Strategic Investment Advisory
In an era of ever-evolving financial challenges, preparation for the future is paramount, especially for organisations managing defined benefit (DB) pension schemes. While deficit funding concerns have waned in recent years, the need to effectively mitigate risks, shape a long-term strategy, and determine the optimal endgame remains as critical as ever.
Cardano’s Strategic Investment Advisory team specialises in corporate DB pensions schemes, prioritising alignment with your company’s objectives, risk appetite, and stakeholder expectations. With a deep understanding of the trustee perspective, we meticulously assess your pension scheme and deliver expert guidance tailored to your organisation and stakeholders. What sets us apart is our commitment to solutions that are truly impartial, so your best interests always come first.
Cardano’s Expertise
- Our unique blend of corporate finance and investment expertise makes us the ideal partner to shape your pension strategy and optimise your pension scheme’s performance.
- We manage money in-house for our pension scheme clients, so we know how to manage risk and generate stable returns.
- With over 300 pension scheme clients, we understand the trustee mindset and approach to risk and can use this to help sponsors negotiate effectively.
Guiding your pension scheme throughout its lifecycle
Throughout the lifespan of your pension scheme, our dedicated Investment Advisory experts work closely with you to achieve:
Strategic alignment – we can help ensure that your scheme’s funding and investment strategy are aligned with your corporate risk appetite and ESG objectives.
A tailored approach – our in-depth analysis helps sponsors validate affordability and develop tailored journey plans in line with your unique needs.
Risk and return assumptions – we offer support to sponsors in setting appropriate risk and return assumptions as part of actuarial valuations.
In pursuit of your scheme’s long-term funding target, we offer:
Proportionate de-risking – we provide expert guidance on proportionately de-risking the investment portfolio to mitigate the risk of cash calls on your corporation.
Endgame strategies – let us delve into the complexities of end-game strategies, covering aspects such as hedging insurer pricing and asset transition strategies, including illiquid asset treatment.
As your pension scheme’s journey progresses toward its endgame, we also help with:
Surplus management – implementing a framework to minimise the risk of overfunding the scheme and creating a trapped surplus.
Optimised risk-returns – ensuring your investment strategy is finely tuned and takes appropriate risks and returns commensurate with each stage of the pension scheme journey.
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Loss of control over scheme strategy
Does your pensions strategy need a reset for the new high-interest rate world? Are you clear on your scheme’s endgame options and how to achieve it? -
Do you understand how to manage all the investment issues and risks associated with a buy-in/buyout?
How well does your asset strategy hedge insurer pricing? Do you have a strategy for managing illiquid assets? -
Avoiding trapped surplus
Are you set to maximise the value of any surplus for the company? -
ESG Issues
Do you need specialist support with increasing ESG compliance requirements and your communications strategy? Does the pension scheme’s ESG strategy align with that of the corporate?
Our new 2023 CFO report
New world, new decisions
Our new report, New world, new decisions, reveals proprietary insights into key areas of interest to UK CFOs and senior executives on the challenges and opportunities for their Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes. This comes at a time where improved funding positions and burgeoning pension surpluses has created a new set of dilemmas for corporates.
