Removing superannuation from tax debate disappointing
A leading tax expert has expressed disappointment as the Government continues with its “blinkered” decision to remove superannuation from the tax debate. John Randall, superannuation partner at Deloitte, said the point of a review process was to have a serious, holistic think about what’s going to happen, but if GST, superannuation, or even fringe tax … Read more
Blending external and internal fund mangement: Telstra Super’s CIO Jim Christensen
Telstra Super, a $17 billion corporate super fund, has tailored funds for niches within the various investment strategies that it runs. It also has had a strategy to increase the level of internal management which has been effective in delivering targeted outcomes and helping to manage fees. Jim Christensen, Chief Investment Officer and finalist in … Read more
How technology is evolving super
A survey of superannuation fund chairs taken at the Conexus Financial Chair Forum, in conjunction with Milestone, earlier this year revealed a disconnection within superannuation. While chairs wanted to spend time on providing advice to members and to improving inhouse investment management, in reality they were being hindered by the time they had to spend … Read more
Ground-breaking retirement solution on public view, June 1
The creators of the most advanced program to calculate optimal investment and consumption strategies for retirees are to make a public demonstration of their work in Melbourne on June 1. David Schneider, head of research at UniSuper, plus Paul Newfield and Jeffrey Chee, both senior actuaries at Towers Watson, will speak at an Actuaries Institute … Read more
Can investors rely on the persistence of smart beta factors?
Twenty years of data on behavioural trading anomalies is enough evidence to show that factor or smart beta strategies have a high probability of working, Northern Trust’s head of global equities told delegates at the Fiduciary Investors Symposium. Matt Peron, who looks after active, passive and smart beta portfolios for Northern Trust, was answering what … Read more
Risk of crowded trades calculated by new research
Crowding is the single biggest mispriced risk for investors over a one-to-two year time horizon, according to Sasho Bogoevski, managing director, multi-asset solutions, AB. He told delegates of the Fiduciary Investors Symposium how his firm’s research had identified crowding around stocks common in low volatility portfolios as a particular concern and how several of AB’s … Read more
The rationale for in-house management
Christian Super, a $1 billion fund, insourced its impact investing portfolio because despite searching for a fund manager they couldn’t find one to take what they felt was a compelling investment case. Presenting at the Fiduciary Investors’ Symposium the fund shared its experience of moving insourcing, including cash and domestic fixed income, which were brought … Read more
Infrastructure valuation is not just about price to earnings
Infrastructure valuations should have greater focus than just multiples of earnings to price, a panel agreed at the Fiducary Investors’ Symposium. Headlines focus on multiples, based largely on the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), but this can be misleading and a greater focus should be put on cash flow and management, agreed Colin Atkin, executive … Read more
Weighting to global small caps causes split opinion
The thesis that institutional investors should take a higher weighting to global small caps split opinion among a panel of investors at the Fiduciary Investors’ Symposium. Andy Flynn, co-portfolio manager of global small caps at William Blair, told delegates there has been a sharp increase in the investable small cap universe over the past decade … Read more
Equip new liability management role part of innovative strategy
Equip’s newly created liability management role is part of a wider strategy, set by chair Andrew Fairley and implemented by chief executive Danielle Press, for the fund to meet its fiduciary duty by innovating. The role is the second new position within the superannuation industry to be created by the fund over the past … Read more
