The list of finalists in the 2017 Conexus Financial Superannuation Awards shows a strong line-up of contenders across all categories, revealing an industry in good health and closely focused on producing the best results for its members.
Finalists across all 11 categories were announced on Monday December 12, 2016. The coveted Superannuation Fund of the Year award will be decided from among the winners.
The winners of the Conexus Financial Superannuation Awards 2017 will be unveiled at a black-tie event at the ivy, Sydney, on March 9, 2017, that is being supported by AIA and Vanguard. You can purchase tables for 10 or single tickets by visiting the event website.
The shortlist is a product of rigorous analysis of fund information by Rice Warner, and thorough vetting by a judging committee made up of leading identities from consumer groups and financial services in Australia, New Zealand and the US.
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority deputy chair Helen Rowell is a special adviser to the committee. One joint chair of the committee, director of retail content at Conexus Financial Simon Hoyle, said the awards “aim to identify superannuation funds that produce the best results for members across a range of different factors”.
“Investment performance is a critical factor in a member’s eventual retirement income,” he said. “But there are other things that also influence that result and that’s what these awards recognise; for example, how a fund helps its members work out if they’re on track to a particular retirement goal, and whether it provides access to appropriate advice at the right time [or ensures] members have efficient insurance, investment and pension options available.”
The awards also recognise the superannuation industry’s leading investment professionals, through the Chief Investment Officer of the Year award. Other awards focus on advice, member services, technology and innovation; all are decided at the discretion of the judging committee and are keenly contested.
The Conexus Financial Superannuation Awards remain the only ones in the industry that are truly independent, with no charge to funds to enter, no financial arrangement with a research house, and no cost to funds to promote their success in the awards. The selection and judging process remains focused solely on identifying and rewarding examples of excellence in member outcomes across the superannuation sector.
Finalists in each category are listed below. The Fund of the Year Award will be chosen based on a quantitative analysis of the funds’ performance, overlaid with a qualitative assessment by the judging committee.
Award categories and finalists (finalists listed alphabetically)
| BEST INSURANCE OFFERING | Christian Super |
| EISS Super | |
| MLC | |
| UniSuper | |
| DEFAULT FUND OF THE YEAR | Cbus Super |
| MTAA Super | |
| QSuper | |
| UniSuper | |
| PENSION FUND OF THE YEAR | Cbus Super |
| QSuper | |
| Sunsuper | |
| UniSuper | |
| MEMBER SERVICES FUND OF THE YEAR | MTAA Super |
| Plum Super | |
| UniSuper | |
| VicSuper | |
| BEST ADVICE OFFERING | Energy Super |
| QSuper | |
| Sunsuper | |
| UniSuper | |
| BEST TECHNOLOGY OFFERING | BT Panorama |
| HESTA | |
| Kinetic Super | |
| Plum Super | |
| INNOVATION AND TRANSFORMATION | Australian Catholic Super |
| HESTA | |
| QSuper | |
| Sunsuper | |
| SMALL FUND OF THE YEAR
(less than $5 billion in assets) |
AustSafe Super |
| EISS Super | |
| Intrust Super | |
| Kinetic Super | |
| MEDIUM FUND OF THE YEAR
($5 billion to $10 billion in assets) |
Energy Super |
| LGIAsuper | |
| MTAA Super | |
| NGS Super | |
| LARGE FUND OF THE YEAR
(more than $10 billion in assets) |
Cbus Super |
| QSuper | |
| Sunsuper | |
| UniSuper | |
| CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER OF THE YEAR | Australian Ethical: David Macri |
| Cbus Super: Trish Donohue and Kristian Fok | |
| MLC/Plum: Jonathan Armitage | |
| Statewide: Con Michalakis |
Judging committee members:
- Chris Ailman, chief investment officer, CalSTRS (US)
- Joanna Davison, chief executive officer, FEAL
- Simon Hoyle (joint chair), director of retail content, Conexus Financial
- Alan Kirkland, chief executive officer, CHOICE
- Sally Loane, chief executive officer, Financial Services Council
- Adrian Orr, chief executive officer, NZ Super (NZ)
- Michael Rice, chief executive officer, Rice Warner
- The honorable Bernie Ripoll, former minister for financial services and superannuation and chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services
- Amanda White (joint chair), director of institutional content, Conexus Financial
- Special adviser: Helen Rowell, deputy chairman, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)
The winners of the Conexus Financial Superannuation Awards 2017 will be unveiled at a black-tie event at the ivy, Sydney, on March 9, 2017, that is being supported by AIA and Vanguard. You can purchase tables for 10 or single tickets by visiting the event website.
