EMEA - Leonard Fischer, who was made CEO for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) last December, has left Credit Suisse with immediate effect to take up a position outside the banking world.

NETHERLANDS - Dutch pension fund returns halved in 2006, with average returns down to 7.4% from the 14.8% recorded in 2005.

CANADA - A House of Commons Public Accounts Committee emergency meeting today is to investigate allegations of a cover up in the enquiry into the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) pension fund scandal.

UK - Standard & Poor's Equity Research has announced eight new appointments to its European analytical team, bringing the total number of equity analysts based in the region to more than 40.

ABERDEEN Asset Management won £7.3bn of new mandates during the five months to February 28, a company trading statement reveals.

CHINA - The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) aims to grow to US$200bn in assets under management (AuM) within the next five to ten years, said its chairman.

EMPLOYERS and workers need to share pension risk to secure the future survival of occupational schemes, actuaries claim.

THE QUEST to find this year's Pensions Personality of the Year is now entering its final phase.

SCHEME sponsors are using contingent assets as a way of buying influence over their pension funds' investment strategy, lawyers claim.

A CONTROVERSIAL European directive on pension portability has moved a step closer to becoming UK law following its endorsement by the European Parliament's employment committee.