The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board on Wednesday opens its London office with its mantra that not all investors are alike and, among big public investors, it is best in class.

Its message is coming at a time when public pension funds are increasingly concerned about being caught in the backlash against sovereign wealth funds as they compete with these huge pools of capital for the best investment opportunities. The Canadian pension fund, which has C$123bn ($124bn, £63bn) under management, wants to make clear just how different it is from sovereign wealth funds.