Global economy and markets in perspective

Delegates at the Fiduciary Investors Symposium, Balgownie Estate, Yarra Glen, Victoria will take part in a day long debate across multiple presentations on November 17 as to where opportunities lie in a valuation stretched world and how they can persuade their investment committees to accept changes to asset allocation to capture these. Olga Bitel, economist … Read more

Cbus plans to grow investment teams in Sydney and Melbourne

Cbus is looking to grow its investment teams in Sydney and Melbourne, with the fund advertising three new positions. It is seeking an investment specialist of private markets transactions; a manager of investment communications; and a manager of investment risk and performance. The latter two will be based in Melbourne, while the role of investment … Read more

SSFS changes name and unveils masterplan

SSFS has given other super funds a statement of intent on its desire to be a national partner of choice for advice. The pension fund and financial planning company has changed its name to StatePlus and has spent $50 million to broaden digital access to its advice to include web chat, mobile phone and interactive … Read more

Super funds enter dialogue on developing asset class

Superannuation funds including Australian Ethical Super, Christian Super, First State Super and UniSuper are presenting at a summit designed to help find ways to get risk adjusted returns in impact investing. The inaugural Impact Investing Summit, due to be held next week at Dolton House, Sydney, is bringing together 70 leading organisations from around the … Read more

Murray decries ‘wartime footing’ of retail, SMSF and industry fund sectors

David Murray is urging the government not to get bogged down in sectional interests in superannuation when making new policy. The chair of the Financial System Inquiry (FSI) made the comments at the CFA’s Australia Investment Conference in Sydney, where he hit out at what he saw as the sectional positioning since the publication of … Read more

Simple steps to increase gender diversity

Changing the way in which job adverts are written and requiring search firms to include relevant female candidates have been recommended to increase gender diversity in the investment industry. Heather Brilliant, CFA board member and chief executive of Morningstar Australia, told attendees at the CFA Societies’ Australia Investment Conference in Sydney, that single sex investment … Read more

CFA Institute urges members to ‘renounce profit maximisation’ and embrace professionalism

The global head of the CFA Institute, Paul Smith, has urged the investment community to embrace professionalism and “renounce profit maximisation” as two critical steps towards restoring trust with investors. Speaking at the CFA Societies Australia Investment Conference in Sydney, Smith (pictured) described the investment management industry as being at “something of a crossroads”. “Trust … Read more

New Shadow Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation appointed

Jim Chalmers is the new Shadow Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation. Speaking on his promotion to the Shadow Cabinet, Chalmers said it was an honour and “especially pleasing” to take up the financial services and superannuation portfolio given his longstanding interests in the sector. “This sector is at the pointy end of technological transformation … Read more

Jim Chalmers frontrunner for superannuation portfolio

Labor MP Jim Chalmers is the frontrunner to become the new Shadow Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, after Bernie Ripoll resigned from the position in September. The decision of who is to take up the portfolio is due to be made by 11:30am October 13, 2015. In the past month the portfolio for financial … Read more

Cbus sponsors residential housing conference

Cbus is sponsoring the National Housing Conference 2015 (NHC) to help progress the creation of a mechanism or product that would enable it to invest in affordable housing. The super fund is one of a number of sponsors of the biennial event, which is the largest cross-sector housing meeting in Australasia, due to be held … Read more

Trend continues to international custodians, but NAB remains as top provider

NAB Asset Servicing is still the largest custodian in Australia with $702 billion in assets under custody (AUC), but it has only experienced a 1.4 per cent growth, while its nearest competitor grew by 16.5 per cent. JP Morgan had $558 billion in AUC at June 2015 and has benefitted from new clients such as … Read more