’appy with it: First State Super enters the iWorld When First State Super (FSS) announced in July that it would be launching an iPhone application, more than a few marketers from competing funds were happy to stand back and let the NSW public sector scheme claim the ‘industry first’. Well, Unbalanced is happy to report that FSS has proved the doubters wrong. As at the start of September, the FSS app had been downloaded more than 7000 times in the two weeks it had been available, either from the iTunes store or direct from the FSS website. The marketing manager for FSS, Karen Volpato, said the fund’s app had to first be vetted for “credibility” by the folk at Apple. Presumably it would have been an easy one to pass, in between the likes of ‘Coin Push Frenzy’ and ‘The Moron Test’ crossing Steve Jobs’ desk. The app allows FSS members to check their account balance and daily unit price, change their details and register for seminars, and in the future they will be able to switch investment options as well.

Putting the rock into retirement savings Unbalanced is always searching for rock ’n’ roll connections in the buttoned-down world of institutional funds management. You might remember our piece about AllianceBernstein’s Bruce Garratt and his daughter, Laura ‘next Suzi Quattro’ Wilde. Well, we’re pleased to report we’ve found another one, although it’s not so much rock as Stone. Angus and Julia Stone, that is, the globally chart-topping folk duo from Newport on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Not only did their parents play a big part in their musical development, but mother Kim also happens to be the head of e-marketing for Colonial First State Global Asset Management. Well done all round, ma’am. Another industry folkie deserving of mention is Bernard O’Connor, a ‘survivor’ of the Greenwich Village scene of the ’60s and ’70s, who is best known in these pages as the company secretary of Non-Government Schools Super. By night, however, you are liable to catch Bernard, his mandolin, and singing partner Sarajane, filling a pub somewhere with beautiful harmonies on traditional Irish and bluegrass songs. The duo are known as The Selkies, and Unbalanced highly recommends their debut CD, Shenandoah. Opening the cover, you may notice that Bernard has gone for the very rock ’n’ roll move of adopting a stage name. We’d like to report it was something like “Ramblin’ Jack” or “Blind Willie” O’Connor, but perhaps remembering he is still in the superannuation business, Bernard’s gone for a simple “Michael O’Connor” instead.