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Comment by Greg Bright Apparently, Media Super is not the only fiduciary fund in the world for which a better-resourced in-house investment management capability is being questioned on governance grounds. Here’s what’s happening at the US$50 billion United Nations pension fund. According to the US publication aiCIO: “A proposal by the CEO of the United…

(Pictured: Amanda Noble & Geoff Rimmer) Equity Trustees (EQT) has spent the last two years quietly reinventing itself and is now a formidable player in not just trustee services but also wealth management. Under the leadership of managing director Robin Burns, the company has bedded down its business structure, announced the purchase of ANZ Trustees,…

(Pictured: Phil Kearns) Phil Kearns had such a good experience with CHAMP Private Equity and Centric Wealth that he does not rule out another role in private equity in the near future. “Private equity is something that was fun and interesting… you also get to pick the brains of some great minds,” he said. “Certainly the…

(Pictured: Xavier Rolet) Last week the London Stock Exchange confirmed it was in exclusive talks with Frank Russell Company parent – The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company – regarding a potential acquisition of Russell. The statement makes LSE the last buyer standing for the company, which was put on the block earlier this year by its…

(Pictured: Zak May) by Penny Pryor High frequency trading (HFT), and its analysis, continues to court controversy in the US and globally. One of the most comprehensive global studies done on potential winners and losers of the practice, first released in 2010, has recently been republished with the express authorisation of the Commodity Futures Trading…

(Pictured: Denis Carroll) UK-based risk consultancy CheckRisk is close to signing up its first Australian superannuation fund for its total risk monitoring system (TRMS) risk tool. “We’re in discussions with some very major super funds about using some of the tools that we have,” Australian chief executive officer of the company, Denis Carroll, said. “Sadly people…

(Pictured: Matthew Chan) Post trade processes in the Asia Pacific region are in dire need of improvement, according to a study commissioned by global transactions systems company Omgeo. The study, one of the most comprehensive on practices in the region to date, was conducted for DTCC-owned Omgeo by Insight Asia Banking & Finance Consulting.  Omgeo director, enterprise and…

(Pictured: Scott Mather) Japan and Australia are countries to watch as the global economy heads towards a “new neutral” with real interest rates generally around zero. But opportunities for bond investors will occur as individual countries react differently to policy challenges. Japan, in particular, has embarked on an “experiment” with both fiscal and monetary policy and…

(Pictured: Michael Gordon) Perpetual Investments is incubating a global share strategy, which is expected to be considered when its arrangement with Wellington Management Company for international shares comes up for review at the end of this year. For two years now, four investment analysts within the team that look after the Global Resources Fund, launched in…

(Pictured: Matt Christensen) Australian developments in the social impact investing space are drawing the attention of global investors. Matt Christensen, global head of responsible investment at AXA Investment Management, in Australia recently to speak at the GTQ Investing in Responsibility Conference, said the Australian social benefit bonds were on a watch list of around 10 similar…

(Pictured: Martin Donnelly) Global advisory and capital placement firm FIRSTavenue has opened an office in Sydney and appointed Martin Donnelly as partner and head of the local operation. Donnelly joined FIRSTavenue from Blackstone Alternative Asset Management, where he was managing director of the hedge fund solutions group Australia. He is still listed as such on the…

(Pictured: Olivia Engel) State Street Global Advisors (SSgA) won one of its first major mandates for its Global Managed Volatility Alpha strategy during the week – a $115 million mandate from the IOOF MultiMix multi-managed superannuation funds – but what is interesting about the strategy is that it tailors its global offering depending on the country…