Willis Towers Watson

Fund Governance

Performance test will produce ‘zombie funds’, experts say

Members might end up being stranded in funds that become undesirable to potential suitors because they have a chance of underperforming over multiple years or hold poor preforming assets relative to a listed benchmark, new research shows.

Matthew SmithNovember 25, 2020

Industry

Budget performance measure could lead to passive push

The Strategic Asset Allocation benchmark the government has employed to judge outperformance in its new annual performance test is expected to result in funds adapting their investment strategies to beat listed market indices.

Matthew SmithOctober 7, 2020

Absolute Returns Conference Digital 2020

Consultants dial up transparency and culture assessment of alternatives

“Everyone loves to hear about culture now,” according to Willis Towers Watson's Sara Rejal, who noted during a panel discussion at the Absolute Returns Conference Digital 2020 conference on Wednesday that funds are interested in a broader due diligence particularly with its hedge fund and alternative strategy partners.

Matthew SmithSeptember 23, 2020

articleInvestment Operations

Stretched investment committees ‘doing too much’

Pressure on investment committees has increased exponentially during the pandemic as the ‘realms of the investable have completely shifted’. Willis Towers Watson consultant Rebecca Bannon believes proper instruction, delegation, and efficiency are required to keep them ticking.

Tahn SharpeSeptember 9, 2020

Operations

COVID-19 triggers new merger talks

Several new potential mergers have emerged since the outbreak of the coronavirus after market turmoil placed further pressure on super funds.

Sarah JonesMay 1, 2020

Investment Strategy

More pain ahead as funds write down assets

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus first roiled markets, the value of infrastructure and property assets have been cut by just 5 to 10 per cent. The industry says there is more to come.

Sarah JonesApril 22, 2020

Retirement Conference 2020

Super fund cohorts seen as systemic risk

The federal government has identified membership cohorts within industry funds as a new systemic risk for Australia’s $3 trillion superannuation industry.

Sarah JonesApril 1, 2020

Policy and Regulation

Superannuation & Retirement in a crisis

A crisis will redirect the order of things, and this crisis will surely live up to expectations.

Matthew SmithMarch 29, 2020

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