(pictured:Â Garry Weaven) Garry Weaven, chair of IFM Investors and founder of several service companies owned by industry funds, has said there are some big challenges facing funds. And member administration, once the “poor cousin” of super, is now in the front line. Speaking via a webinar organised by investment analyst and meetings organiser Stewart Oldfield…
(pictured: Cassandra Hardman)Â It is finally starting to dawn on investors what the low-to-no interest environment means: low returns stretching out, probably, for some years. So what do you do? Cassandra Hardman, one of the pioneers of concentrated portfolios in international equities, has some advice. In the beta cycles in markets which, at the extremes,…
(pictured:Â Darrell Ludowyke) For super funds, the term ‘big data’ has generally been regarded as something its IT people and service providers, such as custodians, needed to be aware of. Not any more. Big data has come of age as something all CEOs and marketing people should be addressing. While the use of the term is…
(pictured:Â Sara Gilbert) AltaReturn, a US-based software and systems firm specialising in private equity and alternatives management, has set up in Asia Pacific with the recruitment of Sara Gilbert as director of operations, Asia. She is already looking to expand the presence. On her first trip to Australia last week after joining AltaReturn in May, Gilbert…
A quant study of the value of funds manager brands among institutional investors shows a massive difference in flows between managers with high product and firm-wide brand awareness and those with low awareness. eVestment has published a list of the top five managers for brand awareness in each size category which, it says, may surprise….
The New Zealand Superannuation Fund (NZS) took out a clutch of prizes in the Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA) held in Sydney last week. The fund continues its reign as one of the most transparent in the world. As well as earning the highest ‘gold’ rating for overall reporting quality, NZS won top spot in two…
(pictured: Rob Arnott) By Greg Bright All super funds should subscribe, for free, to the Research Affiliates regular research notes, ‘Fundamentals’. Sure, they will try to steer you to their own smart-beta strategies. But Rob Arnott, the firm’s founder, sometimes even questions his own funds. Last week, he questioned “value” at current prices in smart…
(pictured:Â Grant Hassell) AMP Capital NZ chief, Grant Hassell, will take on more control of the local investment and distribution teams under changes announced last week. But he will relinquish some of his fixed income duties. Following the organisational revamp, all NZ investment groups, except property and distribution, will now report directly to Hassell. Previously, some…
(pictured:Â Damian Hill and Ken Marshman) By Greg Bright REST Industry Super is searching for a new general manager investments. It is not a chief investment officer role; it is a general manager investments role. The distinction is important and it is the main reason the role is currently being filled, pending a new person, by…
(pictured:Â Carol Austin) Carol Austin, who recently finished a five-year stint as a guardian of the Future Fund, is setting up an organisation which will act as a source of investment and business information and advice for charities. The group, which she says is currently a “loose collective” of experienced investment people, will also potentially help…
