A $2.34-billion fund with only three investment professionals should be run with a strict focus on maximising where you can make a difference and keeping it simple and standard where you cannot. This means deriving most returns from smart asset allocation rather than stock or manager selection, and it means placing a large slug of … Read more
When Sunsuper recently ran a series of focus groups, the questions they asked members were a touch left of field. One question asked what they would prefer – a visit to the dentist or doing their super. Not surprisingly, the results showed Australians could be better “engaged”, given 16 per cent preferred giving up television … Read more
As the Funding Australia’s Infrastructure project has identified, one of the big challenges facing the Australian economy is overcoming our infrastructure deficit. As many commuters in our larger cities can attest – whether stuck on freeways or sandwiched in beside fellow passengers on trains or trams – infrastructure bottlenecks are growing. Productivity is the key … Read more
Six insurers have re-signed deals with a charity that aims to improve the wellbeing of Australian employees, as the cost of mental health insurance claims soars. Insurers AIA, TAL, Hanover Life RE, CommInsure, MLC and Beazley Group have signed three-year deals with SuperFriend, while MetLife has signed up for the first time. The deals come … Read more
Citi has been in the custodian market since the mid-1980s, but it’s only in the last five years or so that it has broadened its offering to include a full range of fund administration services. According to Martin Carpenter, managing director, securities and funds services, this gives them more reasons to interact with superannuation funds. … Read more
AIA has undergone two years of extensive trials to gain insights on rehabilitation in life insurance. “We believe helping to get claimants back to work is a great outcome for the claimant and a win for everyone involved. It improves the morale of the employer and their workplace, and crucially, the claimant themselves,” said Damien … Read more
Local Government Super (LGS) has converted a passive mandate to an enhanced passive mandate with State Street in a move to increase its active risk. The fund has awarded the manager a $780 million active Australian equities mandate. Chief investment officer Craig Turnbull told IM online the fund is giving State Street “more scope” on … Read more
The superannuation industry has to bed down the raft of regulatory reforms, says Elana Rubin, former chair of AustralianSuper. “I appreciate that government undertakes regulatory reform with the very best intentions, but from a member perspective, it can often reduce confidence in the system. And while it may not affect them directly, they read about … Read more
Equipsuper will be rolling out a brand new insights program over the next year, based on new methodology to conduct member research. Geoff Brooks, executive officer of strategic marketing and communications at Equipsuper, said the fund is conducting roundtable discussions to determine what they need to measure as a business and design research that will … Read more
Super funds’ demand for data has increased exponentially amid the renewed focus on governance and transparency of the last five years. Not surprisingly, these requirements emerged as a strong theme in our recent study of the challenges facing the superannuation industry, Evolving Superannuation Funds for the Future. Several interlinked factors are forcing funds to revamp … Read more
A cap on both fund manager fees and investor returns is the key to overcoming state government caution on infrastructure deals, according to Garry Weaven of Industry Funds Management (IFM). Speaking to investors at an Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees event in Sydney, Weaven outlined a proposal in which a fund manager, such as IFM, … Read more
Group insurers need to understand the provision of the national disability insurance scheme and how it differs to their offerings, says Dr Ken Baker, chief executive officer of the National Disability Service. “I think it’s important that the group insurers understand in what sense this is an insurance scheme and what sense it isn’t. “This … Read more
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In-depth interviews with leaders, experts and visionaries in the institutional investment community
Updates on the latest industry policy developments and regulation
The challenges and innovations of custody, technology and operational due diligence
Investment Magazine provides in-depth, monthly analysis of trends and developments for all the businesses in which superannuation funds engage‚ including asset allocation, investment manager selection, custody and fund accounting, member administration, group insurance and compliance.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land upon which Conexus Financial sits, the Cadigal of the Eora Nation. We recognise their continuing connection and unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and community. We pay our deepest respects to them and their culture, and to Elders both past and present.
