Global Investment Insights

Spotlight on Michael Heldmann, Chief Investment Officer Systematic Equity, Allianz Global Investors

Michael is the Chief Investment Officer of the Systematic Equity team at Allianz Global Investors, responsible for the Systematic Equity strategies and oversees approximately AU$64 billion in assets under management.

“In 2022 a long period of low yields came to an end as central banks started to hike interest rates. The low yield environment created headwinds for factor investing and contributed to the so-called ‘factor winter’ from 2018 to 2020 which this investment approach underperformed for an extended period of time.

“With the end of the low interest rate regime the market is pricing factor exposure, such as Value, Momentum, or Quality, much more accurately. Factor investing has started to provide investors with the returns which they are due, because of the risk exposure they represent. As such we believe that we are entering a much more accommodative period for factor investing.”

Michael will be presenting at Global Investment Institute’s upcoming Equities Investment Forum, taking place on Wednesday, 6 September 2023 at the Westin Melbourne, Victoria.

To register your interest in attending, click here or for more information email zlatan.kapetanovic@globalii.com.au.

Christian Langborn promoted to Senior Investment Analyst focusing on listed equity manager research and portfolio analysis

July 2023

Global Investment Institute congratulates Christian Langborn on his promotion to Senior Investment Analyst at Aware Super.

Christian has been with the Fund since October 2020 and is based in Sydney, New South Wales. In his role as Senior Investment Analyst his focus is on listed equity manager research and portfolio analysis across Australian and global portfolios. We wish him all the best in his new role and continued success to the team at Aware Super.

Rhys Gundry joins VFMC in a senior equities role

July 2023

Global Investment Institute congratulates Rhys Gundry on joining the Victorian Funds Management Corporation as a Senior Portfolio Manager in their equities team (external mandates).

VFMC is a public authority responsible for investing AU$75 billion on behalf of Victorians, managing the long-term investments of Victorian State Government entities, comprising of 31 Victorian public authorities and related organisations.

We wish Rhys all the best in his new role and continued success to the team at VFMC.

Frontier Advisors - Annual Conference Recap

Revisit the conversation - June 2023

Frontier’s team has prepared a comprehensive overview of the their recent Annual Conference including session summaries and associated presentations. This provides detailed insights for anyone who couldn’t make it, and helpful notes for those who were in attendance and would like to revisit the conversations.

On Thursday, 15 June 2023 Frontier held their Annual Conference, which was attended by more than 200 people from across our industry. The day featured 11 individual sessions covering a range of topics that are shaping the world of investing across asset classes, including top-down macroeconomic and geopolitical matters, which are of relevance to any discerning, sophisticated investor.

Session summaries and associated presentations and papers from the Frontier Conference 2023 can be accessed at the Annual Conference website.

Spotlight on Howard Smith, Partner & Portfolio Manager, Indus Japan Strategies, Indus Capital Partners LLC

Howard is a Portfolio Manager of Japan Strategies, at Indus Capital Partners LLC responsible for managing Japan-dedicated portfolios and oversees over US$1 billion in Japan-dedicated assets.

Japan is at an important intersection of internally generated, self-sustaining, contagious change in corporate behaviour and historically low equity valuations, with current setup being unlike anything we have seen in the last 30 years.

Japan is the third largest economy and stock market in the world, with parliamentary democracy and a strong alignment with the G-7 agenda. As an investing destination, it is cheap and is a good diversifier, as it is not a home to the “bubble mania” of unicorns, venture capital frenzy, NFTs or hot property markets. Foreign investors are massively underweight this market foregoing differentiated investment alpha in their portfolios.

Howard will be presenting at Global Investment Institute’s upcoming Equities Investment Forum, taking place on Wednesday, 6 September 2023 at the Westin Melbourne, Victoria.

To register your interest in attending, click here or for more information email zlatan.kapetanovic@globalii.com.au.

Current job opportunities for executives and senior investment professionals across our industry

June-July 2023

This month’s featured job vacancies and opportunities include roles at ART, AustralianSuper, NSW TCorp, HESTA, HostPlus, Future Fund, Northern Trust Asset Servicing, Barings, Frontier Advisors, Alliance Bernstein, Macquarie Group, State Street Global Advisors and more.

If you would like us to promote a job vacancy at your organisation for executive and senior investment roles, please contact us.

Brett Chatfield promoted to Chief Investment Officer role

June 2023

Global Investment Institute congratulates Brett Chatfield on his promotion to Chief Investment Officer of Cbus Super.

Cbus is an industry super fund, established in 1984, eight years before super became compulsory in Australia, when it was known as the Building Unions Superannuation Scheme. Today, it has assets under management in excess of AU$83 billion (as of 12 May 2023) on behalf of more than 900,000 members. In May 2023 Cbus Super successfully completed its merger with EISS Super, welcoming 17,000 new members and establishing itself as the leading fund for energy and electrical workers in Australia.

Brett joined Cbus Super in February 2013 and prior to being appointed Chief Investment Officer had been Deputy Chief Investment Officer since June 2019.

We wish Brett all the best in his new role and continued success to the team at Cbus Super.

Redpoint Investment Management Co-Founder joins Aware Super

June 2023

Global Investment Institute congratulates Ganesh Suntharam on joining Aware Super as Portfolio Manager – Growth Assets.

Aware Super is one of Australia’s largest industry funds providing superannuation, advice and retirement solutions to those who teach, nurse, care, respond and help others in our communities. The Fund currently manages a combined asset pool of AU$125 billion on behalf of its 1.1 million members.

Ganesh joined the Growth Assets team in March 2023. As a Portfolio Manager, Ganesh assists in the management of AU$15+ billion in domestic and international equities, in both growth and low risk products. Ganesh’s focus is on improving Aware’s existing investments and developing new capabilities, applying his considerable experience to their return and climate related goals.

We wish Ganesh all the best in his new role and continued success to the team at Aware Super.

Spotlight on Steven Nguyen, Fundamental Portfolio Manager, Causeway Capital Management LLC

Steven is a Fundamental Portfolio Manager at Causeway Capital Management and shares responsibility for portfolio management and research relating to their fundamental value strategies. He is one of eight fundamental portfolio managers responsible for bottom-up stock selection, with direct research oversight of the following sectors and industries: Utilities/Renewables, Business Services and Health Care.

Steven’s focus is on idea generation within his areas of research coverage and in this exclusive Global Investment Institute article he shares some of the key themes he and his colleagues are monitoring in both the near-term and the longer-term.

Steven will be presenting at Global Investment Institute’s upcoming Equities Investment Forum, taking place on Wednesday, 6 September 2023 at the Westin Melbourne, Victoria

To register your interest in attending, click here or for more information email zlatan.kapetanovic@globalii.com.au.

Kristian Fok to lead Cbus as Chief Executive Officer

June 2023

Global Investment Institute congratulates Kristian Fok on his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of Cbus Super Fund.

Cbus is an industry super fund, established in 1984, eight years before super became compulsory in Australia, when it was known as the Building Unions Superannuation Scheme. Today, it has assets under management in excess of AU$73 billion (as of 31 December 2022) on behalf of more than 875,000 members.

Kristian has been the Fund’s Chief Investment Officer (CIO) for the last decade and for a decade before that, he had a close association with the Fund as its asset consultant, through his role at Frontier Advisors.

We wish Kristian all the best in his new role and continued success to the team at Cbus.

Current job opportunities for executives and senior investment professionals across our industry

June 2023

This month’s featured job vacancies and opportunities include roles at ART, AustralianSuper, HostPlus, CBUS, Spirit Super, Insignia, Colonial First State, QBE Insurance, T.Rowe Price, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and more.

If you would like us to promote a job vacancy at your organisation for executive and senior investment roles, please contact us.

Frontier Advisors promotes Iain McMahon to Head of Bonds, Currency and Derivatives

May 2023

Global Investment Institute congratulates Iain McMahon on his promotion to Head of Bonds, Currency and Derivatives at Frontier Advisors.

Frontier is Australia’s leading independent asset consultant, providing advice on AU$600 billion of assets across the superannuation, charity, public sector, insurance and higher education sectors for over twenty-five years.

Iain is a member of Global Investment Institute’s Advisory Committee for our upcoming Fixed Income & Alternatives Investment Forum, which will take place on Thursday, 7 September 2023 in Melbourne CBD, Victoria. As a member of our Advisory Committee, Iain provides input into the agenda formation process to assist us in shaping the program.

We wish Iain all the best in his new role and continued success to the team at Frontier.