Moves at the top of Australia's super funds

The top jobs at super funds don't come up that often. Unlike the corporate sector, it's not unusual for a super fund CEO to stay for more than a decade. In fact, of the 13 super fund CEO changes published in Industry Moves since 2012, the average years served were nine, and the most were a whopping 19 years.

In CEO's that stay, journalist Penny Pryor wrote: "Long-serving CEOs of superannuation funds are very passionate about what they can do for members. And maybe it's this not-for-profit ethos, and sense of community, that is a big reason why there are so many stayers in the superannuation industry."

Another incentive to stay could be the attractive salary packages, but that's for another day.

Whatever the reason, there is no refuting that there isn't much movement at the top, as the following report shows:

Snapshot

13.........Number of super fund CEO changes since July 2012
9............Average years served
1............Shortest years served
19.........Longest years served
20%.....Female CEOs

Over the past year, five of these super fund CEOs have participated in our weekly Q&As and offered some insight into the people behind the moves:

May 2015 - Settling in as CEO of Funds SA
Jo Townsend arrived in Sydney from Hobart 27 years ago with her husband and all of their possessions packed into a hatch-back Celica. Last week they hit the road again, with their son and pooch, for a new life in Adelaide, where Jo is to take up the role of CEO at Funds SA. Jo tells Industry Moves what initially drew her to the role, and why some sound parental advice led her to go back to study as a mature age student and rethink her career. Read Q&A

April 2015 - Greg Sword on life after LUCRF
Greg Sword retired last year after nine years as CEO of industry fund LUCRF, but his involvement with the fund started 40 years before when as a young organiser with the then Storeman and Packers Union he was responsible for establishing LUCRF to provide super benefits to members. Greg looks back on a career in super, unions and politics, and forward to a retirement focused on 'freedom' and family. Read Q&A

February 2015 - HESTA names new CEO
Debby Blakey has been appointed as HESTA's new chief executive officer. Blakey was previously the deputy to long-serving chief executive Anne-Marie Corboy, who leaves the fund this month after 16 years in the top job. Blakey joined HESTA in 2008 as member advice executive manager and was appointed deputy CEO in 2012. Read Q&A

January 2015 - HESTA and beyond
Anne-Marie Corboy, one of Australia's longest-serving industry fund chief executives, will step down as CEO of HESTA next month after serving 16 years in the top role. We ask Anne-Marie about her time at the fund, why this is the right time to move on, and the plans she has for the future. Read Q&A

July 2014 - Bernays to head new business
Ross Bernays has launched a funds management servicing company, Investment and Financial Services Logistics, combining third-party marketing and events with placement agency offerings. Bernays was previously the chief executive of Health Industry Plan (HIP), which merged with Prime Super in May 2014. Read Q&A