News

There are significant differences in investment flows between asset classes by institutional and retail investors, especially over the short-medium term, and differences between the types of research available to each sector, according to a recent study by eVestment. Basically, the study, which is based on eVestment’s European database, shows institutional investors tend to be ahead…

(Pictured: Todd McClone) India will offer the best emerging market opportunities, and perhaps some of the better global investing outcomes overall, over the next five years according to Todd McClone, portfolio manager of William Blair’s $US1.4 billion emerging markets leaders strategy. India is one of the few winners from the current drop in the oil price…

(Pictured: Beate Meyer) Swiss bank Vontobel’s wealth management arm – Vontobel Asset Management – is looking to build an institutional presence in Australia. Several Australian clients have previously been serviced from the firm’s Hong Kong office. Vontobel already has a bank representative managing director – Beate Meyer – and a compliance officer in its Sydney office….

(Pictured: Lucas Rooney) Neuberger Berman will take its Absolute Return Multi-Strategy (ARMS) Trust to institutional investors beyond the superannuation space, following a positive retail rating for the fund. Local managing director, Lucas Rooney, said the retail fund, which was launched just a month ago, already has $20 million in it, although the strategy has no institutional…

(Pictured: Steve Davis) For the relatively small financial advising arm of the Australian Unity group, the changes in Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) legislation have already cost it $1 million – and could cost the group perhaps another $250,000 as a result of this week’s reversal by the Senate. Steve Davis, chief executive officer of AU’s…

 (Pictured: John Snowden) Global real estate investment trusts are being increasingly promoted in Australia as part of the general search for yield, which has occupied many an investor’s mind for several years. But one Australian manager argues traditional management of global REITS has been sub-par. Resource Real Estate Global Property Securities, one of the managers under…

 (Pictured: Greg O’Neill) The annual La Trobe Financial/Fund Executives Association Ltd CIO and COO Awards will be announced at a cocktail party in Melbourne on December 2. Three finalists in each category will be recognized, along with the ultimate winners of each. This is the first year that the awards, instigated and formerly produced by La…

(Pictured: John Brogden) by Penny Pryor It should come as no surprise that outgoing chief executive of the Financial Services Council, John Brogden, believes that overturning the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) reforms will do more harm than good. After all, some of his association’s members have been the most vocal critics of the political move….

 (Pictured: Matthew Peters) QIC chief economist, Matthew Peters, says a combination of four factors could lead to a perfect economic storm for superannuation funds as they try and boost returns for members over the next few years. At the same time as interest rates are at record lows, funds are facing increasing pressures to maximise income,…

(Pictured: Enrique Gonzalez) Comment by Enrique Gonzalez* Superannuation funds in Australia have always outsourced a substantial part of their operations to asset managers, asset consultants, custodians, and fund administrators. The increasing size of both retail and industry funds has triggered a review into a number of important issues. For instance, whether some key functions may actually…

(Pictured: Karyn West) Apostle Asset Management, the multi-affiliate third-party marketing firm started by Karyn West, is being acquired by its original sponsor, French-based Natixis Asset Management, following the expiry of the seven-year contract between the two groups. West and business partner Greg Johnson will continue to represent two of their own managers under the Apostle Funds…

(Pictured: Jeff Conway) After about 25 years at State Street, Jeff Conway is born again as the head of the newest of the State Street “pillars’ – State Street Global Exchange. It has taken him awhile to “adapt to a new space, personally”, he says. But he has started communicating what the information age really means…