There’s a reason investors — both institutional and private — look to Benelux when they want to see what’s next. These Benelux investment insights from 2025 showcase why the region is home to some of Europe’s most sophisticated pension systems and a thriving wealth management hub. Straight from the sidelines of our 2025 forums, leaders across both sectors shared what’s working and what’s next.
Behind closed doors, expert panels tackled the transition to the Netherlands’ new pension regulations, the evolving role of ESG integration and strategies for navigating multipolar markets. Wealth managers debated active versus passive approaches and how to build all-weather equity portfolios in concentrated markets.
🔥 Request the agenda for the 8th Annual Benelux Institutional Forum on May 11-12, 2026.
But the real candid insights came from the sidelines — where award recipients and industry veterans spoke freely about the lessons that shaped their careers.
Diversity strengthens governance: Evalinde Eelens on why pension boards need asset management expertise
Evalinde Eelens, board member of several Dutch pension funds, joined Markets Group’s Sherell Ghauharali at the 7th Annual Benelux Institutional Forum in Amsterdam — where she was honored for her outstanding contributions to the pension industry.
Her message to the next generation of leaders? Don’t wait for permission.
“I knew I couldn’t wait for someone else to solve the problem I could help solve myself.”
Eelens reflected on the moment she chose to lead, the persistent need for asset management expertise in boardrooms and her clear call to action: diversity strengthens governance. For an industry managing trillions in retirement assets, that’s not a nice-to-have — it’s a fiduciary imperative.
A lifetime of achievement — and he’s not done yet: Olivier Rousseau on the Dutch pension edge
Olivier Rousseau, former Co-CEO and Chair of the Asset Manager Selection Committee at FRR, also joined Sherell Ghauharali at the Benelux Institutional Forum, where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
After a career spanning Tokyo, Sydney, Stockholm and beyond, Rousseau didn’t hesitate when asked where pension management works best.
“If you have to choose just one, the Netherlands is the best pension management environment in Europe.”
From his global vantage point, Rousseau shared what makes the Dutch system stand out — and why, even after a lifetime of achievement, he’s far from done.
🔥 Request the agenda for the 8th Annual Benelux Institutional Forum on May 11-12, 2026.
Get comfortable with real assets: Edmund Shing’s Benelux investment insights on inflation
Edmund Shing, Global Chief Investment Officer at BNP Paribas Wealth Management, spoke with Sherell Ghauharali from the sidelines of the Private Wealth Benelux Forum.
While pension leaders focused on governance in Amsterdam, wealth managers at our Private Wealth Benelux Forum were tackling a different question: how to position client portfolios for a world where inflation won’t quit.
With inflation proving stickier than expected, Shing’s advice was clear: portfolios need a rethink.
“Real assets, particularly commodities — and yes, even gold — deserve a stronger place in today’s portfolios.”
Shing broke down how elevated inflation and longer lifespans are reshaping investor behavior, and why extended longevity may not be the best news for wealth managers still clinging to traditional allocations.
More Benelux investment insights from the sidelines
Markets Group captured conversations with pension leaders, CIOs, and allocators across Benelux throughout 2025. With insights spanning both the Institutional Forum and Private Wealth Benelux, there’s plenty to explore.
🔥 Request the agenda for the 8th Annual Benelux Institutional Forum on May 11-12, 2026.
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