Ted Sotir, the amenable co-head of Europe at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, is no slouch when it comes to assessing profitability. The former American college footballer, who was instructed to lose weight before joining the funds unit, in order not to intimidate staff, is known to pull up his business teams if their margins are too narrow.

A leading UK consultant has berated the country’s pension funds for not adapting to new ways of investing to boost returns and eliminate deficits.

A large number of pension funds in the UK and Europe are starting to look at investing in infrastructure, with many going out to tender for it or making appointments for the first time.

The investment industry has started to acknowledge that the implications of extra-financial issues on the market and on long-term corporate performance cannot be under-estimated any longer.

After acquiring Zurich Scudder Investments, Deutsche Asset Management gained access to a template for insurance-specific outsourcing which it is now adapting to a global market. Paula Garrido reports on how the firm recognises four different investment approaches to target.

Deutsche Asset Management’s (DeAM) insurance asset management business received a huge boost with the acquisition of Zurich Scudder Investments in 2002.Although DeAM – which has total assets under management in excess of €540bn – was already managing assets for insurers before this move, the Scudder acquisition has put the firm at the forefront of the insurance outsourcing business.

Large-scale equity investing might seem like a risky business, but NPRF’s John Corrigan believes that the risk premium over the long term will provide better returns and reduce the funding costs. With a 70% allocation, the fund is jumping in with both feet, writes Henry Smith.

New international accounting standards and reporting requirements are leading pension funds to shy away from the volatility inherent in large-scale equity investing, so foregoing a valuable equity risk premium.

Strong economic growth and increasing investor demand is continuing to drive high returns in the European property market. However, yields are being driven lower as supply of new property fails to keep up with buoyant investor demand.

After a difficult spring and early summer, equity markets in the US have recovered since June. This move has been characterised by the continued outperformance of value over growth styles across capitalisations.

Latin American equity markets remain rather heterogeneous. Where Brazil is driven mainly by rising raw material prices and falling local interest rates, the other large market, Mexico, is propelled chiefly by rapidly growing workers’ remittances and consumer credit growth.

With the consensus now moving towards the idea of a soft landing for the US economy, the prospect of falling US interest rates along with lower but still positive growth has emerged.

The ‘privilege’ offered by larger clients to big players, combined with the smaller margins, often means that domestic managers are prepared to let them go.Only five years ago, losing a mandate led to stigma and embarrassment. But in terms of asset management, that was another era, when each country had its own investment industry and cross-border briefs were something of a rarity.Five houses dominated UK institutional business, Benelux mandates went to domestic managers and US plans rarely looked further than New York or San Francisco to outsource.

The development of sustainable investing as a growing niche market is a good thing for long-term investors, but funds must consider four issues before embarking, says Tim Currell.

Thematic investing involves identifying certain social, economic, industrial, and demographic trends, or “themes,” that may ultimately drive the positive performance of a portfolio of securities benefiting from these trends.

Optimistic comments from the Federal Reserve don’t seem to have revived the dollar’s fortunes, writes Neil Mellor.

Despite optimism towards Asian equities, worries over Japanese stability has prompted many investors to turn their back on equities in the region. Elizabeth Cripps reports.

The limited nature of bond ETFs means that equity ETFs are leading the way. Christine Senior looks at a new study into the asset class and determines how the market is growing, what products are in the pipeline and the hurdles for potential investors.

Danièle Tohmé-Adet, co-head of the EasyETF platform at BNP Paribas Asset Management Paris, guides you through the best performers and the safest bets in the growing ETF market.

As the popularity of equity derivatives has risen, so too has the range of products. Tim Cooper reports on their use within hedge funds, swaps and futures, as well as tailored solutions.

Christine Senior reviews the latest mandate trends and assesses the growing importance of liability-driven investment on both sides of the Atlantic.

Portfolios are becoming more structured and complex. Investments are made across various equity styles, various fixed-income instruments, numerous alternative investments and alpha sources.

A non-aggressive risk-based approach has proven successful for Ashmore Emerging Markets Liquid Investment Portfolio fund which combines dollar and local currency investments. Paula Garrido reports.

As the Nasdaq enjoys a few successes at the NYSE’s expense, Roger Aitken looks at the three-way competition between the two exchanges and the LSE for a share of foreign IPOs.

The relative roles of order management systems and execution management systems are still the subject of debate. Our panel of experts discuss what makes a system stand out from the crowd, and the potential effects of regulation such as MiFID.

Europe is playing catch-up with the US on algorithmic trading. Paula Garrido investigates what is behind the growing demand and the potential effects on the long/short industry.

Ary Khatchikian, co-founder and president of Portware, looks beyond the convergence hype and finds the industry is making the world of trading systems unnecessarily complicated.

Stavros Siokos, head of European alternative execution sales at Citigroup, looks at choosing an algorithmic trading strategy and heading off the challenges posed by hedge funds.

FTMandate speaks to Jerry Lees, head of Cheuvreux’s Electronic Execution Services, on the rapid evolution of algorithmic trading and how the market could potentially develop going forward.

The explosion within the FX market is no secret, but now prime brokers are looking to get a piece of the action as the asset class evolves into a potential alpha generator. Gerry O’Kane reports.

Prime brokers are investing in technology as the hedge fund industry develops. Gerry O’Kane looks at what the major players are doing, and hears some expert opinions on getting past the wall of secrecy to evaluate the best approaches for clients.

Electronic communications networks are increasingly used to handle forex deals – but their rise in popularity has been so dramatic that the market remains a mystery to some. Gerry O’Kane talks to the major players and lifts the lid on this technology revolution.

As a self-regulated market, foreign exchange has generally avoided any big scandals, yet it is still considered a risky deal, especially with the recent increased volumes of trades. Gerry O’Kane assesses the risks faced by prime brokers and the new solutions available to them.

The future might look rosy for foreign exchange prime brokerage, but those who refuse to provide a broader service through new technology may find themselves left behind. Gerry O’Kane discusses this and other issues facing FX prime brokers in the next few years.

Many have praised the BNY/Mellon merger, while others are viewing the new giant with suspicion. Yuri Bender reports.

Ucits III has opened the door for more complex financial instruments, which has proven beneficial for administrators. But can they cope with the demand? Hugo Greenhalgh reports.

Neeraj Sahai, global head of securities and fund services at Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking, looks at how alliances are shaping the future of fund administration.

John Lockbaum, North American head of service delivery – fund services at RBC Dexia Investor Services examines the radical changes happening in the administration of hedge funds.