New PEP Launch NEPC is launching Stratum One, a pooled employer plan (PEP) available May 1, 2026, signaling a strategic expansion into retirement plan outsourcing and defined contribution sponsor services. This creates cross-sell opportunities with existing institutional and government clients seeking scalable DC solutions, potential partnerships with recordkeepers, TPAs, and plan sponsors, and a foothold in a growing market segment.

Leadership Credibility Sarah Samuels’s January 2026 promotion to Chief Investment Officer and Barron’s 2026 inclusion as a leading U.S. finance influencer underline leadership stability and credibility. This strengthens NEPC’s RFP positioning for large, long-term mandates from public sector, endowment, and corporate clients and supports executive-level collaboration with clients.

Scale Advantage With over $1.9 trillion in assets under advisement and more than 400 clients, NEPC demonstrates strong scale to serve large organizations and multi-client consolidations. This opens opportunities to offer bundled consulting, OCIO, and vendor-management services to top-tier institutions and governments, as well as cross-sell across DC, DC Vendor Management, and investment research offerings.

Objective Guidance Edge A research-led, objective investment approach positions NEPC as a fiduciary-grade partner for institutional clients seeking rigorous risk management, policy alignment, and long-term outcomes. This differentiator is attractive in competitive RFPs for pension funds, foundations, and sovereign entities—especially where governance and transparency are prioritized.

Growth & Technology Leadership expansion and a modern tech stack (HubSpot Analytics, Cloudflare, Python, Google, iOS) indicate capacity to scale client services and deliver data-driven insights. This creates opportunities to pitch enhanced client reporting, analytics-as-a-service, and scalable onboarding for new DC, OCIO, and retirement plan engagements, leveraging NEPC’s infrastructure and talent.