Kotkin warns of Ukraine as key geopolitical risk

Speaking just before the Ukraine conflict broke out, Professor Stephen Kotkin, warned of the destabilising effects Russia’s actions could have on globalisation and how they could harm the west. Watch this video interview with Princeton University’s geopolitical expert.

Govt pressures super funds on Russia divestment

The Australian government has started applying pressure on superannuation funds to divest Russian assets saying it’s important Australia sends a “clear and unequivocal signal that we condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine”. Chris Dastoor reports.

Everyone’s concerned about human rights but few are prepared to lead: KPMG’s Brodie

Institutional investors have more than just a legal obligation to maximise returns for members, they also have a legal obligation to prevent harm to people, says KPMG’s partner, human rights and social impact, Meg Brodie. The problem, however, is they don’t have enough data to make informed decisions.

Queensland’s new mega fund aiming to double in size

The merged Queensland superannuation giants, QSuper and Sunsuper have created Australia’s second largest fund, but CEO Bernard Reilly tells Glenda Korporaal, that’s just the beginning as it aims to become a $500 billion fund by the end of the decade.

Fixing super tax concessions will make a fairer and simpler system

There are good reasons to provide some superannuation taxation concessions, according to Dr David Knox, senior partner, Mercer Australia, but they need fixing for, among other reasons, addressing the gender super gap in a cost-neutral manner and simplifying the system.

How to Get Ahead in the Quant “Arms Race”

The investment arena provides much fertile ground to generate and test hypothesis-driven quantitative approaches, Philip Kearns, a managing director with the global investment and technology firm, the D. E. Shaw group, said during a roundtable of leading industry figures who discussed the present and future of quant equity investment strategies.

Vale Helen Hewett. A pioneer woman of Australia’s super landscape

With the passing of Helen Hewett the country has lost a major force in the fight for gender equity in the industry and a champion of mental health for workers. Former Principles for Responsible Investment CEO and soon to be CEO of Conexus Financial, Fiona Reynolds, reflects on a life lived fighting the good fight.

Data collection and protection: super’s big sleeper issue

The key to future super fund administration and performance will depend on the quality of members’ data collected and how it is used. The sting in the tail is the more data you have, the more effort must go into protecting it, John Durie writes.

Retirement income law presents a vexing problem: KPMG’s Storniolo

The federal Government’s Retirement Income Covenant, recently passed into law and due to be enacted later this year, does “address a gap” and will focus super trustees’ minds to ensure they actually do something but it doesn’t come without complications according to KPMG’s superannuation partner, Cecilia Storniolo.