Critical thinking

In this episode of Critical Thinking, Mercer’s U.S. Defined Contribution Leader Holly Verdeyen is joined by Matthew Calloway, Principal, Mercer’s Law and Policy Group, Kelly Henson, Defined Contribution Investment Strategy Leader, and Matt Vokes, Senior Director of Investment Alternatives. They explore the evolving landscape of private investments within U.S. DC plans, including the impact of the...

As institutional and retail capital continue to flow into private markets, we believe the infrastructure supporting investment decisions hasn’t fully kept pace. The real challenge isn’t just access to opportunity; it’s access to reliable, data. In this episode of Critical Thinking , Mercer’s Global Head of Analytics and Portfolio Solutions, Rob Ansari is joined by Chris Sparenberg, Head of Busines...

The global economy is becoming more complex, raising the stakes for leaders navigating this change. In this episode of CEO Perspectives , part of Mercer’s Critical Thinking series that take you inside the C-Suite for peer-to-peer conversations with leaders influencing decision making across the investment industry, Mick Dempsey, Global President of Mercer Investments & Retirement, is joined by...

In this episode of The CEO Perspectives, Mick Dempsey, President of Mercer Investments & Retirement business, sits down with Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management, for a candid conversation on the structural forces reshaping private markets. As one of the architects of the convergence between insurance capital and private credit, Marc offers his perspective on how this model is evolving...

Over the past five years, we've seen vast changes in interest rate and inflation levels globally, making it important for investors to understand what is driving market dynamics and the impact on portfolio execution and risk management. In this episode of Critical Thinking, Mercer’s UK Head of Investments Helen Hope is joined by US LDI Investments Leader, Brett Dutton and Dan Cunnington, Head...

We're excited to launch the first episode of our new Critical Thinking series: 1 Theme, 2 CIOs, 3 Questions . Each episode focuses on one key investment theme, featuring two leading Chief Investment Officers who tackle three big questions shaping today's investment landscape. In this debut episode, Mercer's Andre Boucher sits down with Jim Mahoney, CIO of Bon Secours Mercy Health, a...

With developed markets facing higher debt burdens, elevated rates, and ongoing uncertainty, investors are increasingly considering frontier market debt as a means of diversifying portfolios and achieving long-term growth potential. In this episode of Critical Thinking, host Jean de Kock is joined by Anja Needham and Adam Shenton. Together, they discuss the fundamentals of frontier market debt, the...

With increasing uncertainty and market complexity putting decision makers under mounting pressure, governance shines through as a tool for gaining a potential competitive edge.  In this episode, Helen Hope is joined by Jay Love and Boutros Thiery, to unpack what good governance is, explain why poor structures may hinder investors, and break down how to make governance work for your individual need...

Private credit has evolved rapidly over the past decade, becoming one of the most in-demand asset classes for investors seeking diversification, income, and resilience in portfolios. Yet with this growth has come added complexity, from structural shifts in lending markets to new product innovations and heightened regulatory changes.  In this episode, host Alecia DeCuollo introduces Private markets...

As private markets have evolved, investors have shifted their approach away from a one-size-fits-all portfolio structure focused on closed end funds towards more bespoke constructions.  Alongside this, liquidity concerns amongst both LPs and GPs have prompted a strategic reassessment of the role co-investments and secondary transactions play in modern portfolios, shifting them from the periphery o...

In recent years, the role of private debt has transformed, with the potential for higher returns and greater portfolio diversification seeing the asset class become a more frequent feature in institutional portfolios. Now, the way that investors are accessing private debt has changed too. Semi-liquid fund structures have emerged, with asset managers seeking to address the traditional barriers to e...

In this milestone 100th episode of Critical Thinking , U.S. Treasury Secretary Dr. Janet Yellen joins Mercer’s Niall O’Sullivan for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces reshaping the global economy. From inflation and interest rates to geopolitical fragmentation and the green transition, Dr. Yellen offers her perspective on the challenges facing policymakers and markets alike, as well as the...

In this podcast episode, Mercer’s U.S. CIO Olaolu Aganga sits down with fellow Mercer CIOs Christine Tessier, Garvan McCarthy, and Kylie Willment. Together, they tackle a big question swirling in markets today: Is the U.S. still the top spot for investors, and do better opportunities lie elsewhere? They explore how market uncertainty is creating both risk and opportunities around the world and why...

What does investment governance look like when success is defined by more than just returns? In this episode, Andy Farrington, Mercer's Multinational Investments Leader, is joined by Lee House of ABB’s Group Pension Management Team and Deborah Frost, Chair Elect of Mercer UK Master Trust, to discuss how large asset owners may navigate complex decisions across global pension plans.  Together,...

In this episode, Jo Holden is joined by Alan Synott and Robert Ronneberger to explore the evolving real assets landscape. They discuss where we are in the real assets cycle, the case for global diversification, opportunities and challenges in Southeast Asia, and practical strategies for asset owners navigating today’s dynamic market environment.   This podcast contains statements on historical per...

In this episode of Critical Thinking, Anubhuti Gupta and Adeline Tan tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing endowments and foundations: delivering sustainable returns amid rising market concentration, volatility, and lower future expectations.  They discuss how diversification beyond traditional equities, smarter liquidity management, and strong governance frameworks are essential to bu...

In this episode of Critical Thinking, Andreas Vermeiren, Principal in Mercer's Insurance Solutions team, is joined by William Gibbons, Principal in the Insurance Solutions team, and Eryn Bacewich, Head of US Insurance Solutions, to discuss their thoughts on risk management in insurance portfolios during a period of increased market volatility and the opportunities this presents to agile inves...

In this episode, Alan Synnott, Mercer’s Global Head of Real Assets, is joined by Anne Koeman-Sharapova and Simon James to explore how institutional investors are repositioning their real estate allocations in light of market resets and evolving sector dynamics. They discuss why real estate remains a core private markets asset, where valuation corrections have opened potential opportunities, trends...

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 no...

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 In...

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 in...

In this episode of Critical Thinking , Amit Popat, Global Head of Financial Institutions at Mercer, is joined by Han Dieperink, Chief Investment Officer of Auréus, and Richard De Groot, Head of Global Investment Center at ABN AMRO Bank.  Recorded live at Mercer’s Global Investment Forum, together they explore how the wealth management industry is adapting to shifting client expectations, regulator...

In this episode of Critical Thinking, Manish Solanki, Head of Mercer Sentinel Group Europe, is joined by Tony Martinez, Head of Mercer Sentinel Americas, and Ashleigh McDowell, Principal at Mercer Sentinel Group, to explore why Operational Due Diligence is becoming an essential component of investment decision-making. With increasing market volatility, regulatory pressures, and rapid technological...

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 diversif...

Marieke de Roo, Mercer's Leader in Europe for Single Family Offices and Endowments & Foundations, is joined by Texas Hemmaplardh and Cori Trautvetter, both Partners and Co-Leads of Mercer's US Endowment and Foundation Investment Practice, to explore how endowments and foundations can potentially achieve portfolio resilience in an economic and market environment that's in a state...