“I think it’s important for employees to have a say in the supervision of their pension fund.”

On 1 June 2019, Mark Rab was appointed a new member of the accountability body of ING CDC Pensioenfonds on behalf of the employees. We asked Mark five questions to get to know him better.

Why did you become a member of the accountability body of ING CDC Pensioenfonds?
“I was already involved in pensions and pension funds at my previous employer. It's a complicated topic that you don’t master overnight. That's the challenge for me - deep diving into topics I work with on a daily basis. I also feel it’s important for employees to have a say in the supervision of their pension fund. Although for many of our colleagues retirement is far away and pension isn't really on their minds, it is an important employment condition. I’m happy to be able to contribute to that.”

What experience do you bring with you?
“At my previous employer, I was a member of the pension fund's board for almost six years. I was also a member of the fund’s investment advice committee.”

What issues does the accountability body deal with?
“The pension fund’s board is accountable to the accountability body for its policies. We look over their shoulders, as it were, and give our opinions. We focus on topics like governance, asset and liability management (including investments), communication and risk management. More information about our tasks as supervisors of ING CDC Pensioenfonds’ board, its policies and its policy execution can be found on the pension fund's website.”

What will you focus on?
“My areas of focus are governance, asset and liability management, and communication.”

Do you have a message for ING employees?
“Be aware that the risk of pension is now truly for the participants. Low interest rates have made the annual pension accrual difficult to realise under current contribution agreements. And that will really have implications for the amount of pension you’ll receive. Make sure you know how this could affect you!”