Editorial

This special issue of The Geneva Papers , the tenth in our "Four Pillars" series, is the last I am privileged to prepare before I leave The Geneva Association to enter a new period of active life, what used to be called "retirement". This is why for this issue I have invited most of the authors to analyse key issues regarding recent pension reforms in their respective countries, to describe current implementation of the latter, and their main successes and problems. I also asked them to assess new measures to encourage senior employment and, where possible, the development of a fourth pillar and the impact of the current financial crisis. I can hardly say how grateful I am to them for their excellent contributions. Indeed, working with several of these authors over the years on conferences or publications has given me much pleasure. I would also like to thank the external referees who kindly took the time in May and June of this year to review the articles in this issue in spite of busy schedules. They are R. Holzmann and R. Rofman of the World Bank, and Professors C. Wilke, A. Sousa-Poza, Y.-P. Chen, J. Piggott, F. Legros, T. Barnay and A. Brugiavini.

I sincerely hope our readers will find interest in this issue, and that its content will provide useful input into their research, knowledge and thinking.

But, first of all, I would like to utter a special thank you to Professor Orio Giarini, first Secretary General of The Geneva Association, for his Editorial. With his usual brilliance, he identifies the main factors of a new approach to the global demographic revolution and goes on to tell us something about the pioneering role of our Association in this field. For the 10 or so years that we were working together at the Association prior to Orio's retirement, his original and insightful re-thinking of current and future challenges proved a constant source of stimulation. He had become for me, and remains, something of a "maître à penser" and if I have achieved anything during my time with the Association,...