Insurance private markets and the Prudent Person Principle

In this episode, we join Roman Knipprath, Andreas Vermeiren and Arco van Oord to hear how insurers can strengthen their approach to the Prudent Person Principle (PPP) as regulatory scrutiny increases. From valuation and liquidity to governance, stress testing and data-driven decision-making, the discussion explores practical steps to evidence prudence and build more resilient private market portfolios.This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract. Read our full important notices - click here

In this episode, Anne Marie Schultz, US Investments Commercial Leader, Bernardo Serpa Pimentel, Senior Investment Consultant, and Michel Meert, European Consulting Leader for Endowments, Foundations and Family Offices, explore the idea of a “Return on Resilience.” Resilience is not just about endurance, it’s about adaptability, the capacity to respond to disruption with speed and confidence. Governance, when designed well, may be an effective enabler of that process. It may help create conditions for foresight, flexibility, and better alignment between long-term objectives and near-term action. This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions. This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.Read our full important notices - click here 

Faith-based investing is evolving quickly, driven by advances in data, greater transparency, and more sophisticated portfolio design. Today, some investors are demonstrating their conviction through a range of strategies that seek to align mission with return.In this episode of Critical Thinking, host Michael Lernihan, Global Commercial Leader for Mercer’s Investments and Retirement Business, presents “Where Values Meet Value”, a compelling discussion on faith-based investing in today’s evolving landscape. Joined by Jeffrey McCroy, President & CEO of Christian Brothers Investment Services (CBIS), and Tom Digenan, Chief Investment Officer, the conversation delves into how CBIS’ mission to transform the world through “Catholic Responsible Investments” is adapting across markets, and how they approach faith-based investing. This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.Read our full important notices - click here

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 August 7, 2025 executive order and anticipated Department of Labor guidance, recent capital market and product innovation supporting access to these investments within a DC plan framework, and what plan sponsors should consider moving forward.This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.Read our full important notices - click here

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 Business for iLEVEL at S&P Global, and Jad Stella, Senior Director on the Digital Product Management team at Cambridge Associates, to unpack the current state of private markets data and what could be possible if the industry came together to help deliver more consistent, timely information. *References to a "partnership" in the podcast are informal. The relationship described is a "collaboration". This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract. Read our full important notices - click here 

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 Martina Cheung, President and CEO of S&P Global. Together, they explore how economic complexity is influencing investment decision-making, from resilience and diversification to transparency across the convergence of public and private markets and the growing role of data and analytics. The discussion reflects how organizations can better connect the dots across portfolios, manage uncertainty, and prepare for the many challenges and opportunities shaping the year ahead.*This episode was recorded on December 17th, 2025.This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.Read our full important notices - click here

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 and why it's becoming central to the future of long-term investing.The discussion also explores the shift from 'return on capital' to 'return of capital,' the risks building beneath the surface of rising allocations, and what's keeping senior decision-makers up at night. For institutional investors navigating an increasingly complex and uncertain environment, Marc's insights provide a clear-eyed view into what it takes to lead and allocate with conviction.This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer's opinions.This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.Read our full important notices - click here

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 of LDI Solutions UK and EMEA, to unpack what the change in bond yields could mean for investors and new participants in the market, the latest trends in fixed income portfolios, and share, in our view, the key areas to typically focus on when it comes to implementing liability hedges with precision and accuracy.This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer's opinions. This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.  Read our full important notices - click here 

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, and Leslie Lenzo, CEO/CIO of the Hershey Trust, to explore how to navigate markets in a macro-driven environment. They share insights on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by Endowment & Foundation and Healthcare organizations.Topics covered include:• The evolving debate of active versus passive management• Governance best practices that seek to enhance decision-making and align investments with organizational missions• Managing private capital commitments and liquidity in today's fast-changing market environmentThis content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer's opinions.  This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.  Read our full important notices - click here 

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 characteristics that make the asset class so compelling, whilst also addressing the risks and practical considerations that make manager selection critical.This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.Read our full important notices - click here