2011 Russell Investments Institutional Summit covers risk budgeting, governance, LDI, emerging markets, retirement income, low volatility and downside protection strategies
More than 100 plan sponsors and non-profit representatives from across North America attended the 2011 Russell Investments Institutional Summit, held April 30-May 3, to hear Russell's latest ideas, make connection points, share best practices with peers and learn about and evaluate solutions for their investment challenges.
"Every client is unique, but the common thread is that they all are facing a more complex investing environment than ever before and are looking to Russell for leading-edge insights and innovative solutions," said Greg Gilbert, CEO, Americas Institutional. "We are committed to working with them to navigate the complexities of the global investment universe with high levels of service and expertise. Today's path is uncharted territory in many ways, but the ultimate goal for our clients – and Russell's singular purpose – is to improve financial security for people."
During the conference clients and prospects could choose to participate in either a consulting track or an investment management track, as well as a variety of workshops and roundtables tailored to consulting, defined contribution, non-profit and defined benefit attendees.
Bob Collie, chief research strategist, opened the conference, which featured presentations and sessions such as:
- "Getting real" about investment returns in the 2010's and beyond – Pete Gunning, global chief investment officer
- Governance challenges for large defined benefit plans – Kevin Turner, managing director, consulting
- Retirement income – Grant Gardner, director, research and Josh Cohen, defined contribution practice leader
- Why the market could be putting the wrong price on volatility – and what that means for your portfolio – John Osborn, senior consultant
- LDI and informed de-risking in a rising interest rate environment – Martin Jaugietis, senior consultant
- Managing your liabilities in a rising interest rate environment – Brian Frick, senior account executive and Jeff Hussey, chief investment officer, fixed income
- Asia: Behind the hype – Andrew Pease, chief investment strategist, Asia Pacific
- The non-profit portfolio of the future – Heather Myers, managing director, non-profits and Steve Murray, director, asset allocation strategies
- Emerging markets: The evolution of an asset class – Cynthia Steer, managing director, investment strategy & consulting
- Risk budgeting: A new look at asset allocation – Janine Baldridge, global head of consulting and advisory services and Gino Perrina, Ph.D., head of fixed income research
- Risk management: A case study – Bruce Curwood, director, investment strategy and Don Ezra, co-head, global consulting
- Opportunities in real estate – Derek Williams, director, real estate private equity and John Mancuso, senior research analyst
- Opportunities in hedge funds – Julia Cormier, director, alternative investments and Ed Robertiello, managing director, hedge funds
Russell President and CEO Andrew Doman also spoke about Russell's 75 years in business, the organization's efforts to flex and innovate to bring value to clients, and the wide variety of changes taking shape across the industry – increased globalization, the rise in alternative asset classes and managers, and the global shift from DB to DC. "Today, the industry and deal flows are viewed through a global lens. Russell, along with the industry, is evolving in order to continue to develop and present solutions to our clients that help them address the challenges of this new investment reality."
About Russell Investments
Russell Investments is an independent, global financial services firm that provides strategic advice, investment solutions, implementation services and global performance benchmarks that are customized to meet the unique needs of institutional investors, financial advisors and individuals.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2011, Russell has pioneered innovations that have come to define many of the practices that are standard in the investment world today, and has four decades of experience researching and selecting money managers globally.
Russell has about $161 billion in assets under management (as of 3/31/11) and works with 2,300 institutional clients, 530 independent distribution partners and millions of individual investors globally. As a consultant to some of the largest pools of capital in the world, Russell has $2 trillion in assets under advisement (as of 12/31/2010) and traded $1.5 trillion last year through its implementation services business. The Russell Global Indexes calculate over 50,000 benchmarks daily covering 63 countries and more than 10,000 securities.
Founded in 1936, Russell is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, USA and has offices in Amsterdam, Auckland, Chicago, London, Melbourne, Milan, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. For more information about how Russell helps to improve financial security for people, visit www.russell.com.
Russell Investment Group, a Washington, USA corporation, operates through subsidiaries worldwide including Russell Investments. Russell Investment Group is a subsidiary of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Russell Investments is the owner of the trademarks, service marks and copyrights related to its indexes.
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kstouffer@russell.com
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kosterberg@neibartgroup.com
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www.russell.com
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