Can you tell us something about yourself?

I am Paul de Koning, sixty years young. I live in Zevenbergen. I have been a member as well as chairman of the Supervisory Board at Mars Pensioenfonds since this year. I am on this board together with Alfred Slagter and Falco Valkenburg.

How did you end up on the Supervisory Board?

After secondary school, I actually ended up in the pension business by accident. I started working with an insurance company, where I worked for nine years or so. I eventually switched to Willis Towers Watson. You may know them as the actuarial consultants of Mars Pensioenfonds. In 2017 I started my own company TriVu. It was also during this time that I took a seat on a Supervisory board for the first time. The Supervisory board of Mars Pensioenfonds was added this year. 

What does the work on the Supervisory Board entail?

First of all, we have a legal task, which is to supervise the policy and general affairs of the pension fund. In addition, we look at the longer term policy from a risk perspective: is the risk control adequate and is the board able to balance the interests in the decision-making process? Finally, we assist and advise the board. We take part in meetings and provide solicited (and unsolicited) advice. We were truly able to implement our own vision of this role at Mars Pensioenfonds.

Each year we pay attention to a number of matters. In 2021, for instance, we focused on what we learned from the COVID 19 crisis, as well on the preparations for the fundamental changes resulting from the new pension system.

Why is a Supervisory Board so important?

A Supervisory Board is important, because external know-how is introduced to the pension fund. After all, it is a team of independent experts. This broadens the horizon of the pension fund, so to speak. Having a Supervisory Board prevents tunnel vision. It is nice to have an independent party to hold up a mirror and function as a full-fledged discussion partner. The fact that the three of us are completely different individuals is what makes the composition of the Mars Pensioenfonds Supervisory Board so special. We each have a different personality, as well as different expertise. We have someone with an actuarial background, someone from asset management, and someone who is familiar with non-financial topics. We complement each other really well.

In what way is Mars Pensioenfonds different from the other funds?

I am particularly struck by how much time, energy and enthusiasm everyone invests in the pension fund. This commitment and effort is a common trait of all those involved, from the board to the commissions, the accountability body and, of course, the administrative office. The fact that the accountability body is growing from three to six individuals shows that Mars considers pensions to be very important.

Furthermore, I think the level of expertise is quite good, for instance in the accountability body. The Mars Pensioenfonds Academy is a great help in that regard. It focuses in detail on a specific topic, such as investments and risk management, and brings together people from the various fora of the pension fund. This is building expertise in the interest of the participant at its best. Impressive.