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Fund of the Month (Nov'23): Public Officials Benefit Association (POBA)

1st November, 2023

Among S. Korean pension funds, the Public Officials Benefit Association (POBA) is known for having modernized its approach to asset allocation and for having boosted AuM and returns in the past few years. We had the great pleasure of speaking with the engineer of such change as the fund’s CIO between 2016 and 2022, Mr. Dong Hun Jang, about the country’s pension system, the fund’s history, and the changes he pushed for during his tenure.

All Eyes on Indian Venture Capital, Despite Valuation Concerns

12th September, 2023

The G20 Summit in Delhi was accompanied by fresh announcements by state-owned investors intent on shifting focus to India, amid ongoing de-China-ization by Western funds and growing Middle Eastern interest in the South Asian economic behemoth’s massive potential.

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Movers & Shakers, Summer Edition

11th August, 2023

August is normally a prolific month for appointments and new hires, especially among those funds in the Northern Hemisphere and for those executives with families that need to relocate and find new schools. Here’s an update of what is happening around the human capital of Sovereign Investors:

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Korean State-Owned Investors Lifted by Public Markets, But Plan for More Private Equity

14th July, 2023

With combined assets under management of US$1.45 trillion, South Korea’s state-owned investors – comprised of one sovereign wealth fund and six public pension funds – are major players in global markets, and their evolving strategies are set to have a significant impact on investment flows, with alternative asset classes set to be the main winners.

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UAE Sovereign Funds Snap Up Korean Talent in Bid for Asian Growth

26th June, 2023

Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala has recruited rising star Ahn Seung-gu, Korea Investment Corporation's (KIC) senior director for private equity, as it seeks to boost its exposure to developed markets in Asia.

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Korea's SWF Will Invest Billions of Dollars on Global Private Markets by 2025

21st June, 2023

The President of Korea’s US$169.3 billion sovereign wealth fund, the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), reiterated the fund’s target allocation to alternative investments at 25% of AUM by 2025 in an interview with Bloomberg, indicating it is set to release billions of dollars of capital into global private markets.

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Korea Looks to India

14th March, 2023

South Korea’s sovereign wealth fund Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) is planning to launched an office in Mumbai, according to The Korea Economic Daily.

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KIC Presses Ahead with its ESG Ambitions

10th October, 2022

South Korea’s US$205 billion sovereign wealth fund, the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), is set to take up membership of the UN PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment), joining the world's largest responsible investment consultative body on ESG investment.

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Seoul-d on Alts: External Managers Set to Benefit from Korea’s Private Markets Drive

12th August, 2022

Korea’s state investors are pushing forward with their plans to boost allocations to private markets – and external managers are benefiting from the multi-billion dollar surge in sovereign cash.

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Korea's SWF Set to Boost Private Markets Exposure as AUM Shoots Past USD200bn

30th May, 2022

The Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) posted an annual return of 9.13% for 2021 with assets under management reaching US$205 billion – exceeding the US$200 billion mark in the first time in its 16 year history.

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The Elephant in the Room - are Sovereign Investors beating the markets?

2nd May, 2022

Comparing returns across State-Owned Investors is never easy and it always takes a lot of assumptions and disclaimers. Yet, most funds have now reported their FY21 results, and we have looked at the average investment returns for the past six years (which we consider a fair investment cycle) across 20 major SWFs and 20 major PPFs in an apples-to-apples analysis.

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State Investors Diverge on US Public Equity Allocations

15th February, 2022

Stock exchange filings by state-owned investors, published this week, saw a divergence in strategy and positions in Q4 2021, with leaps in some portfolios slightly offset by downward adjustments in others.

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