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by Phil Miall, Head of Credit Research & Strategy, QIC Superannuation funds’ return objectives will become harder to hit through beta alone on the heels of an intensification of the ECB’s quantitative easing program and a clutch of central bank interest rate cuts. Selective credit market investments, including high-yield investments in the beaten-up US energy sector…

(Pictured: Grahame Evans) A white-labelled platform used to cost over $250,000. Today, advisors can get one for a fraction of the price – that’s if they still want one, Grahame Evans* writes. He believes that the ‘power’ in the platforms space in the industry is shifting, thanks to technology and changing customer demand. It wasn’t that…

(Pictured: Nate Dalton) The benefits of boutiques are well documented. It’s mainly about size, nimbleness and staff ownership, leading to proven outperformance. But the disadvantages are not so well known. They’re mainly about succession. The problem has always been handling succession without losing the former benefits. Nate Dalton, president and chief operating officer of Affiliated Managers…

(Pictured: Jim McCaughan)  Keeping a watchful eye on valuations, Jim McCaughan, the chief executive of Principal Global Investors, says that it is probably not too late to lift an under-weighting to the US share market. “We think the US has another two or three years to go,” he says. On a visit to Australia last…

(Pictured: Andrew Bascand) Harbour Asset Management of New Zealand has launched a new wholesale global equities Portfolio Investment Entity (PIE) fund in association with Baltimore-based growth manager T. Rowe Price. While T. Rowe Price markets to larger institutions directly, Andrew Bascand, Harbour managing director, said the deal would give smaller-scale NZ investors tax-effective access to one…

(Pictured: Catherine Nance)  With the recruitment of David St John, the former UniSuper CIO and current super fund investment advisor, PwC has signalled its intention to expand its services to big super funds and fund managers in direct competition with the traditional asset consulting firms. The global accounting and advisory firm is looking to provide…

(Pictured: Greg Nolan) Care Super has recruited a new CIO to replace the long-standing incumbent, Greg Nolan, who has decided to move to a part-time role with the $8 billion industry fund. Care Super chief executive, Julie Lander, is also expected to announce some other new appointments soon. Suzanne Branton, a senior portfolio manager at Equipsuper…

(Pictured: Mike Davis) Mike Davis, the managing director and country head of Nikko Asset Management in Australia, has resigned after three years at the helm. His tenure involved an integration of the former Tyndall business and an internationalisation of the Nikko business. He will remain at the firm until later in March, assisting in the search…

(Pictured: David Braga) BNP Paribas Securities Services has tapped David Braga from JP Morgan as its new Australia country head, joining Ian Perkins, head of client development, to run the firm in what looks like the busiest year for custodians in Australia and New Zealand. Braga, who is also chair of the Australian Custodial Services Association,…

(Pictured: Warren Chant) by Greg Bright The third annual Chant West Super Fund Awards, to be announced on May 6 at a black-tie event at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney, follows three themes for the funds which have helped Warren Chant, the research firm’s enigmatic principal, to narrow down his short list. Fees and My Super…