An SEI Quick Poll shows a significant increase in the percentage of pension portfolios investing in alternatives when compared to the previous three years of polling. This year, nearly eight out of ten (78 per cent) pension executives surveyed in the SEI Quick Poll reported their organisation had some allocation to alternatives in the pension portfolio, compared to 51 per cent in 2008, 53 per cent in 2009, and 65 per cent in 2010. However, while more plans in 2011 appear to be using alternative investments, allocations greater than 10 per cent of the overall portfolio appear to have decreased

Glen Millar, head of Kinetic Partners’ Swiss operations, on the Swiss-UK tax arrangement announced on Thursday by the Treasury… The news that the UK and Switzerland have reached a landmark deal that will see unpaid UK taxes from Swiss offshore accounts returned to the Treasury, will leave Swiss private banks and others with an operational headache. We are working with private banks and others in Switzerland to ensure they explain the implication to their clients, establish processes and procedures for identifying and calculating the correct amounts and make the payment of taxes to the UK on a timely basis. Swiss

Blue Sky Funds Management has appointed Jane Prior, former international Nabarro associate, as its commercial manager – a newly created role, which will further reinforce the firm’s stringent corporate governance approach. Prior will provide in-house counsel for the development of Blue Sky’s fund offering and advise on a range of commercial opportunities in Blue Sky’s private equity and real estate divisions.   Blue Sky has grown rapidly in the past few years by developing high-performing and innovative alternative investment products for private clients, financial planners and institutions.   The firm now has USD200m in funds under management across private equity,

Oil companies are currently undervalued but the situation cannot continue for long, says Angelos Damaskos (pictured), CEO, Sector Investment Managers and Fund Advisor, Junior Oils Trust… The Junior Oils Trust has been conservatively positioned since the beginning of the year with significant cash reserves and an allocation to corporate bonds. This positioning has provided some insulation against market weakness as a result of the Japanese earthquake, the Eurozone debt crisis and now, the indiscriminate sell-off of equities. The fund currently holds approximately 14% of its portfolio in corporate bonds and around 5% in cash. We have been selectively investing available