Global Investment Insights

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.

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

May 2023

View this month’s featured job vacancies and opportunities including roles at AustralianSuper, TelstraSuper, ART, Cbus, HESTA, Future Fund, Aware Super, QIC, AMP, CommBank, Resolution Life, Clean Energy Finance Corp., Victor Smorgon Group, Yarra Capital Management, Macquarie Group 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's Andrew Kemp promoted to a new, senior role

May 2023

Global Investment Institute congratulates Andrew Kemp on his promotion to Head of Defensive Assets and Private Markets 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.

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

Geopolitical imperatives for investors amid a changing world order

In this exclusive interview with Global Investment Institute (GII), Matt Gertken shares his perspectives on the biggest geopolitical challenges facing the US, from the future of the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency and the changing balance of power with China’s rise, the impact geopolitics is having on the pursuit of net zero and the opportunities global investors could seek to capture in their portfolios presenting from geopolitical developments.

Matt is currently Chief Strategist, Geopolitical Strategy, at BCA Research. He oversees the firm’s coverage of market-relevant geopolitical, political, and policy developments across the world. He holds an MPhil from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin.

Toby McMillan joins the Future Fund property team

May 2023

Global Investment Institute congratulates Toby McMillan on joining the Future Fund in the role Director, Unlisted Property. The Future Fund is Australia’s sovereign wealth fund, investing and managing assets of more than AU$250 billion for the benefit of future generations of Australians.

Toby joins from the Victorian Funds Management Corporation (VFMC), a AU$60 billion Victorian government fund, where he spent 12+ years, most recently in the role Senior Portfolio Manager (Property).

We wish Toby all the best in his new role and continued success to the team at the Future Fund.