Anyone managing a defined benefits plan today faces persistent risks and evolving realities: market volatility, uncertain liabilities, shifting regulations, and pressure to reduce expenses and contributions. Succeeding in this landscape requires an agile strategy and process that can dynamically react to market conditions and seize opportunities while managing risk and expense.
Mercer’s team approach to defined benefit plan
Mercer clients receive advice and solutions driven by an integrated interdisciplinary team of specialists. A core team of experienced consultants and analysts is supported by specialists in manager research, pension strategy, investment operations, and more. The core and specialist teams work together to provide clients holistic advice and continual guidance.
The size of Mercer’s operations means we can dynamically expand the team to bring the right professionals to bear on your organization’s specific issues as they arise. Whether it’s our global asset allocation team to handle big-picture strategic issues or our regional teams to handle local regulations, we’re able to provide solutions that scale to our clients’ needs. For multinational organizations, Mercer provides consistent management and execution regardless of the country or specialty.
Improving surplus and reducing risks
Growth in assets relative to liabilities is a key tool for helping defined benefits plans meet their final obligations and funding objectives, and it requires an effective portfolio construction. Our investments team examines the major and minor asset classes and market/return drivers to create an optimal strategic plan to meet surplus growth objectives with an appropriate risk profile. Our experience and knowledge of the market and managers allow us to construct a portfolio of managers and funds to implement this strategic allocation in a way that improves potential returns and is cost-effective. At the same time, a deep understanding of the drivers of liability values and changes is critical to managing total pension risk. Our dedicated pension risk team and broad actuarial experience offer our clients truly comprehensive solutions.
Innovation backed by In-depth research
Critical to all our work is our dedication to research and innovation. Manager research, sophisticated risk and factor modeling, dynamic asset allocation, and pension surplus risk budgeting are some of the key areas in which we create positive results for our defined benefits clients.
How mercer can help
Mercer can help defined benefits plans manage persistent risks, such as market volatility, uncertain liabilities, and pressure to reduce expense and contributions.
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