Toronto , February 14, 2010 – Two appointments to the Rotman International Center for Pension Management (Rotman ICPM) at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management have been announced. The newly created positions will further the Centre's development as a global catalyst for improving pension management.
Rob Bauer, a professor of institutional investors at Maastricht University in The Netherlands will become associate director, programs. He has had a long affiliation with Rotman ICPM as a board member since it was founded in 2005. He has resigned from the board to focus on his new responsibilities which include the organization of two Rotman ICPM discussion forums each year, case study development, as well as representing Rotman ICPM around the world.
Ann Henhoeffer, is the Centre's new associate director, business development and operations. Since the Centre's establishment, she held the position of associate director, operations and planning. The expansion of Ann's responsibilities include the support of Rotman ICPM's growth through building global networks and alliances with like-minded organizations, expanding the reach of Rotman ICPM and building the infrastructure necessary to support new initiatives.
"Since its founding, the Rotman ICPM has had tremendous success in developing and facilitating research and integrating its findings into improved pension management," says Keith Ambachtsheer, an adjunct professor at the Rotman School, who is the director of Rotman ICPM. "With the appointments of Rob and Ann, we will be able to continue our growth as we build the knowledge needed to improve the management of pensions in countries around the world." As part of that growth, Prof. Ambachtsheer also noted the appointment in 2009 of Rotman Prof. Alexander Dyck as the inaugural ICPM Professor of Pension Management at the School.
Prof. Bauer's academic research is focused on pension funds, asset liability management, strategic investment policy, mutual fund performance, responsible investing and corporate governance. He publishes regularly in professional and academic journals and is a frequent speaker on national and international conferences. In addition, he is founder and managing director of Rob Bauer Consultants BV. After his 12 year career at ABP Investments as a fund manager and head of research, Prof. Bauer started an investment consultancy firm in which he advises and supports institutional investors on topics related to strategic investments. He is also a director of the European Centre for Corporate Engagement (ECCE) and the Netspar Academy. He was recently awarded the Moskowitz Prize by the University of California Berkeley's Center for Responsible Business for outstanding research on a socially responsible investing topic. His paper, co-authored with a PhD student at Maastricht University found that poor environmental practices influence the credit standing of borrowing firms through the legal, reputational, and regulatory risks associated with environmental problems.
Henhoeffer is currently an advisor to KPA Advisory Services which provides strategic advice on governance, finance, and investment matters to pension fund managers. Previously she was Director, Operations and Planning for the same firm. She has also held marketing and operations positions with Tarion Warranty Corporation as well as Scotiabank. She also has more than fifteen years of work experience in the film and media industry in Toronto.
The Rotman International Centre for Pension Management has become a global catalyst for improving pension management. The Centre sponsors research and fosters dialogue that focuses on building better pension deals, better pension fund organizations, and better pension legislation and regulation. In addition, the Centre looks for opportunities to raise pensions-related content in undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs at the Rotman School and other education-oriented forums. Further details on the Rotman International Centre for Pension Management, including access to the Rotman Journal of International Pension Management, are available at rotman.utoronto.ca/icpm