Overlay services

Reduce the
operational burden

Improve portfolio risk/return profile

A disciplined rebalancing plan helps to manage the drift in exposures from your Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA) over time. With daily oversight of portfolio positioning, our team manages exposures to asset classes via overlay transactions effectively solving cash drag and rebalancing policy issues simultaneously.

As funded situation improves risk tolerance often reduces. An overlay provides a cost-effective and timely implementation of the new target exposures and achieves the desired asset allocation when market opportunity arises. A common form of such a mandate is an LDI glide path which, systematically implements the asset allocation and hedge ratio changes quickly as targets are met.

Reduce the magnitude of drawdowns in portfolio value from significant market declines. Russell Investments offers risk management tools to support institutional investors in managing and maintaining their exposure to risk over the long term without bearing the full downside risk of major market corrections.

Why choose Russell Investments as your overlay portfolio management partner?

Six important factors

Russell Investments has been globally recognized for excellence in the investment industry.

We have a proven track record in investment implementation, with scale, client satisfaction, innovative solutions and more than 35 years of experience.

¹A Leading Overlay Solutions Manager: For 22 consecutive years (2005-2026), Russell Investments was ranked among the leading U.S. institutional managers of overlay assets in Pensions & Investments’ (P&I) annual money manager survey.

Source: Pensions & Investments. Published: 2005-2026. Based on total U.S. institutional, tax-exempt overlay strategy assets, using quantitative data reported as of December 31 of the prior calendar year for the respective periods. The number of firms included in the survey varied by year: 2026 (15 firms), 2025 (21), 2024 (24), 2023 (27), 2022 (27), 2021 (29), 2020 (30), 2019 (36), 2018 (39), 2017 (41), 2016 (36), 2015 (43), 2014 (40), 2013 (39), 2012 (39), 2011 (46), 2010 (47), 2009 (53), 2008 (53), 2007 (48), 2006 (43), and 2005 (43). Russell Investments paid a fee for licensing and usage rights to the award logo/badge.

²Transition Management Firm of the Year: Russell Investments was named the "Transition Management Firm of the Year" winner at the 2026 European Pensions Awards. The award recognized Russell Investments’ bespoke, outcome-focused transition management solutions across a wide range of transition types.

Source: European Pensions. Awarded: July 2026. Based on business activities through December 31, 2025. Winners were selected by an independent panel based on qualitative criteria. This recognition is not a testimonial or endorsement and does not guarantee future performance or success. After being short-listed, Russell Investments purchased an event table and received award logo/badge usage rights.

³Factor Investing Offering of the Year: Russell Investments was named the “Factor Investing Offering of the Year” winner at the UK's 2024 Pensions Age Awards. The award recognized Russell Investments’ factor investing capabilities and client-focused approach in the pension sector.

Source: Pensions Age. Awarded: February 2024. Based on business activities through January 19, 2024. Winners were selected by an independent panel based on qualitative criteria. This recognition is not a testimonial or endorsement and does not guarantee future performance or success. After being short-listed, Russell Investments purchased an event table and received award logo/badge usage rights.

⁴Factor Investing Offering of the Year: Russell Investments was named the "Factor Investing Offering of the Year" winner at the 2024 European Pensions Awards. The award recognized Russell Investments’ expertise, innovation, and performance in factor investing.

Source: European Pensions. Awarded: July 2024. Based on business activities through December 31, 2023. Winners were selected by an independent panel based on qualitative criteria. This recognition is not a testimonial or endorsement and does not guarantee future performance or success. After being short-listed, Russell Investments purchased an event table and received award logo/badge usage rights.

⁵Perfect scores: high performer in multiple categories: Russell Investments received four perfect scores and achieved an overall score of 9.60 in The TRADE’s 2023 Outsourced Trading Survey, including perfect scores in Client Service and Relationship Management, Onboarding, Business Model and Other Factors, and Cost Versus Value for Money.

Source: The TRADE, in partnership with Global Custodian and Ergo Consultancy. Published: November 2023. Based on client perceptions of outsourced trading providers as of 2023, using a 1–10 rating scale, among 14 providers included in the 2023 survey. Results reflect subjective feedback and do not constitute a ranking or evaluation of provider performance or investment outcomes. Clients were not compensated for participating in the survey. Russell Investments paid a fee for licensing and usage rights to the award logo/badge.