2021 Outsourced-Chief Investment Officer Survey

Survey


Respondent Profile

Respondent Organization Type

Corporate Pension 30%
Public Pension 21%
Endowment/Foundation 33%
401(k), 403(b), 457 DC plan 30%
Other 7%

Respondent Regions Represented

Europe/Pacific/Other 9%
Canada 12%
USA 79%

Respondents by Total Investable Portfolio Size

>$500MM 31%
$500MM–$5B 46%
<$5B 24%

Staffing

Average Size of Investment Staff by Organization Type

Corporate Pension 5
Public Pension 5
Endowment/Foundation 3
401(k), 403(b), 457 DC plan 3
Other 2

Average Size of Investment Staff by Region

USA 3
Canada 4
Europe/Pacific/Other 10

Average Size of Investment Staff by Investable Portfolio Size

<$500MM 1
$500MM–$5B 2
>$5B 11

Outsourcing Arrangements

Respondent Outsourcing Situation

Plan to outsource in the next 24 months 1%
Currently outsource 35%
Do not outsource and no plans to do so 60%
Plan to outsource in the next 12 months 4%

% That Outsource or Plan To by Organization Type

Corporate Pension 44%
Public Pension 39%
Endowment/Foundation 43%
401(k), 403(b), 457 DC plan 56%
Other 33%

% That Outsource or Plan To by Region

USA / Canada 39%
Europe / Pacific 50%

% That Outsource or Plan To by Investable Portfolio Size

<$500MM 58%
$500MM–$5B 38%
>$5B 20%

Reasons for Outsourcing

Reasons for Outsourcing and Their Importance

1=Not at all important; 5=Very important

Score 1 2 3 4 5
Better risk management 4.1 3% 7% 17% 24% 48%
Cost savings 3.4 10% 17% 21% 28% 24%
Lack of internal resources 4.1 3% 7% 10% 38% 41%
Additional fiduciary oversight 3.8 7% 0% 28% 34% 31%
Need to increase returns 3.4 14% 10% 21% 28% 28%
Faster implementation/decisions 3.7 7% 10% 24% 28% 31%
Desire for strategic partnership 3.2 17% 14% 21% 28% 21%

Outsourcing Goals

All respondents
<$500MM
$500MM–$5B
>$5B
Absolute return 64% 71% 58% 50%
De-risking 36% 29% 42% 50%

Fee Structures

Outsourcing Fee Structure

All respondents
<$500MM
$500MM–$5B
>$5B
Flat basis point fees ONLY 59% 50% 69% 50%
Sliding asset-based fees ONLY 17% 21% 15% 0%
Multiple or Other fee structures used 24% 29% 15% 50%
Performance fees ONLY 0% 0% 0% 0%

Non-Outsourcers

To your knowledge, have any OCIO providers attempted to win your business in the past 12 months?

All respondents
<$500MM
$500MM–$5B
>$5B
No 77% 73% 79% 76%
Yes 23% 27% 21% 24%

Reasons for Not Considering an Outsourcing Arrangement and Their Importance

1=Not at all important; 5=Very important

Score 1 2 3 4 5
Execute better risk management in-house 3.8 9% 0% 28% 25% 38%
Cost 4.0 6% 4% 17% 30% 43%
Sufficient internal expertise 4.1 6% 2% 8% 45% 40%
No need for additional fiduciary oversight 3.5 9% 6% 32% 28% 25%
Satisfied with returns produced internally 4.2 4% 0% 9% 45% 42%
Satisfied with speed of implementation 4.0 4% 2% 21% 40% 34%
No desire for partnership with outside firm 3.3 19% 6% 28% 25% 23%