JAPAN - Japanese institutional investors' allocation to private equity is set to triple within the next two to five years, Swiss private equity manager Adveqa has claimed.

UK - Standard Life Investments (SLI) saw its institutional sales increase by 24% to £3.3bn over 2006, while assets under management rose 11%.

ROWANMOOR Pensions has opened a regional office in London as part of its expansion plans.

BARCLAYS slashed the deficit in its UK final salary scheme by more than £2bn in 2006, latest company figures reveal.

UK - Pension funds are awarding nearly seven times more high-alpha and specialist bond mandates in 2006 as traditional bond mandates plummet, Watson Wyatt Investment Consulting has claimed.

AUSTRALIA - The Future Fund Management Agency has appointed former head of operations at BNP Paribas Securities Services Gordon McKellar to take up a similar role at the fund.

SPAIN - The Spanish government has approved the proposed pension reforms which will see the retirement age raised and the minimum contribution period increased from 12 and a half years to 15 years.

US - Indiana Public Employees' Retirement Fund executive director David Adams has submitted his resignation and will be leaving his post on 1 June 2007.

MERCER Human Resource Consulting has appointed Sarah Elwine as a principal within its retirement business.

PROFESSIONAL PENSIONS has moved to new offices on Stephen Street in London's West End.