In this milestone 100th episode of Critical Thinking, U.S. Treasury Secretary Dr. Janet Yellen joins Mercer’s Niall O’Sullivan for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces reshaping the global economy. From inflation and interest rates to geopolitical fragmentation and the green transition, Dr. Yellen offers her perspective on the challenges facing policymakers and markets alike, as well as the opportunities for long-term investors to support a more resilient, inclusive global financial system.

In this podcast episode, Mercer’s U.S. CIO Olaolu Aganga sits down with fellow Mercer CIOs Christine Tessier, Garvan McCarthy, and Kylie Willment. Together, they tackle a big question swirling in markets today: Is the U.S. still the top spot for investors, and do better opportunities lie elsewhere?

They explore how market uncertainty is creating both risk and opportunities around the world and why investors should stay invested despite the current volatility.

This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.

This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.

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What does investment governance look like when success is defined by more than just returns? In this episode, Andy Farrington, Mercer's Multinational Investments Leader, is joined by Lee House of ABB’s Group Pension Management Team and Deborah Frost, Chair Elect of Mercer UK Master Trust, to discuss how large asset owners may navigate complex decisions across global pension plans. Together, they explore how to seek to balance risk, stakeholder alignment, long-term sustainability, and value for money across both defined benefit (“DB”) and defined contribution (“DC”) plans. From global DB derisking strategies to member engagement innovations in DC, the discussion surfaces the practical realities of governance across borders.

This podcast contains statements on historical performance which may not be repeated in the future. Please note that returns on investments are not guaranteed.

This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.

This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.

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In this episode, Jo Holden is joined by Alan Synott and Robert Ronneberger to explore the evolving real assets landscape.

They discuss where we are in the real assets cycle, the case for global diversification, opportunities and challenges in Southeast Asia, and practical strategies for asset owners navigating today’s dynamic market environment.

This podcast contains statements on historical performance which may not be repeated in the future. Please note that returns on investments are not guaranteed.

This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.

This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.

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In this episode of Critical Thinking, Anubhuti Gupta and Adeline Tan tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing endowments and foundations: delivering sustainable returns amid rising market concentration, volatility, and lower future expectations.

They discuss how diversification beyond traditional equities, smarter liquidity management, and strong governance frameworks are essential to building resilient, future-ready portfolios. Whether you are a CIO, investment committee member, or advisor to E&Fs, this conversation offers actionable ideas for navigating today's volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous investment landscape.

This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.

This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.

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In this episode of Critical Thinking, Andreas Vermeiren, Principal in Mercer's Insurance Solutions team, is joined by William Gibbons, Principal in the Insurance Solutions team, and Eryn Bacewich, Head of US Insurance Solutions, to discuss their thoughts on risk management in insurance portfolios during a period of increased market volatility and the opportunities this presents to agile investors.

Drawing on their experience and conversations with clients, including some of the world's largest insurers, William and Eryn break down the current volatility in equity and bond markets, the importance of stress testing portfolios to ensure they remain resilient, and strategies available to insurers to reduce their exposure. They also discuss the opportunities in the market for insurers who can dynamically reallocate their assets to ensure their portfolios are optimally positioned.

This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer's opinions.

This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.

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In this episode, Alan Synnott, Mercer’s Global Head of Real Assets, is joined by Anne Koeman-Sharapova and Simon James to explore how institutional investors are repositioning their real estate allocations in light of market resets and evolving sector dynamics.

They discuss why real estate remains a core private markets asset, where valuation corrections have opened potential opportunities, trends they are seeing across different geographies and sectors, and how global diversification of real estate investing may offer potential benefits for today’s investors.

This podcast contains statements on historical performance which may not be repeated in the future. Please note that returns on investments are not guaranteed.

This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.

This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.

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In this episode, Robert Ronneberger, Head of Business Development for Asia, is joined by Dave McMillan, Chief Investment Officer, Hedge Funds, to explore how investors can future-proof their portfolios — specifically within hedge funds. Robert and Dave examine the most common mistakes seen in hedge fund investing, the impact of recent market volatility and other significant changes, such as the normalization of interest rates, and the potential opportunities in today's markets.

This podcast contains statements on historical performance which may not be repeated in the future. Please note that returns on investments are not guaranteed.

This content is for institutional investors and for information purposes only. It does not contain investment, financial, legal, tax or any other advice and should not be relied upon for this purpose. The materials are not tailored to your particular personal and/or financial situation. If you require advice based on your specific circumstances, you should contact a professional adviser. Opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the date of the recording, are subject to change without notice and do not necessarily reflect Mercer’s opinions.

This does not constitute an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities, commodities and/or any other financial instruments or products or constitute a solicitation on behalf of any of the investment managers, their affiliates. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not formal investment advice to allow any party to transact. Additional advice will be required in advance of entering into any contract.

Read our full important notices - click here