Local Government Super (LGS) has appointed Bev Durston and Robert Swift as its first independent investment committee members. Both were appointed after what the fund described as a “comprehensive search”.

They will assist the committee in monitoring the performance of investment managers and oversee the work of the internal investment team and external asset consultant JANA. The LGS investment committee typically meets eight times a year.

Durston has served as head of alternative investments for the British Airways Pension Fund, a senior portfolio manager for the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and deputy chief investment officer for SunSuper. She  currently advises institutional investors on alternative assets and dynamic asset allocation in her role as principal of Edgehaven.

Swift has worked most recently at API Capital, a global equities funds manager and was also previously head of BT Investment Management’s multi strategies team.

The necessity for the appointments was identified after a review of the LGS governance framework. Peter Lambert, chief executive of LGS, said: “The LGS Board has committed to ensuring that it has sufficient skills to meet the challenges of an ever complex and growing industry.”

* In another new trustee appointment Jane Simon has joined Equip as a member director, filling the vacancy created last year by the retirement of Trevor Birkbeck.

Simon’s career includes senior roles with Goldman Sachs/JB Were, where she was a partner and executive Director, private wealth management and is currently a consultant.

As Simon comes in, John O’Neill, who has worked on the board for 20 years is stepping down. The board is in the process of filling the vacancy.