Allan Martin’s clients say his thorough investment knowledge and expertise has given them the confidence to pursue sophisticated and esoteric strategies. He is able to navigate the complex political waters of public plan management and gain trust from all parties.
The New Mexico Educational Retirement Board is governed by an investment committee, board of trustees and state legislature. “All the bodies trust his competence,” said CIO Bob Jacksha. Martin has a lot of credibility when it comes to convincing the legislature to permit new investment strategies, Jacksha added. He is responsive and attentive when anyone at the fund or its governing bodies has questions.
“He has demonstrated excellent skills in establishing trust with, and improving investment comprehension abilities among New Mexico’s sometimes skeptical and always concerned citizen legislators,” said Charles Wollman, spokesman for the New Mexico State Investment Council.
With Martin’s guidance, the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board adopted a new asset mix late last year, which includes first forays into real assets and global tactical asset allocation. It has established a 30% target alternatives allocation; the fund currently has 5% in hedge funds and marginal private equity and real estate exposures.
Martin assisted the San Bernardino County Employees Retirement Association with several savvy investments last year, including local currency emerging market debt, distressed debt, infrastructure, timber, commodities and special situations energy.
Martin spent 39 years in the asset management industry, including senior roles at RCM and Bankers Trust Company. Now that he’s on the other side, he puts managers through their paces at finals presentations. He sometimes brings in his old pitch books to illustrate that what a marketer claims is a competitive advantage really isn’t. Martin clearly loves what he does, having come out of retirement in 2000 to join NEPC.