PGGM acknowledged as most pioneering European investor in hedge funds

Leading Dutch pension provider PGGM has received the Financial News Award for Most Pioneering European Institutional Investor in Hedge Funds 2011. This industry award is based on a ranking by more than forty peers and counterparties in the European hedge fund industry.

Sector medium Financial News nominated PGGM for its shift to direct hedge fund investments and pulling out of fund of funds by launching its own dedicated managed account platform for hedge fund investments. Other nominees for the most pioneering award were AP1, APG Asset Management, BT/Hermes BPK and USS.

Jan Soerensen, Head of Hedge Funds for PGGM: “We are delighted with winning this award, especially because it reflects acknowledgement by our competing colleagues as well as counterparties in the European hedge fund industry. It encourages us to sustain our pioneering strategy for our clients.”

Last autumn PGGM announced the launch of the dedicated managed account platform to offer its clients access to hedge fund strategies in a responsible, transparent and liquid structure. The omission of the common fund of fund structure for hedge funds achieves significant cost reductions. Direct investments as well as cost reductions are key in PGGM’s responsible investment strategy for the pension funds PGGM is working for.

About PGGM
PGGM is a leading pension fund administrator with origins in the care and welfare sector. PGGM provides pension management, integrated asset management, management support and policy advice for pension funds. PGGM currently manages around EUR 105 billion of pension assets of over 2.3 million participants. As a co-operative organisation, PGGM provides services for its 560,000 members that help them to secure a valuable future.