¡ Focus on institutional investors to be strengthened in the United Kingdom
¡ Knowledge and expertise of Dutch and German pension industry enhance this ambition
¡ Chris Sier appointed as Managing Director of UK Branch
Last year KAS BANK announced its strategic refocus towards institutional investors. Following the lead of KAS BANK Netherlands and KAS BANK Germany, KAS BANK UK Branch is now also shifting its activities towards institutional investors, such as pension funds. British institutional investors are seeking a trusted, low risk and independent service provider to support the current and emerging governance challenges.
The demand for stricter risk management and independent reports is growing, matched by a need for greater transparency on issues such as costs. KAS BANK expects to expand its role in the UK pension market by offering additional services to pension funds, such as the provision of information to support transparency initiatives, as well fiduciary services such as collateral management, derivatives services and order execution. KAS BANK continues to offer clearing and settlement services towards its existing clients.
Growing dem and for transpar ency and risk m anagement services
KAS BANK’s independent and neutral business model offers institutional parties transparency and insight into the overall cost of owning and managing assets, which can lead to substantial savings. In a world where reducing costs and managing risks can result in improved performance the
KAS BANK approach is needed.
In the Netherlands KAS BANK services more than 150 pension funds, a broad experience and knowledge of the pension industry that considerably enriches the bank’s approach to the UK market. The UK has been closely following developments in the Dutch pensions industry, especially in the field of (Collective) Defined Contribution schemes and in the latest Queen’s speech, Her Majesty referred to the Dutch DC schemes as a role model for the UK pensions industry. KAS BANK is uniquely positioned to offer a wealth of experience in this area.
Appointment of Dr Chris Sier as Managing Director
As a result of this refocus towards institutional investors, KAS BANK has appointed Dr Christopher (Chris) Sier as Managing Director of KAS BANK in the UK. Formerly, Chris was responsible for a range of knowledge transfer, research and thought leadership activities across the institutional investments sector, with particular emphasis on pension funds. Prior to this, Chris worked for a number of leading international management consulting companies specialising in advising both buy- and sell-side clients on strategic, operational and technology issues.
In his new role as Managing Director at KAS BANK, Chris will manage the UK Branch and focus KAS BANK UK on building its engagement with institutional investor and pension fund community clients and on developing services for them. This will include understanding and responding to the burgeoning data needs to support the drive for transparency coming from scheme members, beneficial owners, trustees, regulators and the government.
Sikko van Katwijk – member Managing Board KAS BANK: “Chris Sier brings a wealth of pension sector knowledge to KAS BANK. With Chris we intend to further deliver on our mission to assist pension funds and trustees in their quest for more transparency on the costs of their capital markets’ activities”.
Chris is aiming to push the debate on cost transparency and cost benchmarking forward. “The demand for greater transparency on costs is growing. KAS BANK is among the first custodians providing cost reports on transaction and (asset) management costs, as well as other from up and down the pension value chain. In its Pension monitor app for mobile devices these costs are monitored and reported to trustees and directors on a daily basis”.
Biography Dr Christopher Sier
Dr Christopher Sier is an authority on pension fund costs and complexity and has been at the heart of all initiatives in the UK to understand fund charges over the past five years. As part of this drive he has put together a framework for open benchmarking of all costs facing pension funds. He also works with innovators in financial services and Fintech, believes in challenge-led innovation in this area and is an angel investor. For a while in his career he immersed himself in the complex world of the operational management of derivatives for buy-side institutions and has advised a wide range of market participants including investment managers, service providers, brokers and IT vendors on strategic and operational issues.
