Christopher Nikolich
31 Years at AB|32 Years of Experience
Christopher Nikolich joined AB in 1994 and is the Head of Glide Path Strategies (US) in the Multi-Asset Solutions business, leading research efforts relating to effective target-date and lifetime income fund construction. He is an author of defined contribution–related research, such as Designing the Future of Target-Date Funds: A New Blueprint for Improving Retirement Outcomes and Leveling the Retirement Income Playing Field: A Comprehensive Framework for Evaluating Diverse Lifetime Income Solutions. In addition, Nikolich has authored thought leadership focused on a variety of topics, such as plan design, asset allocation and inflation. He works closely with clients in the structuring of their customized target-date and lifetime income funds. From 2002 to 2008, Nikolich worked in both New York and London as a senior portfolio manager on the Blend Strategies team, collaborating with clients on the creation and implementation of multi-asset class solutions. From 1996 to 2002, he was a portfolio manager in the Index Strategies Group, where he managed risk-controlled equity services. Nikolich holds a BA in finance from Rider University, an MBA in finance from New York University. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Rider University, the Vice Chair of Rider University’s Investment Subcommittee and is a former member of the Executive Committee of the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA). Location: New York
Published Work
DC plan participants who retire with guaranteed lifetime income typically consider the hardest part of their planning finished. But potential tail risks in retirement can still alter their journey, giving them more reason to carefully consider how different income strategies reduce or even create risks
With inflation on the rise in the post-pandemic recovery spending power for plan participants near or in retirement could be vulnerable. Target-date funds have tools at their disposal to battle inflation, but if they’re not deployed effectively, it could end up exacting a performance cost.
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