France

FRANCE - Jean Kimmel (pictured) has been appointed as benefits practice leader in Watson Wyatt's Paris office, having joined the firm from Hewitt in May this year.

FRANCE - Financial assets at the French pension reserve fund (FRR) have reached e24.8bn, with 29.8% of its assets invested in money market instruments while it bides its time to invest in bonds, the fund has revealed.

FRANCE - Emeric Challier is to leave Fortis Investments to take up a post as head of fixed income at AXA Investment Managers in Paris.

FRANCE - The French Reserve Fund (FRR) returned 7.63% in the first half of the year, excluding cash.

FRANCE - BNP Paribas' Asset Management and Services (AMS) posted a return of 12.9% to e882m (US$1,085m) in the second quarter of 2005, with each of AMS's core business lines experiencing "buoyant income growth".

FRANCE - The Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraites (FRR) has put e600m out to tender for several socially responsible investment asset managers.

FRANCE - Watson Wyatt has formed a strategic alliance with Paris-based actuarial consulting and insurance and financial software firm Actuaris, with the aim of boosting its presence in the French market.

FRANCE - The e16bn Fonds de Reserve pour les Retraites (FRR) has selected Campbell Lutyens & Co. to serve as financial consultant on its upcoming tender for several private equity mandates.

FRANCE - State Street Global Advisors (SSgA) has launched a new small-cap exchange-traded fund (ETF) for trading on the Euronext Paris platform.

FRANCE - Edhec Risk and Asset Management Research Centre has combined its business partnership and consultancy activities under a separate investment research division.