News

(Pictured: Raewyn Williams) Parametric, the after-tax and implementation manager, has put some form and context around the regulatory push and increased general awareness of the importance of managing money on an after-tax basis. A new paper sets out what managers should and should not do. The paper, written by Raewyn Williams, a former manager and consultant…

(Pictured: Ravi Nevile) Mercer Sentinel, the custody consulting, implementation and transitions arm of Mercer, is looking for a new head of its Asia Pacific business following the resignation of Ravi Nevile, who leaves the firm at the end of this week. Graeme Mather, business leader for Mercer Investment Consulting in Australia and New Zealand, is running…

(Pictured: Jennifer Bender) With the evolution of what most people call ‘smart beta’, but State Street calls ‘advanced beta’, Jennifer Bender says that the two overriding trends are the recognition that these are new beta tools to be used to mix and match depending on the investor’s profile and that there are strong diversification benefits to…

(Pictured: Pam McAlister) Since Arthur Sinodinos stood down as assistant treasurer early this year, speculation around compulsory structural changes to super fund boards, which he had proposed, has also died down. But most people in the industry believe the trend for more independents is inevitable. Mercer has surveyed some big funds about their readiness. The Mercer…

(Pictured: Keith Heydon) AIMA Australia has announced the keynote speakers for its annual conference on September 16 at the Sydney Sofitel Wentworth Hotel. They include Keith Haydon, the CIO of Man Group affiliate FRM. Haydon runs US$11 billion of FRM money and sits on the Man Group executive committee overseeing US$55 billion. Other keynotes include: David…

(Pictured: Greg Liddell) by Greg Bright Russell Investments’ consulting arm hasn’t been formally laid to rest, although the industry has been increasingly concerned about its health for several years. With the latest departure – that of Greg Liddell – maybe it’s time to say goodbye. Liddell, Russell’s managing director of Advisory Services in Australia, has resigned…

(Pictured: Andreas Faeste) Andreas Faeste, an experienced funds management marketer, has formed his own firm, Breakwater Advisory, and will represent in Australia the diversified former ING subsidiary in the US, the publicly listed Voya Investment Management. Voya has been doing business, as ING, in Australia for more than 15 years, mainly through private placements of Australian…

(Pictured: Andrew White) by Penny Pryor  The ASX’s tri-party collateral management service, ASX Collateral, has reached $500 million in balances in fixed income assets and expects that figure to reach $2 billion by the end of the month. ASX Collateral started with fixed income in July last year, in partnership with Clearstream Banking, and plans to…

(Pictured: Ross Bernays) Ross Bernays, the former chief executive of Health Industry Plan (HIP), which merged with Prime Super in May, has launched a funds management servicing company, Investment and Financial Services Logistics. The company will blend third-party marketing and events with placement agency offerings. Bernays said that the service aimed to support investors, fund managers…

(Pictured: Jeff Bresnahan) Not-for-profit funds have dominated the top ranks for super fund returns in the year to June, according to figures released over the weekend by SuperRatings. Corporate fund Telstra Super had the best performing balanced, growth and Australian shares options of the top 50 funds. The median return for balanced options among super funds…

(Pictured: Adrian Stewart) After more than a year of searching and, possibly, soul searching, PIMCO last week announced two key appointments for the region – head of Asia Pacific and head of Australia. Adrian Stewart, former head of institutional business at Macquarie, is the new Australian chief, based in Sydney, and Eric Mogelof is the new…

AXA Investment Managers has appointed Simon Flood as head of Asia Pacific, including Japan, based in Hong Kong. He will report to Laurent Seyer, global head of ‘client group’. He succeeds Jean-Pierre Leoni who, after four years in Asia, is returning to France where he will lead AXA IM’s client management group. Seyer said last…