Canada's OPTrust Seeks Illiquid Assets to Diversify Returns

  • Firm looks to invest small amounts in ‘new, different areas’
  • Return on investment dropped to 6% last year from 8% in 2015

OPTrust Joins Canada Pension Peers by Bringing Trading In-House

Photographer: Cole Burston/Bloomberg
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In a world of lower returns, OPTrust Chief Executive Officer Hugh O’Reilly is moving into riskier investments as contributors to the retirement pot age.

“We can’t just match cash flows, we have to take risks,” O’Reilly, whose company oversees $19.2 billion of investments for Ontario government workers, said in an interview. “We don’t want to increase contributions or reduce future benefit accruals where the active members will bear the whole risk.”