19th March 2024
When we think of success we don’t think “backwards” or “downwards”; rather it’s “onwards and upwards” and no event epitomized this idiom better than the 1968 Mexico Olympic games where a powerfully built American, Bob Beamon rose to a height of 6 feet before projecting himself 29 feet forward to win the men’s long jump gold medal. As the event favourite Beamon winning gold wasn’t extraordinary. What’s extraordinary is that 56 years on, his jump of 29 feet and 2 inches still stands as the Olympic Games’ record. With one giant leap, Beamon changed his sport forever, but he wasn’t the only one to do so in 1968.
At the very same Olympics, Dick Fosbury, turned the sport of high jumping upside down, literally. Instead of rolling forward over the high jump bar, which was the conventional technique of the day, Fosbury leapt backwards and by doing so Fosbury, like Bob Beamon, won gold in a new Olympic record.
And the reason I share this story with you is because while we might think we need to be the best to succeed often we just need to be different.
Fosbury was no athletic powerhouse. Indeed, some would say he was no athlete at all. At high school he was so gangly he couldn’t roll over the high jump bar so he adapted. Fosbury learned, refined and persevered before unveiling the “Fosbury Flop” in Mexico; a technique which is now the undisputed high jumping method.
Fosbury understood the importance of adapting and MPF Ratings is no different, which is why MPF Ratings is pleased to announce its first cohort of publicly endorsed products and services which we believe complements MPF and can contribute to better savings and retirement outcomes for the people of Hong Kong.
- HKMC’s life-time annuity whose minimal premiums and restrictions makes guaranteed lifetime annuities openly available.
- The Indigo Plan, a well administered open architecture pension and savings solution. An ideal MPF complement and vehicle for ORSO pension schemes. And:
- Transparently, whose award winning AI driven market Manipulation Risk Analyzer allows fund managers to deliver the benchmarks and measurables required under Principle 7 of the MPFA’s “Principles for Adopting Sustainable Investing in the Investment and Risk Management Processes of MPF Funds”
It is our hope that MPF scheme sponsors and trustees can work collaboratively with our endorsed products and services to achieve better member results. Results which the 2024 edition of The MPF Awards celebrated by showcasing MPF’s Gold rated schemes and the industry’s consistent performers before Manulife was announced as the Peoples’ Choice while HSBC took home the Employers’ Choice and MPF’s most coveted title, the MPF Scheme of the Year for its HSBC MPF – SuperTrust Plus.
Please click here for a full list of 2024’s MPF Ratings’ ratings and award winners.
This article was written by MPF Ratings, Hong Kong’s independent provider of MPF research, views and education.
The information contained in this blog is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser.
