Interviews

“We believe in our story,” says Julie Lander. The CareSuper CEO chats to Greg Bright about mergers, diseconomies and spending money.

(Pictured: Keith Suter) Keith Suter is not the shy retiring type. He works the industry speaking circuit well and likes to make big brave predictions, weaving in some of what he learned doing two PhDs. He spoke with PENNY PRYOR. “We wont be around by the end of this century in our current form, either we…

Mark Delaney… ‘didn’t someone say there are no more dangerous words in investment than ‘this time it’s different’?’ A couple of years into its ambitious push into internal management of its investments, AustralianSuper is well advanced in its aim to manage about a third of its assets in-house. But this progress hasn’t necessarily helped with…

(Pictured: Peter Hiom) Peter Hiom, the deputy chief executive of the ASX, has had only three jobs in his career, all exchanges, but he says it feels like he’s had 30. Stock and other exchanges around the world have arguably changed more, and more rapidly, than the corporate and financial markets they serve. He spoke with…

(Pictured:  Ian MacRitchie) Ian MacRitchie is a veteran financial planner with an A-list client list who still likes helping people – a character trait that has made a lot of his clients happy and, more importantly, given a better chance in life for many underprivileged people in Timor Leste (East Timor). He spoke with Greg…

(Pictured: Peter Switzer and Maureen Jordan) Peter Switzer is a well-known commentator and presenter in the financial world, and an important influence on the investment behaviours of SMSF trustees through his financial planning business and SMSF newsletters. His wife, Maureen Jordan, is less well known but just as important in building and maintaining the Switzer brand….

UniSuper’s John Pearce… ‘when you are dealing with people’s life savings, they would prefer you to be prudent rather than clever’ After five years as chief investment officer of UniSuper, John Pearce describes it as “the best job I’ve ever had.” That may partly reflect the fact that Pearce’s investment beliefs look to offer a…

Stephen van Eyk… ‘we became highly respected because we were willing to make big calls’ Legendary fund researcher Stephen van Eyk may have left the field in 2010 but he’s still studying the form. David Chaplin speaks to him about the art and science of research – the skills which helped build one of the…

Robyn Petrou… ‘most potent learning experience was birth of her triplet boys’ While industry super funds have grown, merged, built up their capabilities and played an integral part in the provision of universal coverage of Australian workers, the journey has been an evolution similar to that of mankind in general, argues Patrick Liddy. He spoke…

The evolution of hedge funds of funds businesses around the world has presented institutional and other investors with a greater array of partners with whom they can formulate strategies to better target outcomes. Greg Bright spoke with David Walter, the regional head of research for the US$10.5 billion fund of funds and advisory company PAAMCO,…

Superannuation administration is a notoriously tough business. The big operators have to contend with ever-changing regulations, technological challenges and razor-thin margins. Since they are dealing with the retirement savings of the vast majority of Australians, they can’t afford to make too many mistakes, either. Greg Bright spoke with Suzanne Holden, the chief operating officer of…

Trevor Matthews … ‘what I’ve decided is I now want to be a superb director and chairman’ The story of Trevor Matthews’ long and illustrious career in life insurance and investment markets is, in a way, a reflection of the evolution of those markets over the past 35-or-so years. Now a non-executive director of several…