The time for ideological argument was over, said the chair of the Stronger Super Committee, Paul Costello, and the industry should work constructively to implement the Australian Government’s response to the Cooper Review. (more…)

As evidence emerges that pension best-practice increasingly manifests in mega-funds, mergers to capitalise on the benefits of economies of scale abound. Amanda White looks behind the scenes of the roll-in of the $3.4 billion state-based Westscheme into the $37 billion AustralianSuper, and finds it’s not as glamorous as it sounds. (more…)

This collaborative research examines the relationship between hedge fund managers’ fee structures and the amount of risk taken and among other things finds a “high-powered incentive fee” encourages excessive risk-taking, while management fees have the opposite effect. (more…)

US consulting firm Wurts & Associates turns 25 this year, so Amanda White spoke to the founder, Bill Wurts, and managing director, Jeff MacLean, about the company’s transformation and the plans for the next quarter of a century. (more…)

Everyone likes venture capital. It’s one of the feel-good asset types that fiduciary investors can believe makes a difference to society. Unfortunately, for the past 10 years it has also, on average, lost money. (more…)

Climate change could slash as much as 10 per cent off portfolios in the next 20 years, according to Mercer’s much-anticipated climate change report, the result of an 18-month collaboration with 14 institutional investors from around the globe. (more…)