News

(Pictured: Ken Froot) The global investor sentiment index has dipped again with Asian investors adopting a new pessimism in July. The State Street Investor Confidence Index slipped from 107.7 to 105.1, but State Street says that, given the turbulence in some markets, investors have broadly maintained their stance on risk. Asian confidence fell from 100.6…

(Pictured: Graham Long) Impact investing, which has become well established among the big US public sector funds, particularly in California, and is just starting to gain traction in Australia through state government social benefit bonds, will be discussed at the SuperRatings Day of Confrontation Conference in Melbourne on October 15. Michael Trail, the founder and…

(Pictured: Gordon McKellar) Australia’s Future Fund is assisting the Papua New Guinea Government to establish a sovereign wealth fund to invest some of the money from that country’s natural gas exploitation. Gordon McKellar, the Future Fund chief operating officer, has been advising on the new fund’s operating model. PNG is establishing a ‘Stabilisation Fund’ and a…

(Pictured: Jack Gray) Jack Gray, an executive director of Brookvine and adjunct professor at the University of Technology Sydney, believes the investment world has become too politically correct, especially in Australia. He spoke at the FEAL conference on the subject but believes there should be a wider discussion. He said last week: “There is a…

A former securities lending head at State Street, Craig Starble, has bought into and will become chief executive of eSecLending as part of a capital restructure of the firm following its purchase by private equity manager Parthenon Capital Partners. eSecLending is the world’s largest independently owned securities lending agent, with a presence in major markets…

(Pictured: Ramin Toloui) In a briefing paper to clients, PIMCO, the world’s largest fixed interest manager, has addressed the question as to whether investors should buy back into emerging market bonds after the recent sell-off. The answer is: perhaps. The paper, written by Ramin Toloui, the global co-head of emerging markets portfolio management, says: “From…

Comment by Patrick Liddy*  “The only thing new in the world is the history you don’t know”, said Harry S. Truman, one of the most courageous US presidents in history. And Harry was right, up to a point. Themes keep repeating, the same mistakes happen and hubris abounds. Afghanistan is such a point. Alexander the…

(Pictured: Russell Clarke) Mercer has strengthened its funds management team ahead of the return to Australia of the London-based global CIO Russell Clarke. Nick White, a senior investment consultant, will take on the role of head of policy for the funds and Dave Stuart, the head of dynamic asset allocation, will take on the role…

(Pictured: Pete Gunning) Pete Gunning, the global CIO for Russell Investments based in Seattle, is to return to Sydney to take over as the firm’s new CEO for Asia Pacific. Alan Schoenheimer, the current regional CEO, will transition to a non-executive advisory role. Schoenheimer has had various senior management positions at Russell in his 22…

(Pictured: Paul Chadwick) With its first inhouse-produced conference coming up next month, the Alternative Investment Management Association’s Australian chapter is set to lift its profile in the industry and increase its relevance for members – both managers and investors – with the help of its global affiliate association. The recently knighted Sir Michael Hintze is…

(Pictured: Jerome Lander) Jerome Lander, founder of the new research business, ProCapital, and former CIO of the $12 billion NSW Workcover insurance fund, knows the stakes are high for the future of investment portfolios in Australia.  He also knows that most investment portfolios lack sufficient exposure to good active management to deal with the challenges that…

(Pictured: Darrell Ludowyke) Roll up your sleeves and get in there. And think creatively about your data… because: “the superannuation industry is one of the last to shift to a data-driven world”. So said Darrell Ludowyke and Greg Joffe at the FEAL national conference last week. As boring as it sounds, data management is increasingly important…