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European Pensions - Netherlands Summit. Light at the end of the tunnel. Tim Burggraaf Netherlands tim.burggraaf@mercer.com. Today’s agenda. 08.30 – 09.30 Registration and Coffee 09.30 - 10.00 Chairman’s opening: Tim Burggraaf , Principal, Mercer
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European Pensions - Netherlands Summit Light at the end of the tunnel Tim BurggraafNetherlands tim.burggraaf@mercer.com
Today’s agenda • 08.30 – 09.30 Registration and Coffee • 09.30 - 10.00 Chairman’s opening: Tim Burggraaf, Principal, Mercer • 10.00 – 10.30 Advocacy: the CFA Netherlands’ view in the financial crisisRik Albrecht, Communications, Technology & Vice President, CFA Netherlands • 10.30 – 11.00 The recent market turbulence: what went wrong in the analysis of the interest rate sensitivity of the average Dutch pension fund?Geert-Jan Troost, Senior Consultant, Watson Wyatt • 11.00 – 11.30 Morning coffee • 11.30 – 12.00 The Importance of Emerging Markets to Global GrowthChris Taylor, Investment Director, Head of Research and Fund Manager, Neptune Asset Management • 12.00 – 12.30 Investing in Gold: The Strategic CaseRozanna Wozniak, Investment Research Manager, World Gold Council • 12.30 – 13.00 Fiduciary ManagementPhilip Jan Looijen, Director Fiduciary Management, Mn Services • 13.00 – 14.00 Lunch • 14.00 – 14.30 SRI: Government Green Bonds Christopher Flensborg, Coordinator, Capital Markets, SEB • 14.30 – 15.00Global Reits: Is it time to Invest?Simon Hedger, Managing Director - Portfolio Management Property Securities Principal Global Investors • 15.00 – 15.30 The positioning of Netherlands in the emerging European cross border pension marketJacqueline Lommen, Senior Principal, Hewitt • 15.30 – 16.00 Building pensions for the future - What the Dutch can learn from other countriesJohan van Egmond, Regional Director for the Benelux, France and Spain, AEGON Global Pensions • 16.00 Drinks reception
Once upon a time (not so lang ago), there was… • Standalone country with a queen (guilder) • People solidary (VUT, final pay) • Widespread social provisions (ZW, WAO, AWW) • Almost 1,000 pension funds • € 850 billion pension assets • Pension is invisible (is taken care of, right?) • AEX at 700 points • Banks can be trusted without question • Every year in winter time, the Dutch go skating
Once upon a time (not so lang ago), there was… • Part of Europe (euro) • Solidarity is an issue (generations) • Personal social responsibility • 650 pension funds left • € 600 billion pension assets • Pension clearly visible (media) • AEX has seen 200 points • Banks suffered brand damage • Dutch swim rather than skate • Tennis arm turned into Wii arm
Welcome in this new reality …“the age of uncertainty” • Everything is insecure • Volatility stock markets • Life expectancy keeps increasing • Solidarity decreases • Solvency rate causes tension • Solvency frameworks are tested (again) • Where are we in the economic climate? • How do we manage DC risks? • Is the Dutch model still tenable?
… the world has changed … “The world of retirement has changed and we live in a defined-contribution world now.” Karen Salinaro, IBM's VP of Benefits and Compensation
Development solvency ratio’s Dutch pension funds Tenability of the current model? Sources:31-12-2007 (144%) to 31-3-2009 (92%) : DNB31-3-2009 (92%) to 31-8-2009 (106%) : Mercer projections
Let’s be proud of our Dutch pension model …Melbourne Center for Financial Studies & Mercer Grade B “A system that has a sound structure, with many good features,but has some areas for improvement that differentiate it from an A-grade system”
.. but let’s also be realistic !What is the effect of doubt under plan members? Can we deliver? • When will I retire and how much pension will I receive? • Will it be 65, 67 or …? • Suppose my pension is inadequate, what do I do? • Who will pay for that (as in: who do I sue?) • What about my house? • And what about my savings (part with Icesave and the rest with DSB)? • First insurance companies with “woekerpolissen”, then banks were hit by the economical crisis and now pension funds are missing out on indexation (and maybe even some accrual loss). Who can I trust?
Innovation of the modelIssues with DB plans • Indexation freeze with pension funds • Long term loss of spending power older members • Active accrual hit, although not tangible yet • Possibly correction in better days • Correction (“afstempelen”) of accrual for actives • Active accrual hit, although not tangible yet • Possibly complications during asset transfers • Collectief DC (CDC) • The time of running out of money has proven to not so far away • Was the dowry big enough? Was de contribution high enough? • Did we explain the transition well enough and was is actually understood by members?
Innovation of the modelIssues with DC plans • The Dutch DC tax ladders will not provide adequate benefits, because of construction flaws (both fundamentally as well as assumption wise) • Individual DC plans assume commitment from young members with their plan • The usury policies (“woekerpolissen”) have placed DC plans in bad lighting with little of no nuance, causing “brand damage” • Both pension funds and plan sponsors do not invest enough in the execution of their duty of care • Regulator (AFM) concludes that insurers do not properly execute their duty of care (August 2009) • The Dutch DC Market needs further evolution (p.e. Master Trusts)
Is our pension model retiring?Time for innovation – back to the drawing board • What is a modern level of pensions? • our “70%” or derivatives might be from another era • Is that level still valid? • Which model fits to our current society, keeping in mind • Level of solidarity • Personal responsibility or paternalism? • Position of pension assets relative to other assets,i.o.w. what should be the role of the second pillar? • What does the client think? • Does the client want the best product?
European Pensions Netherlands Summit Light at the end of the tunnel Tim BurggraafNetherlands tim.burggraaf@mercer.com