LGS board rocked by nuclear fallout

A disagreement between Local Government Super (LGS) and the trade union Depa over whether to invest in nuclear energy stocks has led to the replacement of the union’s director at the fund. The decision by Depa follows the fund’s move to drop its screen on companies involved in nuclear power generation, while at the same … Read more

Investors must be free from political direction

The decision of the Australian National University’s endowment to divest shares in seven resource companies is not an unusual move within the context of institutional asset owners. How those investors choose to allocate their assets has nothing to do with any government and they should not feel pressure to invest in any one company, asset … Read more

Prime Super open to female director

Prime Super is to make gender diversity a consideration when replacing the HIP Super trustees who resigned following the merger of the two funds in May. The fund, which currently has only six directors, is one of less than 10 superannuation funds without a female director on its board. Martin Day chief executive of St … Read more

Internal management to become the norm at large funds

No pension fund in the world has yet insourced the entirety of its fund management or is planning to do so, shows analysis from JPMorgan. Benjie Fraser, managing director and global pensions executive at JPMorgan, speaking at an Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) seminar tracked the steady growth in the world’s largest pension funds to … Read more

Profile: LGsuper’s alternatives portfolio

Since 2005/06 the $8.6 billion LGsuper fund has moved away from peer benchmarks to a low volatility, low equity asset allocation – its board has sought greater diversification within the fund. Guy Rundle, investment manager, LGsuper, talks to Investment Magazine about why the fund has faith in alternatives. The Queensland local government employee fund LGsuper … Read more

Cbus board to face unprecedented scrutiny

The governance of Cbus is to face an unprecedented level of public scrutiny after its decision to allow Graeme Samuel, the previous chair of the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission to conduct an independent review into its governance processes. The review is designed to assure contributing employers and members of the strength of its governance … Read more

New boss at BNP not seeking to be number one

BNP Paribas Securities Services has no aim of being number one custodian in the Australian market according to its new head of business, Ian Perkins. The custodian currently has the third largest amount of assets under custody in the Australian market at around $320 billion, behind JP Morgan at $463 billion and NAB Asset Servicing … Read more

Energy Super’s initiative will help disclosure deadlock

Energy Super’s initiative in placing portfolio holdings on its website ahead of APRA’s July 2015 deadline, will help frame the debate around what should be disclosed, says leading superannuation economist Sacha Vidler. The $5.4 billion fund has published the name and size of its equity and fixed income holdings, as well as listing individual property … Read more

When a currency hedge is not a hedge

Surprisingly little research has been done in the area of how a superannuation fund should hedge out its foreign currency exposure, says Robert Goodlad, former senior managing director of State Street Global Advisors. As superannuation funds continue to invest more internationally, it is vital that more research be conducted to find better solutions to manage … Read more

AustralianSuper discloses senior pay and bonuses

AustralianSuper has increased transparency around the pay and bonuses of senior staff in line with regulation and corporate governance best practice. Chief investment officer, Mark Delaney, earned the highest out of all executives at the fund. His $971,000 salary, includes base salary and superannuation of $611,000, a bonus payment of $345,963 and long service accrual … Read more

Mercer launches game changer for annuity market

Mercer is applying for a global patent for a group self-annuitisation product that already has three major super funds signed up for launch in 2015. At a fee of 40bps the product is intended to provide better value for money than lifetime annuities where investment gains above the amount needed to meet guaranteed payments are … Read more

Warwick Boys joins Fidelity as head of institutional

Warwick Boys has left Perpetual Investments, where he was general manager of institutional business for the past six years and joined Fidelity as head of institutional business. Boys previously held roles in fixed income trading and sales at Westpac, ANZ and ABN AMRO. Michael Bargholz, managing director of Fidelity in Australia, said: “Together Warwick and … Read more