The Emerge Foundation, a funds management industry-supported charity which provides educational and health initiatives in Timor Leste, last week presented a cheque for $210,000 to the university which runs the curriculum for the major teaching college in Baucau. Ian MacRitchie, the charity’s founder and a high-profile financial planner, has now donated a total of $2.35…
by Greg Bright CalSTRS, the second-largest pension fund in the US and a bellwether for others, has instituted a new policy on its engagement with the thousands of companies in its global portfolios. The policy focuses on where the fund can have the most impact. The move is likely to be watched by other big…
Current new growth areas for large investors tend to be in the ‘real’ investments space. If you overlay domestic versus international strategies on that, to accommodate the tendency for local bias, you come up with a trio of local industries which are standouts. They are tourism, direct property and smaller infrastructure projects. James Mawhinney, who…
When blockchain burst into being more than 10 years ago it was heralded as the ultimate digital safe house for financial services (and everything else). But as a new report from global financial back-office giant Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) reveals, blockchain – also known as ‘distributed ledger technology’ (DLT) – is no set-and-forget…
The man who dealt with the SARS virus in China nearly two decades ago is “hopeful’ the coronavirus would be similarly dealt with by April. Investors and a lot of Australian and other business people will be hoping he’s right. But Zhong Nanshan is now 83 and still head of the National Health Commission team…
by Greg Bright OneVue, the largest third-party retail unit registry provider in Australia, last week announced a takeover of its major advisory client, Madison Financial Group. Meanwhile, Link Group has strengthened its funds admin team with a senior hire from NAB. Coupled with Sargon’s troubles, this looks a lot like the sector is in play….
by Greg Bright It’s difficult for investment managers right now. Most equity markets are fully valued, as are fixed income markets. In the fixed income and credit markets, the outlook is challenging. How can you have negative interest rates? So, what does a fiduciary investor, such as a big super fund, do? According to Mark…
Asset servicing firms have always invested a mind-boggling amount of money into technology. Their big institutional investor clients have not always appreciated that time and money, though, it has to be said. But in the past two-three years, the interests of both clients and their big custodians have become more aligned. The experience of BNP…
by Wietske Blees* APRA’s ‘heatmap’ of MySuper performance numbers, published for the first time in December, will highlight the importance of investment implementation, experts have warned. The contentious move from the regulator will be discussed at a major industry conference in Sydney next month, with Deloitte providing interesting insights. As a discipline, investment implementation refers…
With both equities and fixed income markets looking like they are heading for a major correction pretty soon, the 17th annual AVCJ Private Equity and Venture Forum in Sydney, March 3-5, will be looking at how alternatives can protect super funds and other investors. The forum’s agenda boasts Peter Costello, the chair of the Future Fund…
