First State Super

Governance

Visibility risk: Brand and marketing oversight to bite

Funds will need to think carefully about marketing and branding activities in light of the government's proposed best financial interest amendments which bans the use of member money for branding while adding oversight to marketing spending.

Matthew SmithJanuary 18, 2021

ESG

Collaboration needed to up sustainability ante

Investors need to collaborate for systemic change, a discussion involving asset owners and sustainability experts has highlighted. Investors need to work with government, enshrine beliefs and educate beneficiaries on the importance of sustainability.

Sarah RundellAugust 26, 2020

Policy and Regulation

ASIC off script with StatePlus action

ASIC's latest action against StatePlus shows the regulator is willing to go after not for profit funds despite the impost civil proceedings and remediation programs could have on member outcomes.

Matthew SmithAugust 24, 2020

Opinion

Peer group risk: The industry’s worst kept secret

Some funds are open and acknowledge their peer group focus, espousing that industry awards and new members are won through a competitive process and performance relative to peers needs to be actively managed. For other super funds, peer group risk management is undertaken behind closed doors, David Bell writes.

David BellAugust 19, 2020

Group Insurance Summit Digital 2020

Super funds must anticipate the pandemic’s mental and chronic health side effects

Insurers and super funds say the Covid-19 pandemic will have physical, mental and financial impacts on Australians once the second wave subsides.

Meredith BoothAugust 18, 2020

CIO profiles

Damian Graham unpacks First State Super’s climate aspirations

Impact analysis for real assets and the building out of a new benchmarking framework for carbon emissions are two internal projects that will bring a deeper ESG focus to the soon-to-be rebranded fund's investment team.

Matthew SmithJuly 29, 2020

Investment Strategy

First State prepares for bargain buying

Investment chief Damian Graham said that with the fund’s liquidity buffers intact, his team were now getting ready to snap up cheap assets as they come to market over the next 12 months.

Sarah JonesApril 15, 2020

Investment Strategy

Liquidity: Super funds say they have enough

Australia’s largest superannuation funds including Sunsuper, First State Super and Cbus all say they have enough liquidity to meet any redemption needs. At least for now.

Sarah JonesMarch 30, 2020

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