The search for the perfect annuity – a reasonably priced, flexible source of an income stream lasting the customer until death – has become the Holy Grail of the post-retirement product industry. CATHERINE JAMES checks the progress of those on the quest to find it. A visiting Russell Group actuary from the USA, Don Ezra, … Read more
Transparency in investments is a motherhood-type goal, universally considered good for all involved. This is at least open to some analysis. Over the past year sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) have captured the minds, if not hearts, of politicians, economists and funds managers as they emerge to change the political, financial and investment landscape of the … Read more
The significant increase in investment market volatility over the past six months has adversely impacted most, if not all, asset classes globally. As such, PAUL KESSELL believes it is an ideal time to reflect on how investment risk is managed and presented to fund members in Australia’s defined contribution (DC) retirement provision environment and whether … Read more
Investors have already begun to axe active quant managers hurt by the credit crisis and are putting the brakes on searches for quantitative strategies, consultants say. “There is no search activity,” said Daniel Celeghin, director at Casey, Quirk & Associates. “Flows have completely dried up.” Investors are showing less patience for both long-only and long/short … Read more
UBS Global Asset Management (UBS GAM) is likely to emerge intact even as its parent company is battling serious shareholder activism challenges to its integrated business model, analysts and other industry experts said. “The asset management business … has critical mass, with the prestige factor … it’s a mammoth player, and I don’t believe that … Read more
Last year, the US military built a heavily-fortified compound in Baghdad to protect judges and to secure the trials of criminal suspects. Peter Collins, best known as a former NSW Opposition leader but also an independent director at HostPlus, volunteered to help. A reserve officer in the Australian navy and former NSW attorney-general, Collins signed … Read more
It is one of life’s unavoidable ironies: plumbers’ homes have leaky taps, mechanics’ cars break down… and journalists who write about super all day have accounts that are in disarray. Before embarking on a successful career with Investment & Technology, Unbalanced endured a series of unsuccessful jaunts in a variety of professions. Subsequently, we now … Read more
Last year, Mothers Day Classic walkers and runners helped the event organisers to achieve their long-standing goal of raising $3 million within a decade of bringing the annual event into being – proving that all of those early Sunday morning efforts from participants have been well worth the strain. The 2007 turnout, numbering 50,000 nationwide, … Read more
Funds need to engage with members and their insurance providers in order to help overcome the under insurance problem in this country. A recent roundtable held by Investment & Technology, in conjunction with MetLife Insurance, discussed the mechanisms by which funds can engage with members including better data mining and tailoring of communication to certain … Read more
Investment management legend and new philanthropist, Chris Cuffe, has created a fund aiming to assist social entrepreneurs while delivering returns to investors. Meanwhile, a domestic microfinance pilot run by NAB has helped people excluded from mainstream credit establish their own businesses. SIMON MUMME writes. Chris Cuffe has combined his experience in investment management and philanthropy … Read more
Seventy-one new small businesses have been built using microenterprise loans supplied by National Australia Bank (NAB) in a one-year pilot program launched in March 2007. The loans were provided to people with sound business plans but no access to affordable business credit from mainstream lenders, due to a lack of assets or high level of … Read more
It’s both a puzzle and a source of frustration to many in the superannuation industry that the average Australian has so little interest in their superannuation. We all recognise that retirement is a long way off for most people and that many households are more concerned with paying next month’s mortgage than reading about the … Read more
The investment intelligence behind Australia’s largest asset owners and their teams
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.
