institutional investors

In a shift in strategy since its rebrand, Aware Super is ‘not really focused’ on supporting new fund managers or blind-pool funds, senior portfolio manager Mark Hector says.

Crowdfunder FarmTogether has identified a $1.1trn opportunity in the US within the $1m to $10m segment of the market, which it believes will appeal to institutional investors.

The $286bn pension will source private equity co-investments through its already-existing program.

Vice president Andreas Davidsen says after 20 years of challenges the firm is to ‘focus more on the agribusiness value chain’.

The growth of special purpose acquisition companies last year added more than $40bn to the pile of capital chasing buyout deals, according to the consulting firm's latest report.

Stafford Capital Partners’ Stephen Addicott says NPS’s $150m commitment to the firm’s forestry fund could ‘underpin future commitments from other South Korean pensions.’

The open-ended fund plans to devote 20% of its investments to farmland infrastructure and timber investments in the US, LatAm, Europe and Australasia.

The two industry superfunds hope to increase returns and lower fees for members through efficiencies gained in the merger.

This year’s conference saw more LPs than ever before, as agriculture continues to grow as an asset class.

As it scouts the market for private infrastructure, timber and farmland funds, the $8.1bn pension has created a temporary allocation to invest in passive vehicles offering exposure to the same underlying assets.