In recent discussions with Nordic pension fund managers, there is one topic that all conversations come back to sooner or later: Solvency II. The new European solvency directive is hanging over the pensions industry like a dark cloud.

Aberdeen Asset Management is restructuring its property division and will no longer use the Aberdeen Property Investors brand from the end of September. The property division will be integrated with its parent brand over the summer. To clients and contacts, the most visible sign of the integration will be the more consistent use of Aberdeen Asset Management as the lead brand across the Aberdeen organisation.

Keva, the e24.8bn Finnish Local Government Pension Fund, has made a risky move into Greek government debt, significantly increasing its exposure at the end of last year.

Three Swedish pension institutions, Alecta, AI Pension and the Swedish Church’s pension fund, have teamed up to create a joint property investment company.

Nordic pension funds are looking to further increase their allocation to alternative assets as investor confidence in the sector flourishes.

Finnish institutional investors are launching Finsif, Finland’s Sustainable Investment Forum. Are responsible investments finally becoming important for Finnish investors?

Dasos Capital is expecting two new Finnish pension institutions to start investing in its timberland fund in the coming months.

Søren Dal Thomsen will take over as chief executive officer of Danish AP Pension in November. Mr Dal Thomsen, who is currently deputy CEO of the pension company, will replace Hans Boye Clausen, who is set to retire. Mr Dal Thomsen joined AP Pension in 2001 as chief investment officer, but left in 2004 to become CIO at Sampension. He then returned to AP Pension in 2006.

In a bid to battle the threat of climate change, the Church of Sweden has revised its investment guidelines and restricted its investments in companies extracting fossil fuels. Caroline Liinanki finds out more

The manager of the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global is unlikely to start buying property this year, but will the delay be costly? James Redgrave investigates

Finnish Etera’s CEO has made some top-level readjustments this year, as the company prepares for market competition. Caroline Liinanki finds out more

Renewed optimism on global growth has led Nordic pension funds to become increasingly bullish about alternative investments, writes James Redgrave

Swedish AP3’s chief investment officer Erik Valtonen tells Caroline Liinanki about the buffer fund’s new strategies portfolio and how its new allocation model helps take advantage of current market conditions

Restricted by the regulatory requirements to invest domestically, Iceland’s Stafir pushes for less controls, writes Reeta Paakkinen

Pertti Vanhanen, recently promoted to head of direct property Europe at Aberdeen Asset Management, discusses the renewed Nordic interest in foreign real estate with Caroline Liinanki

Over the last year, interest in emerging market debt has been picking up quite a bit. Why is that and do you agree that it has become more popular?

While there are many reasons for optimism as markets begin to recover, pension funds must not forget the risks that thrust them into crisis, writes Gill Wadsworth

SEB is looking to team up with other banks as interest in the World Bank green bonds surges. Caroline Liinanki investigates

Nordic pension funds are starting to implement exchange traded funds in their investment portfolios to gain tactical exposure to markets, writes Nick Reeve

The Nordic region has led the way in implementing the UN’s PRI initiative, but as James Gifford finds, ESG criteria are not sufficiently integrated in investment decision-making

The traditional strategy of underweighting emerging market debt is ready for an overhaul as developing markets provided better buffers from market shocks during the crisis. Owi Ruivivar investigates this new reality