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(Pictured:  David Murray) Comment by Greg Bright  David Murray, the 65-year-old former chief executive of the Commonwealth Bank and, clearly, a favorite person of successive coalition governments, is scheduled to hand down the interim report of the Financial System Inquiry (FSI) tomorrow, July 15. What can we expect? Murray’s role as chair of the inquiry…

Word is that the Link Group, owner of Sydney-based Australian Administration Services (AAS), has already done a deal to buy its main competitor, SuperPartners, from its super fund owners, following the announcement last month of a review into the future of the Melbourne-based administrator. The prime cause of the sale is the losses associated with…

(Pictured: Michael Gallagher) The Alternative Investment Management Association in Australia has filled its vacant general manager’s spot with the appointment of experienced hedge fund manager Michael Gallagher. One of his first tasks will be to help finalise the program for the association’s upcoming annual conference. Gallagher, who follows Brett Ireland in the job, has more…

(Pictured: Dan Bosscher) Perennial Value Management has built a risk-management capability, which it is offering through a new retail Australian equities trust or as an overlay for its larger institutional clients. The service provides downside protection while allowing the client to remain fully invested in the market. The culmination of about three years of work,…

(Pictured: Kyle Ringrose) By Penny Pryor QSuper is about to review it’s pilot securities lending program and determine whether it wants to be more aggressive, head of investment operations at the $40 billion fund, Kyle Ringrose, told delegates at the Global Investor/ISF Masterclass Australia conference last week. Ringrose announced that the fund would be starting…

(Pictured: Jeff Bresnahan) There’s nothing like a spat between rivals to prick one’s interest, but the recent dispute between trade publisher Super Review and research firm SuperRatings is particularly unusual. Super Review had claimed to have SuperRatings’ support for a new industry Awards night, which would be highly unusual in itself. But this turned out…

(Pictured: Anton Tagliaferro)With many small-cap funds either at, or near, capacity, Investors Mutual has decided to enter the listed investment company market with an Australian equities fund which invests outside the top 20. The LIC – QV Equities Ltd – seeks to raise a minimum of $100 million and maximum of $200 million and hopes…

People not only spend less time reading news and analyses online as they used to do in print, they prefer different types of articles. An analysis of the most popular reports on Investor Strategy News for the past year shows commentary and the industry’s history rate highest among our readers. This newsletter celebrated its first…

(Pictured: Peter Sipek) Peter Sipek, director of investment services at AMP Capital, has resigned and left the firm, having headed up investment operations for AMP’s funds management arm since 2006. An AMP spokesperson said that the recruitment process was underway and, until the position was filled, Sharon Davis, AMP Capital’s chief operating officer, would oversee the…

(Pictured: Stuart Korchinski) Diversa Ltd, the listed boutique trustee and superannuation administration business, has cemented funding to allow for a big step up in scale and capabilities through two takeovers to be transitioned over the next few months. Diversa has raised $3.04 million through a placement which was led by the advisory firm of one of…

(Pictured: Xavier Rolet) Shortly after the London Stock Exchange Group announced its heads of agreement to acquire Russell Investments, the LSE’s chief executive and chief finance officer fronted UK analysts. The questions about Russell’s investment management and consulting businesses were unrelenting. If the analysts are to be believed, LSE is unlikely to retain the non-index part…

(Pictured: Phillip Weinberg) The legal action by the New York Attorney General’s Office against Barclays Bank over management of its dark pool of liquidity for clients has ramifications around the world, according to Phillip Weinberg, chief executive of Australian trade execution firm BestEx. The NY Attorney General is alleging that Barclays systematically biased its dark pool…