VicSuper has named Andrew Howard, formerly of Treasury Group, as its new chief investment officer.
In the role, Howard will be responsible for leading investment strategy and portfolio management at the $17 billion industry fund for Victorian public servants.
Howard has most recently been self-employed as a funds management consultant.
He was previously the chief investment officer of Treasury Group, now known as Pacific Current Group, from July 2013 to December 2015.
Prior to that he spent nine years at Mercer, culminating in holding the role of chief investment officer Asia Pacific. That followed nearly six years as head of manager research at Frontier Advisers.
VicSuper chief executive Michael Dundon welcomed Howard.
“This appointment allows us to continue to execute on our growth strategy and deliver long-term value for our members,” Dundon said.
“Andrew brings a unique set of skills, allowing us to continue to grow the portfolio and develop investment strategies to enhance the fund’s retirement income solutions.”
Roughly one quarter of VicSuper members are already in the pension phase.
The fund has doubled its funds management over the past five years and Dundon has an ambitious strategy to reach $30 billion by 2022, through a combination of organic growth and mergers.
Howard will start work at VicSuper on November 23, 2016, filling the seat left vacant since former VicSuper chief investment officer Oscar Fabian retired on August 31, 2016.
Fabian had been in the role for six years.
In April 2015, Investment Magazine profiled Fabian and his role in implementing a dynamic asset allocation strategy at VicSuper and reducing the portfolio’s home country bias.
