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The world won’t wait for the investment committee 

The world won’t wait for the investment committee 

The institutions managing long-term savings might not be built to respond at the speed the world now moves. The gap between knowing and acting – which, ultimately, is where all risk lives – is one they can’t afford to keep open.

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ACSI says ASX must work hard to ‘rebuild trust’ following governance inquiry

ACSI says ASX must work hard to ‘rebuild trust’ following governance inquiry

The Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, the proxy adviser serving a host of profit-to-member super funds, says it is “critical” the ASX address shortcomings identified in an ASIC review of its governance, capability and risk management frameworks.

Lessons from the middle: Leadership, resilience and the courage of conviction

Lessons from the middle: Leadership, resilience and the courage of conviction

The principles of high-performance leadership – whether in business or sport – remain remarkably consistent and include the ability to maintain clarity, integrity, and conviction under immense pressure. Former Australian test cricketer Usman Khawaja told the Fiduciary Investors Symposium, held by Investment Magazine sister publication Top1000Funds.com, that the only time you really lose is when you stop trying.

Future Fund boosts active equity program with new EM manager

Future Fund boosts active equity program with new EM manager

Australia’s sovereign wealth fund has added an active equity strategy from a local boutique manager to its emerging markets allocation and dropped one of its existing providers after signaling it had identified “inefficiencies” in the space.

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Profiles
Rest eyes changes to lift its investment team ‘from great to greater’

Rest eyes changes to lift its investment team ‘from great to greater’

The $100 billion profit-to-member fund Rest Super is mulling an expansion and upgrade of its investment team as it seeks new ways to invest a growing pool of assets and continue to generate competitive performance for its 2.1 million members. The fund’s newly appointed chief investment officer Michael Clancy tells Investment Magazine that staying connected to the fund’s membership is an important part of the job.

First Nations’ inclusion in super hinges on fairness

First Nations’ inclusion in super hinges on fairness

First Nations people continue to be excluded from participating fully and effectively in superannuation by both legal and organisational barriers. First Nations Foundation managing director Leah Bennett says funds themselves can do much more to help, but change must start at the top.

Governance
Third HESTA exec heads for the door in less than 12 months

Third HESTA exec heads for the door in less than 12 months

The departure of the $100 billion HESTA’s chief operating officer Stephen Reilly follows those of chief executive Debby Blakey and chief risk officer Andrew Major, and is part of a shake-up among the broader senior ranks of Australian super funds.

Building better super boards: the essential skills mix

Building better super boards: the essential skills mix

What does an effective superannuation fund board look like in today’s complex and competitive landscape? Nicolette Rubinsztein draws on almost 10 years of board experience across superannuation and other sectors to outline seven key insights into crafting the optimal combination of skills on super fund boards.

Industry and regulation
Funds face new discretion under plan to block abusers from death benefits

Funds face new discretion under plan to block abusers from death benefits

The Albanese government is exploring legislative options to stop domestic violence abusers from gaining control of their victims’ superannuation through death benefits. While this could give trustees greater discretion in assessing a deceased member’s circumstances, complicated cases may add further strains to an already stressed payout process.

Investments
‘Stick to your guns’: HESTA says disciplined DAA still delivers

‘Stick to your guns’: HESTA says disciplined DAA still delivers

Dynamic asset allocation has become increasingly popular among pension and sovereign wealth funds as a top-down tool to generate alpha and mitigate risk in the face of changing market conditions, though not every asset owner believes in the approach’s value-add. But HESTA’s general manager of dynamic assets Michael Blayney argues active asset allocation is just natural extension of the underlying logic in security selection.

‘Bang, fizzle, pop’: AustralianSuper CIO laments late tilt to AI

‘Bang, fizzle, pop’: AustralianSuper CIO laments late tilt to AI

The outgoing chief investment officer of AustralianSuper Mark Delaney said one of the biggest regrets he will have as he leaves the $410 billion fund is not going overweight on the AI and digital thematic in public markets sooner, as the nation’s most powerful allocator reflects on the investment case of the technology sector in the superannuation summit in New York last week.