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(pictured: Chris Trevillyan) Australia’s potential GDP growth is better than most of its developed market peers over the next 10 years, according to the latest capital markets analysis by Frontier Advisors. But emerging markets are likely to perform better. The assessment was presented last week by consultants Chris Trevillyan, Alvin Tan and Anthony Michael, and included…

(pictured: Vanessa Stoykov) Evolution Media is developing another television series and a new web portal following its recent move into mainstream direct-to-consumer broadcasting with its ‘No More Practice’ reality TV show about investments on the Nine Network. Vanessa Stoykov, Evolution’s founder and chief executive, told a gathering at the Stone & Chalk technology hub in…

(pictured: Tim McGavin) Laguna Bay, the agribusiness manager, has had its first closing of $280 million raised for the Laguna Bay Agricultural Fund, to be invested in a portfolio of businesses across Australia and New Zealand. The manager is already the largest olive oil producer in Australia. The fund, which will have its final closing around…

(pictured: Len Brennan) Russell Investments senior management have taken “a meaningful equity stake” in the business alongside new owners TA Associates and Reverence Capital Partners, cementing the ongoing leadership in the new arrangement. The two US private equity firms picked up Russell Investments from the London Stock Exchange for US$1.15 billion last October after fending off…

(pictured: David Goodacre) RBC Investor & Treasury Services has recruited experienced salesperson David Goodacre into the new position of director of global client coverage. He left BNP Paribas Securities Services in April after 12 years with that firm. Goodacre, who was most recently sales manager, Australia and New Zealand, at BNP will be working with former…

(pictured: Ronan Walsh)  Ronan Walsh, the general manager of investments at REST Industry Super, left the fund suddenly last Thursday after less than six months in the job. A search is underway for a replacement. Walsh joined the $37 billion fund on December 7 after a six-month search, replacing the former general manager investments, Jo…

(pictured: Aongus O’Gorman) Investment consultant Willis Towers Watson has downgraded its investment outlook for the year ahead and is advising clients to add some alternative assets with genuine diversification characteristics to their portfolios. Speakers at last week’s WTW Ideas Exchange in Sydney this month acknowledged that investors might be sceptical about some of the alternatives on…

(pictured: Stefan Azzopardi) Southern Cross Health Society has gone down the multi-management route for about 20 per cent of its approximately NZ$500 million (A$466 million) investment portfolio following a deal with Russell Investments. Stefan Azzopardi, Southern Cross head of finance, risk and compliance, said Russell Investments would manage about NZ$100 million (A$93 million) placed across three…

(pictured: Ian Dunbar) Small companies offering innovative fintech solutions find it very difficult dealing with big super funds, according to Ian Dunbar, Afiniation co-founder and SuiteBox Australia chief executive. He told a fintech conference organised by FIS, the global banking and payments technology company which last year acquired SunGard, in Sydney last week that small companies…

(pictured: Eric Sorensen) Objectives-based investing will shape funds management in future, especially with individual investors, who will continue to pay for manager insights but not so much for systematic strategies, according to Matt Olsen, the chief executive of Lonsec Research. Olsen spoke last week at a briefing on ‘The Future of Funds Management’ organised by Pengana…

(pictured: Keri Pratt) Women in Super NSW has provided four more scholarships to members under its arrangement with the University of NSW’s Australian Graduate School of Management, now in its second year. The scholarship program has helped boost interest in the NSW chapter of the Melbourne-based Women in Super, as well as attendance at its events….

(pictured: Nick Basile) by Greg Bright Suncorp CIO, Nick Basile, will retire from his position at the end of June and is looking to pursue a small number of non-executive director roles in the industry. A search is underway for his replacement. Basile’s career in funds management spans nearly four decades and traces the modern history…