National Press Club to Host 'NEWSMAKER' Media Briefing on Financial Reform, Investor Protection: Investment Chief of Largest U.S. Public Pension Fund

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Joseph Dear, chief investment officer of California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), will warn policymakers that the risk of another financial market crisis grows as momentum for real regulatory reform dissipates, at a National Press Club Newsmakers press conference at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in the Zenger Room, 13th floor, National Press Building, 529 14th St., N.W. , Washington, DC.

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Dear, who also chairs the Council of Institutional Investors (CII), asserts that legislation to strengthen investor protections could become so watered down that investors will wind up with the facade of reform but not the substance.

He will be meeting with policymakers in Washington to press for improved corporate governance, strong oversight of credit rating agencies and the OTC derivatives market and creation of a consumer financial protection agency. Dear participates in the Investors' Working Group, an independent, nonpartisan commission co-sponsored by CII and the CFA Institute Centre for Financial Market Integrity.

Dear, CIO of the largest U.S. public pension system, will highlight CalPERS' efforts to strengthen its portfolio by tightening risk management systems and guarding against corrupt "pay to play" practices by outside firms that can harm investment returns.

CalPERS has more than $200 billion in assets under management and provides retirement and health benefits to more than 1.6 million public employees, retirees and their families and more than 2,500 employers.