hesta

Events of the past two years have led to many changes. In the investment world, perhaps none is more apparent than a new level of activism by pension funds. Managers and investee companies beware. At a plenary session at last week’s PRI Digital Conference (October 18-21), ‘Fund Governance for the Next Generation’, representatives of three…

With complaints about its efficacy still reverberating through the super industry, the YFYS performance test is to be extended next year to cover certain member investment options. Sustainability will be a big loser. Having delivered its first-year test results last month (August 31), the Treasury-instigated APRA-implemented test for big super funds found that the MySuper…

Supported by record retail inflows, ESG-focused investing has, finally, become ‘the norm’, according to panelists at least two of the sessions at last week’s (August 31-September 2) AIST ASI conference. But one of the interesting, most recent, trends within this trend, is how climate change action and inaction has given a very short-term focus to…

Debby Blakey, the chief executive of HESTA, has joined the board of the International Corporate Governance Network, the overarching global body representing asset owners for the advancement of good governance. The prestigious appointment follows her other industry directorships at FEAL, ACSI and ASI. Hers was one of three appointments at ICGN announced last week (August…

A new network of investment professionals has backed the ESG integration trend among both asset owners and fund managers with a report which draws on the views of leading investors including the Future Fund and NZ Super. Titled ‘Alpha with Impact’, the report was published last Friday (August 27) to coincide with the first member…

The theme for this year’s Chant West Awards is ‘resilience’. With the big challenges largely thrust upon them – regulatory changes, political sniping and the COVID crisis – the last year has probably been the toughest ever for super funds. A casual observer of the industry, getting most of his or her information on changes…

The $52 billion health sector focused industry fund HESTA announced the appointment of Alan Sheen as head of portfolio management this week. Sheen comes direct from the private sector, leaving the absolute-return firm he founded, Dalton Street Capital, to add further depth and support HESTA’s ambitious growth plans. Sheen will report directly to CIO Sonya…

With climate change being increasingly recognised as a systemic risk, the investment community is becoming more focused on supporting the transition to a net-zero-emissions economy and establishing sound transition plans.   The announcement by Cbus Super is the most recent example. Last month, the $54 billion building and construction industry superfund launched a new Climate Change…