Where there’s fire, there’s smoke and mirrors

The loud cries from for-profit funds to open up awards are self-serving and neglect members’ interests, writes FIONA REYNOLDS, CEO of AIST. As the rollout of the first of the Stronger Super reforms begins, it appears that the next battleground in superannuation is emerging. There has been much clamour in recent weeks about default funds, … Read more

Fallout over FoFA, Stronger Super

The uncertainties about the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) and Stronger Super reforms are hurting consumer and industry confidence, says JAMES BOND, chief economist of the Financial Services Council.  The past three years have seen unprecedented uncertainty in the financial services industry and this was apparent in many of the discussions and presentations at the … Read more

Falling prey to survival instincts

Problems in the reform of financial market regulation are compounding systemic risks, writes RICHARD BRANDWEINER, board member of the CFA Society of Sydney. At the recent CFA Australia Investment Conference in Sydney, Matt Moran, vice president of the Chicago Board Options Exchange, highlighted the use of their volatility index, the VIX, in providing negatively correlated … Read more

Funds choose the bluedoor

The first super funds and wealth managers to adopt the Bluedoor administration and registry platform wanted the product to tick every box on their admin software wish list. To win them over, it had to be an integrated product, web-based, able to be customised, and easy to implement. Coming up to three years since the … Read more

Don’t wait for the future

Superannuation funds should not wait for the SuperStream reform to be written into law before changing their antiquated administration systems. SIMON MUMME reports. Philip Hind, national program manager of SuperStream, shared an optimistic view of the future of superannuation administration last month. “In the future we’ll see more standard rollover and contributions processing across the industry, … Read more

Don't wait for the future

Superannuation funds should not wait for the SuperStream reform to be written into law before changing their antiquated administration systems. SIMON MUMME reports. Philip Hind, national program manager of SuperStream, shared an optimistic view of the future of superannuation administration last month. “In the future we’ll see more standard rollover and contributions processing across the industry, … Read more

Super funds eye special FX

Superannuation funds are beginning to shed light on the inflated costs of poor foreign exchange execution. PHILIPPA YELLAND reports. Unsexy. It’s the word of choice for many investors when they describe trading foreign exchange (FX) efficiently. FX is a back-office beta that has long gone unwatched. But transaction fees are being dragged into the spotlight … Read more

Turf war: hedge FoFs, consultants clash

Kevin Gundle is not firing shots at hedge fund consultants. He wants some questions answered. Gundle is CEO of Aurum, a London-based hedge fund-of-funds (hedge FoF) managing $2.2 billion. He will speak at The New Alternatives conference, held by Conexus Financial, publisher of Investment Magazine, in Melbourne this month. For the past 16 years he … Read more