca Jacques to explore a fundamental question: How can wealth managers design portfolios that yield better results for their clients?
Amid this exploration, a key theme emerges: resilience. While unconventional in portfolio discussions, recent years have seen a cascade of crises – from pandemics to inflation and geopolitical unrest. With this backdrop, we hold a core belief: imminent uncertainties demand preparedness. Wealth managers who infuse resilience into portfolios can navigate risks and seize opportunities ahead, listen to the full episode to find out how.
Episode 57 - What are insurers doing to navigate today’s higher yields? | July 2023
Episode 56 - Charting the course in Private Debt | May 2023
Episode 55 - Impact investing: transition, transformation and innovation | April 2023
Transition, transformation and innovation are the three words top of mind when it comes to Impact Investing right now, but how can investors start to implement Impact Investing into their portfolios?
In this episode, Angelika Delen, Global Head of Impact Investing is joined by Silvia Ruprecht, Senior Policy Advisor at the Swiss Federal Office of Environment and Cara Williams Global, Head of ESG and Sustainability to explore.
Episode 54 - The Silicon Valley Bank collapse – Navigating the fallout | March 2023
Episode 53 - Building wealth, building communities: Affordable housing investing | March 2023
Despite the challenging macroeconomic backdrop, there may be opportunities within Real Estate to gain exposure to trends shaping the future such as affordable housing.
Zeenat Patel, Alternative Investments Lead at Mercer is joined by Hannah Marshall, who is responsible for CBRE IM's Pan-European Residential Impact Strategies and Anne Koeman-Sharapova who leads Mercer’s efforts in Real Estate investment and Due Diligence in Europe and the UK to discuss.
Episode 52 - DEI in investing: A pathway to better returns | March 2023
Now, more than ever, investors are seeking to address systemic imbalances by increasing diversity within their organisations and boosting DEI with their investment portfolios.
To explore how both investors and managers are approaching this, Alexa Shanks, Head of Intermediary Relationships, Mercer UK is joined by Stephen Deane, Portfolio Manager and Partner at Skerryvore Asset Management and Terrance Jones, Manager Research, Mercer US to discuss.
Episode 51 - Is nature the next major ESG theme? | February 2023
Nature as an ESG theme is rising into prominence and the link between nature and investors’ climate strategies is becoming clearer.
In this episode, Andrew Lilley, Sustainable Investment Head, Continental Europe is joined by Kate Brett, Global Intellectual Capital Lead for Sustainable Investment and Sarika Goel, Head of Sustainable Investment Manager Research to explore the market developments and trends for nature as well as the possible actions for investors today.
Nature alert
Episode 50 - Bonds may be back, but uncertainty continues… | February 2023
2022 was not a year for bond investors - but with inflation beginning to roll over, a strong start to the year, and bonds now offering the levels of income we haven’t seen in 20 years, 2023 looks far more optimistic.
Aisling Doherty, Senior Fixed Income Portfolio Manager at Mercer, is joined by Ella Hoxha, Senior Investment Manager, Pictet Asset Management and Samantha Milner, Head of U.S. Liquid Credit, Ares Management to discuss the outlook across bond markets for the year ahead, and how best to position portfolios to take advantage of the income and returns on offer.
Episode 49 - Market update: charting our future course | February 2023
2022 will go down in history as unpredictable and unprecedented. It started with a lot of optimism, then geopolitical unrest began, inflation took off, markets sold off and the era of cheap money effectively ended.
To make sense of it all, Rachel Volynsky, CIO of Canada and Global Chair of Equities is joined by Rupert Watson, Head of Asset Allocation, Europe and Cameron Systermans, Head of Asset Allocation, Asia.
Before you access this page, please read and accept the terms and legal notices below. You are about to enter a page intended for sophisticated, institutional investors based in the USA only.
This content is provided for informational purposes only. The information provided does not constitute, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, or an offer, invitation or solicitation of any specific products or the investment management services of Mercer, or an offer or invitation to enter into any portfolio management mandate with Mercer.
Past performance is not an indication of future performance. If you are not able to accept these terms and conditions, please decline and do not proceed further. We reserve the right to suspend or withdraw access to any page(s) included on this website without notice at any time and Mercer accepts no liability if, for any reason, these pages are unavailable at any time or for any period.