I am Jaap van Dam. I can help asset owners around the globe and their investment managers to assess where they stand and help them improve in a systematic way, building on my experience as a Director of Strategy at one of the world's top pension investors.
I am the owner of VIA, VanDam Investment Advisory. VIA aims to help asset owners and their investment managers to improve the way they invest in a strategical way – both the set up of the investment value chain and the conduct of the people who are part of the investment process.
Apart from this, I am the Principal Director of Investment Strategy at PGGM in The Netherlands, responsible for benchmarking and enhancing PGGM's Investment Practice. I am currently working on PFZW's Investment Strategy 2025.
I have broad knowledge and experience in the field of investment strategy, investment policy formulation, asset allocation and value chain design. My current other activities include Chairman of the VBDO, the Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development, Chairman of European Chapter of the 300 Club and Member of the Research Committee of the International Centre for Pension Management (ICPM). Together with Kees Koedijk and Alfred Slager I authored Achieving Investment Excellence: A Practical Guide for Trustees of Pension Funds, Endowments and Foundations.
I performed many roles within the field of investing, ranging from fundamental company analysis at ABN Bank, quantitative portfolio analysis at Bank MeesPierson to CIO at VermogensGroep. I joined PGGM in 2005 as Head of Internal Equity Management, and was appointed Chief Strategist in 2006. Within PGGM I was responsible for developing PFZW’s new investment framework and Investment Strategy 2020. I hold a Masters’ Degree in Finance from the Erasmus University Rotterdam.
It is my strong conviction that an independent, outside-in view on an investment chain, the way it is designed, and the way it functions in practice is extremely valuable. This is often a combination of content and the behavior of actors in the value chain. It is critical to have an open and honest conversation about what works well and what can be further improved. I can help to make an assessment, formulate a direction of travel or build a plan or program for improvement.
My contribution can range from quite generic to very specific. However, it is always strategic in nature. My added value and experience are typically more fit for larger than for smaller funds.
Examples of my contribution could be:
Together, we can work out a specific form that would fit your specific requirement.
An assignment can be of a short or a longer nature. Baby steps are often a good start. As I think it is important to get to understand and trust each other, I value relationships that grow over time.
Before accepting an assignment, I find it valuable to have one or more face to face conversations to see whether there is a mutual fit and understanding. If there is a match, together we formulate the key issues of the assignment and the process to follow. This often involves two or three iterations with phone calls in between to deepen the mutual understanding of the questions at hand and the process to answer them. In my view, the answers are always cocreated between the client and me. During this process, I will specify the time I need to prepare, conduct and report and write a proposal.
Depending on the nature and the size of the assignment, I may propose to bring in others into the assignment. I work closely together with the co-authors of Achieving Investment Excellence.
Van Dam, Jaap, Koedijk, Kees & Slager, Alfred, Achieving Investment Excellence (April, 2019)
Van Dam, Jaap, Rethinking Investing from the Ground Up: How PFZW and PGGM are Meeting this Challenge (May 23, 2014). Rotman International Journal of Pension Management, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2014.
ICPM Climate Change Working Group, Chair: Jaap van Dam, Climate change for asset owners: The ICPM guide to integrating climate change considerations in investment processes.
(June, 2018)
Van Dam, Jaap & Dijkstra, Lars, Long-term investing in public equity markets: what does success look like...and how to organize it? (February, 2018)
Read my latest articles on LinkedIn
If you have any questions or want more information, please drop me an email to get acquainted.
jaap@vandaminvestmentadvisory.com
VanDam Investment Advisory BV
Chamber of Commerce: 68123485
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