TRS Illinois makes first-time investment of $250m with Brookfield Asset Management

The Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) of the State of Illinois has disclosed an investment of up to $250 million to New York–based Brookfield Asset Management on behalf of the system’s $8 billion real assets portfolio.

Brookfield manages more than $515 billion in assets on behalf of investors, according to the firm’s website.

TRS disclosed in an email that this was a new investment relationship for TRS.

TRS also noted that, despite market dislocation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the pension fund was among the nation’s leaders in its ability to preserve assets, ranking in the top 25 percent of pension plans during the first quarter of the year.

TRS’ strategic focus is on a prudent, long-term allocation of assets that is mindful of investment risk, protects assets during any economic downturn and is nimbly poised to take advantage of economic growth. The fund’s real assets composite consists of core and value-add real estate, opportunistic