Featured News and Research

• Towers Watson increases stake in Fifth Quadrant to 51%

  Towers Watson a leading global professional services company, has increased its shareholding in Fifth Quadrant, the independent South African actuarial and employee benefits consultancy, to 51% in line with a definitive agreement reached in March 2011. The companies first agreed to a strategic alliance in June 2008.Continue reading...

• Towers Watson hires Coenraad de Jager

  Towers Watson has hired Coenraad de Jager in a newly created role to bolster its Risk Consulting and Software (RCS) business in southern Africa.Continue reading...

• Investment Manager Selection

  Advice on manager structure is provided through our investment strategy and manager research specialists. We take an integrated approach to considering manager structures for our clients.Continue reading...

• The world’s 300 largest pension funds – year end 2010

  The 2010 P&I/Towers Watson global 300 pension funds ranking is prepared using joint research by Pensions & Investments and Towers Watson and includes a ranking of sovereign funds.Continue reading...

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  2011 Global Survey of Accounting Assumptions for Defined Benefit Plans: Executive Summary

  The 2011 Global Survey of Accounting Assumptions for Defined Benefit Plans is the 22nd annual survey by Towers Watson of assumptions selected by major corporations for their defined benefit plans around the world.Continue reading...

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  IASB Amends IAS 19: The Next Phase in the Evolution of the Accounting for Retirement Benefits

  In a further step in the evolution of the accounting for retirement benefits, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has issued its long-awaited amendment to IAS 19, Employee Benefits (IAS 19, rev. 2011).Continue reading...

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  Global Alternatives Survey 2011

  The Global Alternatives Survey aims to track the movements of alternative assets managed on behalf of pension funds by the world’s largest alternative investment managers and to produce authoritative rankings. Continue reading...

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  Insights: Chief Risk Officer: a case of Quadrophenia?

  Many companies have recently announced the appointment of an executive level Chief Risk Officer (CRO). But it’s a fine balancing act to get right. Mike Wilkinson reviews the key factors for success.Continue reading...

• International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) - latest news

  In a further step in the evolution of the accounting for retirement benefits, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued an amendment to IAS 19, Employee Benefits.Continue reading...

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  Multinational Workforce Health: Building a Sustainable Global Strategy

  As companies around the world strive for competitive advantage, they are stepping up their efforts to improve the health and productivity of their workers. Even in countries with government-provided health care, employers are offering additional coverage to supplement these provisions or to allow faster access to treatment.Continue reading...

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  Insights: Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA)

  Solvency II goes beyond defining the technical specifications to calculate the solvency capital requirement and this is no better demonstrated than in the need for companies to perform an Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA). In this document, we set out the requirements of the ORSA and what it means for companies.Continue reading...

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  2011 Global Survey of Investment and Economic Expectations

  To learn more about how investors are seeking to manage their risks, optimize returns and improve their governance strategies, Towers Watson conducted a global survey of investment managers. The analysis focuses on 141 managers’ views of capital markets, economies, investment strategies and governance.Continue reading...

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  Global Investment Matters - 2011

  Aftershocks from the global financial crisis still threaten to upset the nascent economic recovery. There is broad acceptance that higher levels of uncertainty are the new norm, and that investors will need investment strategies that are more flexible and adaptable than they have been in the past.Continue reading...

• Towers Watson increases stake in leading South African consultancy

  Towers Watson has increased its shareholding in Fifth Quadrant, the independent South African actuarial and employee benefits consultancy, from 20 per cent to 40 per cent.Continue reading...

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  Insights: Financial Modelling

  Insights: Financial Modelling gives an overview of developments in financial modelling software. In this edition, we look at news from the world of financial modelling, and consider the reasons for using an internal model.Continue reading...

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  Global Pensions Asset Study - 2011

  This is a study of the 13 largest pension markets in the world and accounts for more than 85% of global pension assets. The countries included are Australia, Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, the UK and the US.Continue reading...

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  2011 Global Medical Trends Survey Report

  This global survey of medical insurers tracks medical trends in 37 countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. The 2011 report is a follow-up to the 2008 Global Medical Trends survey and offers comparisons to that data.Continue reading...