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NCPERS Chief Officers Summit Offers Solutions to Challenges Faced by Public Pension Leaders
The Chief Officers Summit was created to provide a safe space for plan leaders to engage in open discussions and to learn from peers—with no trustees, vendors, or outsiders present to inhibit candid conversation.
By: Hank Kim, Executive Director & Counsel, NCPERSThe first week of May is Public Service Recognition Week, so this seems like the perfect time to acknowledge the important work public pension staff, trustees, and stakeholders do each day to improve access to retirement security and administer key benefits to fellow public servants.
In particular, though, I would like to recognize the efforts of public pension executives. It has not been an easy few years for these leaders as they operate in an increasingly politicized and polarizing environment while facing scrutiny from all sides.
As the NCPERS staff liaison for our CEO and CIO Roundtables, I have the pleasure of regularly connecting with public pension executives as they discuss the challenges facing their plans and offer solutions to peers. And each year, I look forward to seeing both new and familiar faces come together in person to share ideas and best practices at the Chief Officers Summit. This year's event will take place June 17-19 in Nashville.
The Chief Officers Summit was created to provide a safe space for plan leaders to engage in open discussions and to learn from peers—with no trustees, vendors, or outsiders present to inhibit candid conversation. There's no other event that is completely driven by c-suite pension leaders. The agenda is created by CIO and CEO program directors, ensuring attendees walk away with new ideas, a deeper understanding of best practices, and valuable connections with peers.
Thanks to the contributions of this year's program directors, we have a great agenda lined up featuring a mix of general sessions, small group discussions, and dedicated CIO and CEO tracks. The CEO Summit Track will feature sessions focused on leadership, governance, technology, and human resources management, while the CIO Summit Track will delve into crucial topics such as technology, investments, and strategic planning.
The program kicks off on June 17 with introductions, giving attendees the opportunity to get to know the other pension executives in the room. Switching gears, Jean Boivin of the BlackRock Investment Institute will share his observations of domestic and international affairs for the coming year to aid in identifying geopolitical risks.
The program opens on day two with a general session where attendees will hear lessons learned from navigating the latest mine field of proxy access, divestments, and ESG/anti-ESG policies as panelists share tips for negotiating with policymakers and stakeholders on thorny issues. Attendees then part ways to join the CEO or CIO tracks to learn about key topics such as how to benchmark public plan costs, cybersecurity risks, effective usage of investment consultants, and more.
The final day of the program starts with a general session on the industry's progress with incorporating DEI practices so far and a discussion around the work that still needs to be done. Attendees then break out into the CEO and CIO tracks to learn about topics such as how to maximize plan efficiencies, succession planning and mentoring junior investment staff, and strategies for engaging plan participants early to educate them on their retirement needs.
The detailed agenda is available on our website here. I encourage you to consider sending at least one senior staff member to this highly valuable, one-of-a-kind event, but be sure to register by May 28th for early-bird savings.
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