ANNUAL GEPF
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP VIRTUAL CONFERENCE 2021 27 – 28 SEPT 2021

Welcome to the
GEPF Thought Leadership Conference 2021

Dear Participants

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and Management of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) welcome to the Annual GEPF Thought Leadership Conference. We engage at a time when we are all still grappling with the immense impact of the coronavirus, both at business and personal levels.

A special word of appreciation to the Reserves Advisory and Management Partnership (RAMP) program of the World Bank Treasury for once again partnering with us in hosting this conference. The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) Annual Thought Leadership Conference is part of the GEPF’s commitment to stimulate dialogue on the challenges that face the global pension industry.

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The conference is a gathering of the leading pension funds, experts in pension funds, investment and economic industries decision-makers from across the globe. It is aimed at embracing knowledge sharing and fulfilling the needs of various stakeholders through providing thought provoking leadership discussions to source solutions, generate business and to connect with new and existing pension networks.

We trust that you will benefit from this platform of open and constructive dialogue, and that you gain new insights from the stimulating knowledge sharing. This year you will be able to tap into the knowledge, research and expertise offered by some of the world’s leading experts and decision-makers in the pension and investment fields as we tackle the various issues.

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The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), South Africa

Dear Participants

On behalf of the Reserve Advisory and Management Partnership (RAMP) program of the World Bank Treasury, we are delighted to partner again with the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) to co-host the 2021 Annual Pensions Thought Leadership Conference.

The world has changed significantly since we last convened in Cape Town in September 2019. COVID has globally impacted retirement saving schemes extensively and in manifold ways. In these extra-ordinary times, it is even more critical to reflect on the current and emerging challenges that public sector asset managers face. Coming together as part of a commanding platform of dialogue is vital.

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This year marks the 20th anniversary of RAMP. The program was set up by the World Bank Treasury in the early 2000s at the request of World Bank member institutions to provide capacity-building services to public asset managers to strengthen their investment operations and human capital. Today, RAMP has grown to nearly 80 members entrusted by their nations to safeguard generational wealth and support macroeconomic stability in their countries. We are firm in our conviction that robust asset management practices enable policymakers to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities.

As such, we are delighted to be part of this global thought leadership initiative and extend our gratitude to the GEPF for inviting us as co-hosts in 2021. We look forward to exchanging ideas on these and other topics during this year’s event and reconnecting with you, hopefully in person, at the 2022 conference.

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Reserve Advisory and Management Partnership (RAMP) program of the World Bank Treasury

Conference
will start in:

Day(s)

:

Hour(s)

:

Minute(s)

:

Second(s)

Conference will highlight the following
Programme Themes

Pensions Funds in a
COVID-19 world – Impacts and Policy considerations
A candid conversation on
Responsible Investing – supporting sustainability
International diversification
vs “Home bias” in pension fund investing
Infrastructure investing:
harvesting long term capital
Global Pensions perspective
 
Keynote addresses
and Panel discussions

some of our speakers
Speaker Highlights

Jacqueline Irving

Eduardo Piquero

Olano Makhubela

Tunku Alizakri Alias

Nicolas J. Firzli

Pauli Prince Suhren

Andrew Canter

Rob Bauer

Jacqueline Irving

27 September 2021 | Panel Discussion: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial position of pension funds as well as the global economy and financial markets..

Jacqueline Irving is Senior Economist in IFC’s Sector Economics and Development Impact Dept. and the department’s focal for capital markets including related to development of pension funds and insurers as asset managers. Previously, as Director of the Center for Financial Markets at the Milken Institute, she led the Capital Markets for Development unit’s policy research and advisory work. In this role, she worked directly with Rwanda’s Capital Markets Authority and capital markets stakeholders to prepare a 10-year Capital Markets Action Plan for developing Rwanda’s capital markets. As a Senior Economist with the U.S. finance ministry, she was responsible for the desk portfolio for financial inclusion. Prior to this, she colaunched the Thought Leadership Research division for Oxford Economics, serving as the practice manager for OE’s evidence-based research programs on emerging markets finance. As a Senior Economist with the World Bank from 2005-11, Irving led and contributed to data-driven policy research and advisory work on capital markets development, infrastructure finance, and remittance markets. This included leading an assessment of the potential for African financial sectors to raise longer-term finance for infrastructure, as part of the NEPAD-driven Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic. She joined the WB initially on secondment from the IMF, where she had led and contributed to TA/operational work and relevant research on development of African securities markets and local institutional investors. During the 1990s, she managed the Economist Intelligence Unit’s country financial markets content and analysis, leading a team of 50 regional analysts and in-country finance experts in 45 countries including in Africa. Early in her career, she was an Assistant Manager with the Dreyfus Corporation, an investment management firm and pioneer in the U.S. mutual fund industry. She has authored and coauthored policy research papers, policy briefs, books, and articles on topics related to capital markets development and financial inclusion. Irving has a Master’s degree from Columbia University with a specialization in international economic policy and a research focus on regional economic and financial integration.

Eduardo Piquero

27 September 2021 | A candid conversation on Responsible Investing – supporting sustainability

Eduardo has more than 15 years of experience in carbon markets at an international level. He has focused in environmental markets, including the development of greenhouse gas emission reduction projects and has worked on climate change projects in several countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa in the following sectors: forestry, renewable energy, energy efficiency, oil and gas, aluminium, mining, landfills, agriculture, refrigerants, fertilizers, cement and construction.

He is currently the CEO of MÉXICO2, a Mexican Stock Exchange company where he oversees the development of environmental markets (carbon markets, clean energy certificates and green bonds markets).

Eduardo led the incorporation of the CCFV (Consejo Consultivo de Finanzas Verdes, or Green Finance Advisory Board), a financial focused NGO to green the Mexican financial system with more than 350 participating entities. The CCFV works on capacity building, stakeholder dialogue and building new green infrastructure instruments. From the CCFV, Eduardo has supported the issuance of many Mexican green and sustainable bonds. The CCFV is a member of FC4S, Financial Centres for Sustainability, led by UNEP FI.

Since 2017, he has led the development of the simulation exercise of a Mexican emissions trading system as a preparation for the regulated emissions scheme in the country. He has been a speaker at several conferences and events related to climate change and climate finance, and he is member of the Working Group on Green Finance of the United Nations Initiative for Sustainable Stock Exchanges.

Eduardo also has several specializations in the development of emission trading systems extended by the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP), organization in which he is trainer on carbon markets in Latin America.

University of Buenos Aires (2001-2006)
BSc. Political Science

University of the Argentinian Centre for Macroeconomic Studies (2007-2008)
MSc. State Science

International Carbon Action Partnership (2014)
Diploma on Emission Trading for Emerging Economies

International Carbon Action Partnership (2015)
Diploma on Emission Trading Masterclass

Olano Makhubela

27 September 2021 | Panel Discussion: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial position of pension funds as well as the global economy and financial markets.

Olano Makhubela has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of KwaZulu-Natal; Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Witwatersrand; BCom Honours (Economics) (cum laude) from University of South Africa; and a Masters in Science in Development Economics from the University of London.

Olano Makhubela has been with the National Treasury since 2000. In his 17 years at the National Treasury, he has assisted with the development of Government policy on retirement reforms, insurance, investment funds, financial integrity, prudential regulation, capital controls and flows, first tier banking and financial inclusion. He has represented the National Treasury at the G20 Financial Access Working Group, Financial Sector Charter and Nedlac processes. He is currently (as of 1 October 2017) the Divisional Executive for Retirement Funds Supervision at the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (previously the Financial Services Board).

Tunku Alizakri Alias

28 September 2021 | Panel Discussion: International diversification vs “Home bias” in pension fund investing.

Alizakri Alias is the Chairman of Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad (MAVCAP) which is tasked by the Government to develop and add value to the VC ecosystem of Malaysia. Alizakri also sits on the board of notable public listed companies such as Sime Darby Plantation Berhad, IHH Healthcare Berhad and Bumi Armada Berhad as well as Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad .

Alizakri was the Chief EPF Officer of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) which is one of the largest provident funds in the world (USD250bn AUM as at Dec 2020). He joined the EPF on 1 January 2014 as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the Strategy Division, overseeing national policies on social protection, and developing EPF products and services. He was also an ex-officio member of the EPF Board and Investment Panel.

Alizakri has extensive experience covering fund management and the financial industry, public sector administration and central banking, media and telecommunications, property development, plantations and oil and gas. He is also passionate in the areas of social security where he served as Vice Chair of Technical Commission on Organisation, Management & Innovation of International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the Secretary-General of Asean Social Security Association (ASSA).

Alizakri is also the proud founder of PAN Productions Kuala Lumpur which has won multiple awards for excellence in the musical theatre genre since 2010. Other than producing musicals, Alizakri also performs onstage (for which he was nominated for Kakiseni’s Best Supporting Actor award in 2016).

Nicolas J. Firzli

28 September 2021 | Panel Discussion: Infrastructure investing: harvesting long term capital

Director-General, World Pensions Council (WPC),
Co-Chair, Singapore Economic Forum (SEF),
Cofounder & Advisory Board Member, World Bank Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF)

M. Nicolas J. Firzli is director-general of the World Pensions Council (WPC), the global think-tank & asset owners association. He is a graduate of Canada’s McGill University (Stats), an alumnus of the HEC School of Management and the University of Paris Law School and has conducted research at the Louvain (UCL) Doctoral School of Economics.

Mr. Firzli is co-chair of the World Pensions Forum (WPF) held annually in a G12/EU capital, coordinator of the G7 Pensions Roundtable held on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, co-chair of the Singapore Economic Forum and cofounding-member & advisory councillor of the World Bank Group Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF). He has chaired the main asset owners roundtable of the 2015 Climate Change Conference (Paris COP 21 Summit) and helped develop notions such as “Modern Trusteeship and Fiduciary Capitalism”, “The SDG–Driven World Economy”, “The Pension Wealth of Nations” and “Infrastructure as an Asset Class”

Pauli Prince Suhren

28 September 2021 | Panel Discussion: International diversification vs “Home bias” in pension fund investing.

Chief Executive Officer Chairman – Pacific Islands Investment Forum

Pauli has been CEO of SNPF since 2017 and Chairman of PIIF since 2019. He is an accountant and an IT specialist by profession having graduated in 2011 with a Masters in Business and IT from Bond University, Gold Coast Australia. Pauli is also a Fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants, Australia and a Fellow of the Institute of Financial Accountants, United Kingdom.

Andrew Canter

27 September 2021 | A candid conversation on Responsible Investing – supporting sustainability

Andrew is an Executive Director of Futuregrowth Asset Management and the Chief Investment Officer (CIO). He provides a strategic perspective to the business and oversees the investment processes.

Andrew came to South Africa in 1990 from the U.S.A. During his career in South Africa, he assisted in co-founding RMB Asset Management before joining Futuregrowth in 1998. He was a fixed interest dealer, portfolio manager, head of fixed interest, and later CIO. Andrew has been part of the team that made Futuregrowth a leading Fixed Interest Manager, Responsible investor and Developmental investor (with a range of developmental portfolios) in South Africa.

In addition, Andrew has sought to play a role in development of South Africa’s financial industry, capital market and national infrastructure. Some Directorships/Involvement:
  • Director of several infrastructure and development companies ranging from toll roads to low income housing finance and municipal finance.
  • A CFA Charterholder since 1989 and was a founding Director of CFA South Africa in 2001, where he served until 2014.
  • A founding member of ASISA’s Standing Committee on Capital and Money Markets.
  • Undertakes public speaking and lecturing engagements, frequently on the subjects of fixed interest management, ethics in financial services, developmental investing, and Governance.
Andrew lists scripophily and travel amongst his hobbies, and he is a regular cyclist.

Rob Bauer

27 September 2021 | A candid conversation on Responsible Investing – supporting sustainability

Rob Bauer is Professor of Finance (chair: Institutional Investors) and holder of the Elverding Chair on Sustainable Business, Culture and Corporate Regulation at Maastricht University School of Business and Economics in The Netherlands. His academic research is focused on pension funds, strategic investment policy, sustainable finance, responsible investing, shareholder activism and corporate governance. Rob publishes regularly in professional and academic journals and is a frequent speaker on national and international conferences. Rob is also Co-Founder and Director of the European Centre for Sustainable Finance (ECCE) at Maastricht University, Executive Director of the International Centre for Pension Management (ICPM) in Toronto, Co-founder of GRESB (real estate benchmarking company) and Co-Chair of the Global Research Alliance on Sustainable Finance and Investment (GRASFI).
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