Our clients

Defined Contribution

Ensuring individuals can maintain their standard of living throughout retirement is fast becoming the biggest socio-economic policy challenge facing many governments.

We have moved from a defined benefit system of generous pension provision, collective passivity and certain outcomes, where everything was done for members to an increasingly less generous defined contribution (DC) system, with greater individual responsibility and less certain outcomes.

Having long been the dominant mode of pension provision and that which remains by far the biggest in terms of scheme assets under management, defined benefit (DB) must confront a myriad of challenges if it is to deliver on the pensions promise. Against the backdrop of a challenging economic environment for both scheme sponsors and trustees, trustees must also contend with the effects on both sides of the balance sheet of historically low interest rates, improving longevity, an ever increasing regulatory and legal duties burden, greater complexity around investment choices and, for many, navigating the challenges of being cash flow negative as schemes mature and the time remaining to make good any deficit reduces – all of which requires the continual evolution of governance, technical knowhow and risk management. The latter, in particular, must increasingly integrate ESG risk factors and that most systemic of global risks, climate change, into trustee decision making, as well as risk transfer and end game planning given the increasing maturity of DB schemes.

In addition to the introduction of measures to sustainably increase the number of long-term savers and savings rates over longer working lives, more fit-for-purpose DC investment strategies for both the savings phase, which is overly dependent on equities and the post-retirement phase, in a world of freedom and choice, are sorely needed. In delivering robust risk-adjusted returns, while at the same time protecting savings against market turbulence and inflation, these solutions need to be managed dynamically, embrace ESG, notably climate risk, increasingly invest in diversifying less liquid assets, such as real estate and infrastructure, given their potential to deliver secure, inflation-linked returns over the long-term, and adopt a transparent fee structure that offers savers genuine value for money. However, generating DC retirement outcomes that can be enjoyed and not endured is also a function of improved scheme governance and realising the benefits of scale from consolidating the multitude of micro DC schemes – initiatives that are mutually reinforcing and which principally rest with policymakers.

Our DC thought leadership and solutions capability addresses these and other key determinants of better DC retirement outcomes by reaching out to all stakeholders – policymakers, regulators, providers and practitioners – so acting as a catalyst for change, as well as making the seemingly unintelligible, intelligible and unworkable, workable.

Our capabilities for DC

Fixed Income
We offer fixed income solutions with various risk and return objectives that range from traditional asset classes to more specialist areas such as emerging market debt, securitised debt and social bonds.
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Real Estate
In a world where change is constant, successful real estate investing is about adapting to harness new opportunities – something our platform of diverse expertise and agility was built to do.
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Equities
We offer a wide range of global, regional and country specific strategies, investing across the market cap spectrum and with various risk and return objectives.
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Multi-Asset
We offer clients an extensive range of multi-asset solutions designed to meet a broad range of investment objectives.
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Fixed Income
We offer fixed income solutions with various risk and return objectives that range from traditional asset classes to more specialist areas such as emerging market debt, securitised debt and social bonds.
Find out more
Real Estate
In a world where change is constant, successful real estate investing is about adapting to harness new opportunities – something our platform of diverse expertise and agility was built to do.
Find out more
Equities
We offer a wide range of global, regional and country specific strategies, investing across the market cap spectrum and with various risk and return objectives.
Find out more
Multi-Asset
We offer clients an extensive range of multi-asset solutions designed to meet a broad range of investment objectives.
Find out more

The DC Future Book

Columbia Threadneedle Investments are delighted to present this milestone edition of the latest DC Future Book.

Insights

7 April 2025

David Oliphant

Executive Director, Fixed Income

Tariffs and credit markets

In the US, the Trump administration’s imposition of tariffs on imports from trading partners across the world has seen markets plunge. Here is what we are thinking as a credit desk and how we are approaching portfolios.
7 April 2025

Anthony Willis

Investment Manager

How much uncertainty can markets stomach?

The tariffs are expected to significantly impact the global economy, potentially raising US inflation and reducing growth. Markets around the world have sold off sharply.
4 April 2025

David Egan

Senior Research Analyst

Dick Manuel

Senior Analyst, Equity Research

How artificial intelligence is reshaping financial services

AI is helping enhance efficiency, reduce costs and improve decision-making.
4 April 2025

Gary Smith

Client Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income

Germany cuts the debt brakes with defence spending set to soar

The market reaction to European military defence plans has been enormous, with more volatility expected in bond yields, curves, cross-market spreads and currencies.
3 April 2025

Simon Bentley

Head of UK Solutions Client Portfolio Management

Adil Gulamali

Client Director, UK Institutional

LDI differentiator: the implementation manager role

Why an implementation manager can help simplify the governance structure for pension schemes, whilst potentially improving investment outcomes and reducing trustee risk.
2 April 2025

Steven Bell

Chief Economist, EMEA

Tariff turmoil, German rearmament: where will it all end?

Despite geopolitical uncertainty, we expect the global economy to remain resilient. Europe’s economy could beat expectations, and we are broadly positive on equities.
1 April 2025

Fixed Income Desk

In Credit - Weekly Snapshot

In Credit Weekly Snapshot – March 2025

Our fixed income team provide their weekly snapshot of market events.
31 March 2025

Steven Bell

Chief Economist, EMEA

Passing the baton

Ahead of Steven Bell’s looming retirement we are pleased to introduce Anthony Willis, Senior Economist, as the new host of our weekly Market Perspectives video.
24 March 2025

Steven Bell

Chief Economist, EMEA

Are the UK public finances doomed?

Later this week the UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will present her Spring Statement, which includes a fiscal outlook and public spending plan.

Get in touch

If you'd like to find out more about this fund, contact your local sales representative.

Trustee Training Programme

We understand it can be hard to stay on top of the investment aspects of pensions in addition to all your other day-to-day responsibilities. With this in mind, we have developed this training programme for pension trustees and targeting all levels of investment experience.

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About us

Millions of people around the world rely on Columbia Threadneedle Investments to manage their money. We look after investments for individual investors, financial advisers and wealth managers, as well as insurance firms, pension funds and other institutions.

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Columbia Threadneedle Investments has a comprehensive range of investment funds catering for a broad range of objectives.

Investment strategies

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