News

The world of quantitative investing is changing. A lot has been written about the integration of quant techniques with fundamental research. But it’s more than that. As George Mussalli says: “The race in the quant world is getting shorter and shorter.” Mussalli is the CIO and head of research for Boston-based global manager PanAgora Asset…

While ESG considerations are now undoubtedly on the minds of all fiduciary investors, in Australia and New Zealand at least, the main body of research on the subject has delivered mixed results in quantifying the relationship with investment performance. Jonathan Treussard, the head of product management for Research Affiliates, told the firm’s seminars in Australia…

Morningstar Investment Management has recruited a new CIO for the Asia Pacific region, based in Sydney, to allow Andrew Lill, who currently holds the position, to take up the role of CIO of the Americas in the new year. The funds management and advice arm of Morningstar is run by another Australian, Daniel Needham, who…

Close to NZ$1 billion (A$940 million) is up in the air in one of the biggest superannuation fund tenders in New Zealand for years approaches touchdown. It is understood the almost $1 billion Air NZ corporate superannuation fund had short-listed a handful of candidates for the top-flight gig with a decision expected before Christmas. Air…

Big money must start throwing its weight around, responsibly, the Thinking Ahead Institute (TAI) says in a new report which analysed about US$19 trillion of fiduciary investment money around the world. TAI, the think-tank unit associated with global consultancy firm Willis Towers Watson (WTW), says the top 100 asset owners earmarked in the study represent…

by Greg Bright Michael Dwyer is stepping down next month after an illustrious career in the superannuation industry. In a lot of ways that career – including running two super funds, starting an association and active industry participation – mirrors the industry’s modern history. Here are some highlights and observations. Big multi-employer super funds are…

Paul Costello, the founding chief executive of the Future Fund, the founding chief executive of NZ Super and the second-last chief executive of STA before its merger to form AustralianSuper, died at 8.50am last Monday, November 5. He didn’t want to talk much about his career in the months before his death. He mainly wanted…

In the largest asset owner survey it has conducted, consulting and manager search firm bfinance uncovered that the trend to alternative, and more ‘costly’ – in terms of fees – strategies has, overall, saved money for big pension and super funds. The survey of 485 fiduciary investors, including 37 from Australia and New Zealand, spoke…

Recent research by Harvard Business School has shown an increasing price premium for stocks which rate highly on an ESG scale over others, and that much of the premium increase can be attributed to investor sentiment. As always, though, investors need to watch for value. With the help of TruValue Labs, which provided data and…

Insight Investment, the big funds management subsidiary of BNY Mellon, has launched a global sustainability model which dissects the risks in each country for sovereign debt investors. In its first unveiling today, the model shows Australia to be “generally strong” on ESG scores, although it is dragged down by environmental issues. New Zealand comes out…

There’s a lot happening in the regulatory world for financial services. Stuart Robert, new Assistant Treasurer, told the SuperRatings/Lonsec conference late last month that he was hopeful of at least four, maybe five, Bills making it through Parliament this month. Here is an interesting update from QMV Solutions. While preparation for round seven of the…

Global real estate firm LaSalle Investment Management has launched a new multi-manager real estate business following the completion of the acquisition of Aviva Investors’ real estate multi-manager arm. The new business will cover private and public debt and equity strategies around the world. It starts with about US$10 billion under management across the range of…