Albert Akkerman, former CEO of SPF Beheer, dies
Albert Akkerman, the former chief executive of the €19bn asset manager and pensions provider SPF Beheer, has died.With Akkerman passing away at the age of 65, the Dutch pensions sector has lost an amicable, authentic and humorous pensions person, who dedicated himself to the interest of second-pillar pensions.During the past 26 years, Akkerman has headed several pension providers. Early last year, he retired after 14 years at the helm of SPF Beheer, the provider for the €16bn railways scheme SPF, and the €3.8bn sector pension for public transport SPOV.Prior to this, he was chief executive at the €6.7bn sector scheme for painters and decorators (Schilders) and the €19.8bn KLM pension funds. After his retirement, Akkerman became a member of the boards at PDN, the €6.9bn pension fund of chemicals firm DSM; the €8.9bn industry-wide scheme for the hospitality industry (Horeca & Catering); and the €67bn metal scheme PMT.As chair of PMT’s investment committee, Akkerman worked hard to emphasise the power of large pension funds as long-term investors for sustainable investment. In his opinion, pension funds were as powerful as activist investors.Despite his illness, he kept on working for “his” pension funds, and even featured as an actor in a video clip about the future of the pensions system.Earlier this year, he played a part in a performance – organised by IPE’s Dutch sister publication Pensioen Pro – about the subject in Amsterdam’s city theatre.Albert Akkerman was also lecturer of the Executive Pensions Program of Nyenrode Business University in Utrecht.
On 26 June, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Natural Resources will hold a legislative hearing on a bill that would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to provide for a leasing programme for offshore renewable energy.If enacted, the bill would set up a National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Renewable Energy Leasing Program, alongside the country’s existing National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program, which would bring certainty to offshore wind developers and other stakeholders.“The Secretary shall prepare, periodically revise, and maintain a leasing program for the production of energy from sources other than oil and gas, and for supporting such production and the transportation or transmission of such energy,” one of the amendments to the OCS Lands Act reads.The bill requires the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to publish a regular leasing schedule and establishes a four-year leasing programme that schedules offshore wind lease sales, detailing the size, timing, and location of leasing activity. The National OCS Renewable Energy Leasing Program Act would also require DOI and the Department of Defence (DOD) to update the Memorandum of Agreement between the two authorities that governs their operations relationship on the OCS to include leases, easements, and rights-of-way pertaining to offshore wind leases.Currently, there is no scheduled process for holding wind leases on the OCS. The process begins with potential developers identifying parcels that may technically and economically support an offshore wind farm. Then, DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), coordinates with taskforces in affected States, and begins establishing parameters of the lease, the hearing memo for the bill explains.At this time, the process takes an estimated four years to execute a lease sale, and about seven years after the sale to begin construction. The environmental review requirements are completed after the lease is executed, adding uncertainty regarding milestone completions and presenting considerable legal exposure to the leaseholders, according to the bill memo.
To hear the guy who did the hiring tell it, Alex Kirk earned his new job based on what he did prior to the interview.“What really impressed myself and the advisory board was his preparation,” the Clark College athletic director said about Wednesday’s addition of Kirk as the school’s men’s basketball coach. “He came in with a program of what his first 100 days would look like at Clark College. He is very skilled at using today’s technology to improve efficiencies on and off the court.”Kirk, 26, comes to Clark after one season as varsity coach at King’s Way Christian in Vancouver, where he guided the Knights to an 18-9 record and a spot in the Class 1B state semifinals. He previously worked as director of basketball operations at the University of Portland, as an assistant at Mountain View High School, and with the Dan Dickau Basketball Academy.Denny Huston, former athletic director at Clark, knew Kirk from the coach’s days at Portland and followed the King’s Way team last season.“I went out and watched some of his practices,” Huston said. “The guy is so far ahead of everybody as far as his communication that he blew me away.” Alex Kirk, Clark College men’s basketball coach.