JANA appoints director of client development
Asset consultant JANA has appointed Habib Chebli as director of client development, based in Melbourne.
Why UniSuper wants its peers to keep hunting for offshore property deals
The $130 billion UniSuper is looking to cement itself as the “biggest and most reliable” player in the domestic real estate market following a flurry of industrial property acquisitions in the past 12 months. Not only is senior property manager Nick Stephens unfazed by UniSuper’s relative lack of global investment in unlisted assets, he is in fact glad that his peers are increasingly overlooking the Australian market.
ESG funds call for a greener YFYS test
The ESG-driven sections of the super industry are pushing for green investments to no longer be penalised under the Your Future Your Super test, as one fund calls out the “mismatch” between the federal government’s renewable energy agenda and the performance pressures funds are dealing with.
ASFA appoints AustralianSuper executive to board
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia has appointed AustralianSuper’s Paula Benson, chief officer of strategy and corporate affairs as a board director.
Super funds and experts at odds over heavily gamed YFYS performance test
Vanguard Super has publicly backed the retention of the annual performance test, as a growing number of funds also warm to the status quo after tweaking their strategic asset allocation to make sure they don’t fail. But while it may keep funds’ compliance officers happy, the current test is not in members’ best interests, argue a number of academics and researchers who advocate for a multi-metric approach.
To solve the longevity puzzle, turn to the professionals
Retirement is complicated, it frequently doesn’t happen the way we plan or wish, and more people every day are facing the transition from employment to retirement. It’ll be hard for super funds to get financial advice to every member who needs it, but they can work closer with professional advisers.
UniSuper commits $623m in renewables fund
UniSuper has poured US$400 million ($623 million) into an energy transition and climate opportunities fund, aiming to support the global net zero transition.
UniSuper names MetLife as new insurer
The $130 billion UniSuper has selected MetLife as its new insurer, ending a decade-long relationship with TAL.
‘Don’t jump at shadows’: CIOs on unnecessary portfolio de-risking
The CIOs of CSC, VFMC and Spirit Super have urged peers to control – but not be controlled by – risk when approaching portfolio construction, and not be too cautious to put risk back on when the opportunity presents itself.
US ESG war delays global consensus on climate disclosure
In the latest development in the so-called ESG war, the US Securities and Exchange Commission caved under various legal threats and postponed its proposed new rules to standardise climate-related disclosures by public companies. With numerous variations between frameworks globally, ESG-conscious investors may find themselves trapped in the climate disclosure matrix for a bit longer.
Key investment opportunities emerge from real estate downturn
PGIM Real Estate’s Australian head Steve Bulloch anticipates more challenges to come for some assets in the country’s commercial real estate market this year, as investors deal with easing valuations and higher-for-longer interest rates and the prospect of further write-downs. But for some sectors and specific assets, the opportunities are already emerging and 2024 could prove to be a good vintage.
Iress completes sale of OneVue platform business
Iress has completed the sale of the OneVue platform business to ASX-listed Praemium.
