The Swiss first pillar buffer fund AHV is looking for an investment consultant to take over a wide range of services including looking at “new asset classes” and providing “forecast analysis”. Watson Wyatt is currently its investment controller on the level of the administrative board “but no permanent investment adviser” is currently in place and various advisers had been used from time to time, according to Eric Breval, chief executive of the CHF25bn (€17bn) fund.
“The board is confronted today with more and more complex questions,” Breval pointed out. So on top of signing new recruits in the fund’s administration, AHV has decided an external opinion should be sought “on a more systematic basis”, to help make investment decisions. The consultant is required, as part of its service, to provide the tender names as well as “assistance in the analysis and implementation of ALM strategies“.
That said, Breval explained “ALM does not have the same meaning as for pension funds in the second pillar” as AHV is a first pillar fund based on a pay-as-you go system. He confirmed the consultant will assist with “forecast analysis”, as provided in the past either by external service providers or through the federal ministry for social insurances (BSV). The consultant will also expected to help the fund with “the analysis of new asset classes/ segments” albeit Breval pointed out “no decision had been made yet” on which asset classes they might be.