Super

A coalition of domestic and international pension funds has bought one of Australia’s largest private forest management companies in a big vote of confidence for natural capital assets.

Forestry has investment features that dovetail with the long-term strategies of super funds, according to Atchison Consultants, but the asset class has been ignored in favour of more traditional allocations .

While internal investment teams have generally delivered good outcomes there is little independent review or direct public scrutiny of their performance compared to external managers, according to Frontier Advisors.

The merger between ISA and AIST has created a new organisation that will court both sides of politics to “advocate for the interests” of more than 10 million Australians.

More regulatory pressure on valuation practices means big funds run the risk of missing out on attractive deals and members could face higher costs. But with Australia now at the forefront of defined contribution pensions globally, should GPs get with the program?

After announcing his departure from the role, Australian Retirement Trust chief Bernard Reilly tells ISN why the fund “hasn’t missed a beat” since the merger that created it and how the arrival of the megafunds heralds a new era of “co-opetition” in the super industry.

ASIC has launched civil proceedings against Australia’s biggest super fund over allegations it failed to consolidate the accounts of 90,000 members and continued to charge them fees.

As the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees disappears, a piece of super history – one that led to the creation of many of the institutions the industry relies on today – is likely going along with it.

Everybody’s anticipating a sweeping technological revolution, but they haven’t stopped to think about whether they’ll actually profit from it. More likely than not they’re holding onto horses when everybody’s making cars.

The creation of a new investment data platform underpins Aware’s march to managing half of its projected $250 billion FUM internally. State Street is providing the glue that holds it all together.

The megafund is expanding its sustainable investment team as it adopts a new climate change strategy and fields increased interest in its approach from new corners.

Australia’s second-largest super fund just got a little bit larger with a big win from the corporate fund strategy one of its predecessor funds embarked on almost six years ago.