Mercer’s investment flagship podcast, Critical Thinking^SM focuses on delivering concise insights on complex technical investment challenges across institutional portfolios. It features interviews with Mercer subject matter experts, our clients and influential industry insiders.

In this episode, Robert Ronneberger, Head of Business Development for Asia, is joined by Dave McMillan, Chief Investment Officer, Hedge Funds, to explore how investors can future-proof their portfolios — specifically within hedge funds. Robert and Dave examine the most common mistakes seen in hedge fund investing, the impact of recent market volatility and other significant changes, such as the normalization of interest rates, and the potential opportunities in today's markets.

As trade tensions, uncertainty over the direction of interest rates, and pension reforms reshape the investment landscape, liability-driven investing (LDI) may provide a source of stability. In this episode, Jeffrey Dissmann, who leads Mercer’s Investments business in Germany, is joined by Sheena Frost, Lead of the Europe ex-UK Portfolio Management Solutions Team at Mercer and Rik Klerkx, Chief Investment Officer LDI and Private Markets at Cardano Netherlands, to discuss how investors across Europe are adapting their LDI strategies.

The discussion spans regulatory variations, the resurgence of bonds, inflation hedging challenges, and the operational plumbing that may facilitate resilient portfolios. Together, they examine the trade-offs between swaps and sovereign bonds, the growing role of private assets, and lessons learned from the UK’s LDI crisis.

In this episode, Niall O’Sullivan, Global Solutions Chief Investment Officer, is joined by Olaolu Aganga, US Chief Investment Officer, Rupert Watson, Global Head of Economics & DAA, and Mike Forestner, Global Chief Investment Officer, Private Markets, to examine the causes of recent market volatility and the implications across public and private markets. 

The conversation leverages Mercer’s investment relationships with both asset owners and asset managers to share insights on how industry leaders are responding, as well as our own thinking on how to approach the rest of 2025. In particular, we argue this is a crucial moment for long-term investors to trust the resilience of their portfolios, which have been designed to withstand short-term market fluctuations.

Wealth management is evolving as client expectations shift, technology advances, and private markets become more accessible. 

In this episode of Critical Thinking, Amit Popat, Global Head of Financial Institutions at Mercer, speaks with Han Dieperink, Chief Investment Officer of Auréus, and Richard De Groot, Head of Global Investment Center at ABN AMRO Bank. Live from Mercer’s Global Investment Forum, they discuss how wealth managers can navigate these changes, balance regulatory demands, and leverage AI and innovation to deliver value to clients.

In this episode, William Gibbons, Senior Insurance Investment Consultant at Mercer, is joined by Tom Davies, Head of UK Placement, Marsh, and Olaolu Aganga, US Chief Investment Officer, Mercer, to explore how non-life insurers can potentially capture opportunities while maintaining resilience in an economic and market environment that's in a state of flux. The conversation covers how diversification could help insurers achieve long-term portfolio resilience, adapting to a new insurance market cycle, and how insurers can potentially enhance client offerings.

Marieke de Roo is joined by Texas Hemmaplardh and Cori Trautvetter to explore how endowments and foundations can potentially achieve portfolio resilience in an economic and market environment that's in a state of flux. The conversation covers the challenge of diversification amidst a strong U.S. market, managing liquidity in the face of inflation and market shifts, governance may be a silent enabler of success, and the importance of aligning investments with organizational values.

Operational Due Diligence is becoming an increasingly critical part of the investment process as asset managers navigate evolving risks in a rapidly changing environment. From regulatory shifts and technological advancements to the growing complexity of private markets, investors must ensure they have a clear view of the operational resilience of the asset managers they work with.

In a recent episode of Critical Thinking, Manish Solanki, Head of Mercer Sentinel Group Europe, was joined by Tony Martinez, Head of Mercer Sentinel Americas, and Ashleigh McDowell, Principal at Mercer Sentinel Group, to explore why operational due diligence is more important for asset managers than ever before.

The conversation covers the impact of new regulations such as the Digital Operational Resilience Act, the growing role of AI and cybersecurity in investment operations, and how ODD is evolving to assess boutique and emerging managers in private markets.

Mercer and British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, recently launched a new initiative to help scale up climate finance in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). As part of the £100m Mobilisation Facility launched by the UK Prime Minister, half has been ringfenced for asset manager proposals that can attract institutional investment.

BII is inviting managers across private equity, private debt, and infrastructure to design investment strategies that mobilise long-term capital into EMDEs while delivering large-scale climate impact. In partnership with Mercer, a rigorous evaluation process will shortlist up to three proposals for entry into BII’s Investment Committee process.

In a recent episode of Critical Thinking, Mercer spoke to BII to shine a light on the world of development finance institutions (DFIs), capital mobilisation, and how DFIs like BII this can open up new investment opportunities for institutional investors in EMDEs. 

In this episode of Critical thinking, Michel Meert, European Consulting Leader for Endowments, Foundations and Family Offices, is joined by Marieke de Roo, European Sales Leader for Endowments, Foundations & Single-Family Offices, and Teena Jilka, Senior Investment Adviser to explore what’s top of mind for single-family offices over the next year and beyond. As inflation moves back toward target rates, the prospect of a soft landing seems increasingly likely. This shift in outlook is prompting investors — particularly single-family offices, which focus on long-term positioning — to consider what comes next.

Key takeaways include: 

Next-generation infrastructure: The role of infrastructure has evolved beyond the traditional use in a portfolio as the range of assets that it captures is much broader. Areas such as EV charging networks and data centres have the potential to create a compelling opportunity for family offices with a relatively longer-term investment horizon.  

Hedge funds as a potential driver of absolute return and diversification: As investors grapple with overconcentration in global equity markets, particularly the US, as well as heightened volatility, diversification is top of mind for family offices. Hedge funds may offer flexibility to capitalize on market volatility and market dislocation, which could make them potential alternatives to fixed income, given the higher for longer expected rate environment.

How family offices can structure their governance and investment processes: In this period of high volatility, having an investment committee with clear policies, guidelines, and risk tolerance levels is essential to help ensure disciplined decision making, focused on long-term objectives.  

In this episode of Critical Thinking, Sinead Leahy, Co-Head of Cardano Advisory is joined by Nick Gibson, Managing Director, Cardano Advisory, and Dan Jackson, M&A Senior Principal at Mercer, to explore the key findings from our recent report, ‘Unlocking value and opportunities from UK pension funds – a private equity perspective’.

There has been a significant shift in the Defined Benefit (DB) landscape in recent years, with many schemes moving from a deficit position to surplus. Surveying over 100 private equity (PE) firms, we uncovered the opportunity for private equity to unlock value from UK pension funds.

Key takeaways include:

The M&A opportunity from better funded DB schemes: pension schemes moving from a deficit to surplus means that schemes are no longer a blocker to M&A activity but rather a potential value driver, making a target business more attractive. Moreover, better funded schemes may mean less regulatory involvement in a deal, and less risk of deal value leakage.

Investors are seeking to access surpluses: Companies can often access pension surpluses when a scheme is wound up via a transfer to an insurance company, however, the government recently announced upcoming reforms that are designed to facilitate the release of surpluses on an ongoing basis. Many companies are delaying insurer ‘buyouts’ to capture the potential upside, while some are already using surpluses to help fund their Defined Contribution (DC) schemes.

What can be done to channel more pension money into PE: While mature, closed DB schemes have reduced investments into illiquid assets such as Private Equity, there are potential opportunities for greater allocations into private capital across open DB schemes, Local Government Pension Schemes, and DC schemes. The upcoming UK Pension Schemes Bill may facilitate consolidation of these pension schemes, which is designed to incentivise them to invest in a broader set of assets, such as private capital. At the same time, greater trustee education and engagement between pension funds and the PE sector will be crucial to unlocking further investment.

Navigating the challenges of modern pension provision requires employers to effectively communicate and implement changes in pension plans while keeping employees' best interests at heart. 

In this episode hosted by Mercer’s Tej Patel, Fiona Brown shares her own views on the evolving landscape of employer retirement offerings, based on her decades-long experience in the sector, most recently at Rolls Royce. Key insights include redesigning plans to make them future-fit, ensuring employees feel financially secure as they plan for retirement, and the role of employers in fostering trust.

In this episode of Critical thinking, Amit Popat, Global Head of Financial Institutions at Mercer, is joined by David Morrow, European Insurance Proposition Leader, and Stephanie Thomes, a Senior Investment Strategist in Mercer’s Insurance team, to explore Mercer’s outlook for insurers in 2025. This year’s paper reflects a transitional phase for the economy, defined by shifts in structural factors such as monetary policy, geopolitical uncertainty, and technological and regulatory innovation that requires a broader and longer perspective. These challenges will require thoughtful navigation, particularly for investors with a longer-term investment horizon, such as insurers. 

Key takeaways include:

How investment risk can serve as a stabilising force for insurers: When underwriting results are under pressure from increased claims and reduced premium income, investment risk can be strategically advantageous because there’s limited correlation between economic cycles and underwriting cycles. While underwriting performance is influenced by market conditions and competitive dynamics, investment returns can provide a stabilizing effect.  

What strategies insurers can adopt to navigate a challenging environment, where recent fluctuations in interest rates have affected bond-oriented portfolios: There is considerable uncertainty about the direction of travel for markets in general, so insurers should consider modelling how their portfolios would perform under various scenarios, and to increase diversification, within the confines of acceptable risk and regulatory capital constraints.  

How the growing number of semi-liquid and evergreen fund structures in private markets is changing the landscape for insurers: As private markets continue to evolve to meet the news of their investor base, semi-liquid and evergreen funds make it easier for small investment teams to participate in private markets, making it easier to maintain a target percentage allocation, relieve some of the administrative and operational burden of re-ups, and can relieve blind pool risk.

In this first episode in French of the podcast "Critical thinking," host Matthieu Mougeot is joined by investment specialists Maud-Kelly Crapeau and Pierre Luc Gariépy to discuss the growing interest in private market co-investments and secondary investments. They highlight their shorter investment horizons and potential for quicker capital deployment compared to traditional primary funds. Zooming in on the unique roles these strategies play in enhancing portfolio diversification and aligning interests between investors and fund managers, they also address the specific risks associated with co-investments and secondaries, including the need for in-depth knowledge and robust due diligence processes.

The discussion touches on the increasing sophistication of investors in private markets and the regulatory impacts influencing investment decisions in some jurisdictions, particularly in France. The episode provides with insights on how investors can effectively allocate resources to these asset classes, stressing the importance of working with experienced asset managers to navigate the complexities of private market investments.

In this episode of Critical Thinking, Jo Holden, Global Head of Investment Research at Mercer, is joined by Nick White, Global Strategic Research Director, and Matthew Scott, Strategic Research Principal, to explore Mercer’s "Themes and opportunities 2025" paper, specifically focusing on this year’s theme, "Swing state." This concept reflects an economy in transition, driven by shifts in monetary policy, supply chain dynamics, and technological innovation. These forces require investors to adjust their strategies, embracing diversification and preparing for a broader range of scenarios.

Key takeaways include:

• Private markets de-siloing: The report highlights changes in private market dynamics, with slower distributions and longer holding periods. There is a growing case for emerging markets (EM) over US investments, signaling the need for broader diversification.
• The security of everything: The interconnection between security and sustainability, rising dissatisfaction in institutions, with increasing political instability requiring careful risk management.
• Circular economy: The importance of the circular economy, noting its potential to create new investment opportunities as businesses increasingly adopt sustainable practices to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency.

Citations:

1. Investment consultant of the year & Thought leadership paper on sustainable investing, Mercer Environmental Finance
2. Completing the Picture - How the circular economy tackles climate change

As birth rates decline and our population ages, the ripple effects of this demographic transition are felt across all areas of our lives, from financial well-being, long-term health, caregiving, career trajectory and retirement planning.

In our latest episode, Haleh Nazeri, Longevity Lead at the World Economic Forum, joins Mercer’s Global DB Segment Leader, Graham Pearce, to unpack the Longevity Economy. Discover how employers could reshape their employee benefits and pension plans to support their workforce and have the potential to enhance financial resilience in response to this transformative trend.

Remarkable growth in the captive insurance space has been driven by a range of factors over the recent past  – from an extended hard market to the expansion of risks requiring underwriting. 

In our latest episode of Critical Thinking, we dive into the world of captive insurers as William Gibbons is joined by Ellen Charnley, President of Marsh Captive Solutions, and Chris Tschida, Head of US Insurance at Mercer.

Join Amit Popat, Eryn Bacewich and Joshua Zwick as they unpack the findings from our Mercer and Oliver Wyman 2024 Global Insurance Investment Survey in the latest episode of Critical Thinking. 

They dive into the key investment themes, outlook and risks highlighted by the survey and assess the road ahead for insurance portfolios through the second half of the year.

Read the full survey report here.

Higher for longer interest rates are having profound effects on endowment and foundation portfolios across the US. The volatility this creates is making it more challenging to construct portfolios for the long-term and creating questions around liquidity management. Bill Burns and Meggan O'Shea join Texas Hemmaplardh in this episode.

Market volatility, higher rates and an ageing population are creating a complex and rapidly evolving landscape for US pensions. Rich Nuzum, Scott Jarboe and Kelly Henson help us unpack how these complex and converging risks are playing out across US defined benefit and defined contribution plans in this episode.

What goes into selecting the best hedge fund managers and when you find them how do you gain access to these “unicorn” managers that are often closed to new investors. Niall O’Sullivan and Dave McMillan join Raelan Lambert to explain Mercer’s approach in this episode of Critical Thinking recorded at the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Nashville. 

Amid market volatility, we believe agility as a driver and enhancer of performance – has become the key attribute in building portfolios. However, not all volatility warrants the same responsiveness. Olaolu Aganga and Jay Love join Marc Cordover in this episode of Critical Thinking.

In this episode, Gregg Sommer is joined by colleagues Marieke de Roo and Casey Wamsley to discuss alternative investments in the wealth management space. Together they explore the democratization of private markets, the importance of education, and the due diligence process. They also discuss the potential opportunities in hedge funds and the role of technology in accelerating growth in alternative investing.

In this episode, Orla Aherne sits down with Ronan O'Gara, Head Coach at La Rochelle and former professional rugby player as he shares his insights, experiences, and lessons learned on and off the field. Together with Mercer’s Michael Lernihan, they share their perspectives on leadership, teamwork and achieving success in a competitive environment.

Join us as Eimear Walsh, Head of Investments for Europe, takes you live to the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Dublin, where we dive deep into the world of Private Markets.

The growth of private markets presents a multitude of possibilities, but success can hinge on adaptability and the ability to seize the right opportunities. Navigating this arena requires agility, a keen eye for identifying the most promising prospects and the ability to thrive in a competitive environment.

In this episode, Eimear is joined by Mercer colleagues David Scopelliti and Michael Butler and together, they walk us through the opportunities in the private markets landscape and what it means for different types of investors.

Recent market experiences have highlighted the importance for insurers to construct robust portfolios that not only support their primary business, but also enable them to respond to evolving market risks and opportunities.

In this episode, Marieke de Roo is joined by Francesco Martorana, Chief Investment Officer at Generali and Mercer colleague David Morrow live from the Global Investment Forum in Dublin. Together they unpack what it means to build agile portfolios in today's insurance landscape and discuss how insurers can navigate the ever-changing market dynamics and seize potential opportunities.

Join us as Mark McNulty, Europe Wealth Leader, takes you live to the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Dublin to discuss the theme for this year’s Forum “An Age of Agility”.

In this episode, Mark is joined by Mercer colleagues, Garvan McCarthy and Jo Holden to explore the key findings from our recent Themes and Opportunities 2024 report and discuss the strategies and insights that could help investors in this age of agility.

In this episode, our host Mark McNulty, Europe Wealth Leader, takes you live to the Mercer Global Investment Forum in Dublin. Together with Rich Nuzum and Jo Holden, they explore the impact of misinformation and disinformation on the investment landscape.

Misinformation was identified as the number one risk in the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report, making it a topic that demands our attention. Join us as we delve into the challenges of quantifying and assessing these risks in the investment sphere, especially in the face of rapidly evolving information flow and the integration of AI in investment processes.

In this episode, Global Alternatives Leader Raelan Lambert is joined by three esteemed guests: Billy Charlton, who shares his thoughts on the private equity perspective; David Scopelliti, who provides insights on private debt; and Dave McMillan, who discusses the implementation of hedge funds in portfolios. Together, they offer an overview of the Alternative investment landscape and discuss the top considerations for investors in 2024. 

In this episode, Texas Hemmaplardh, US Not-for-Profit Investment Leader is joined by Olaolu Aganga, US Chief Investment Officer and Shane Brereton, Senior Investment Consultant, Australia to discuss the critical issues facing endowment and foundation (E&F) investors around the world and share practical takeaways for E&Fs navigating the ever-changing investment landscape.

Together they also explore the challenges and opportunities that arise from the dynamic nature of long-term investing, including the impact of inflation on long-term investments, the role of private and unlisted assets in portfolio diversification and the importance of aligning investment objectives with changing market conditions.

Following the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos, Pat Tomlinson, President at Mercer and Nick Studer, CEO of Oliver Wyman joined Amy Barnes, Head of Sustainability and Climate at Marsh, to unpack some of the key themes emerging on the ground.

They discuss why companies need to be more competitive in a more muted growth environment; how health access has become a priority topic for an increasing number of employers; and why companies need to think more about political risks going into 2024.

You can find all the reports mentioned in this podcast at Marsh McLennan’s website at www.marshmclennan.com

In this episode we explore the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion in supply chains and delve into the crucial role that DEI plays in shaping and transforming supply chains for the better. To discuss, Cara Williams, Global ESG and Sustainability Leader for Mercer is joined by Kevin Davidson, Director, Esprit de Corps Consulting Ltd., Phil Styles, Diversity Supply Chain Leader, Mercer and James Crask, Head of Strategic Risk Consulting & Supply Chain Risk Advisory Leader, Marsh. Together they explore the challenges, opportunities, and best practices for creating inclusive and sustainable supply chains that can benefit both businesses and communities.