Insights

Over the last few months, as part of our regular Q&As, we have asked some of Australia’s leading investment professionals to share their most memorable investments - the good ones and the bad. In a showcase of responses, we find out those they are most proud of, those that would have benefitted from the power of hindsight, and why sometimes it’s the simple investments that do the best.

In the lead-up to the World Business Forum, Industry Moves talks to featured speaker and futurist, Shara Evans, who takes us on a journey into the future of technology. We find out about advancements that will not only affect the workplace of the future, but also what it means to be human. Shara tells us that she believes we have already lost the battle when it comes to maintaining online privacy and that much of what we see in sci-fi films will become a reality within the next 5-10 years. From automation of the workforce, to digital immortality, this Q&A will both fascinate and terrify you.

Of the 221 appointments Industry Moves reported on in the first quarter of 2018, just 56 (25%) were awarded to women. When broken down into executive and board appointments, there's a whole different story, with 48% of board appointments going to women, compared to just 22% of executive roles. So, while we are seeing a distinct improvement in gender diversity on boards, there seems to be a decline in the number of women who are landing the industry's leading roles.

There is a huge waiting list of people seeking social housing in Australia and with evidence showing that impact investing in this space can reap reasonable rewards, we ask managing director of Affordable Housing Australia, Michael Kerans to bring us up to date with the current state of play.

With the Banking Royal Commission now underway, the superannuation industry will also find itself in the spotlight. Independence on boards is likely to be on the agenda, once again. This week we take a look at 10 of the largest profit-for-member funds in Australia - who invest $500 billion of their members' funds - compare their current number of directors, and drill down to find out a little more about the 16 independent directors appointed so far.

How do you service 400,000 members, across 37 different university campuses, with financial advice? UniSuper’s executive manager, advice and employer relationships, Jack McCartney, tells us about the $65 billion super fund’s in-house financial advice offering.

Today marks the 104th International Women's Day, a day where we celebrate the social, political, cultural and economic achievements of women across the world, while also highlighting the significant inequalities they face. As passionate supporters of the cause, we spoke to some influential women in the financial services industry and asked them to pay tribute to the women in their lives who have made a difference.

Social Ventures Australia (SVA) is at the forefront of impact investing in Australia. In partnership with Uniting, it was integral in getting the first social impact bond – the Newpin Social Benefit Bond – off the ground and continues to be involved in developing impact investing products across Australia.

Whether you're working as part of a large organisation or running your own show, it can be difficult to stay on top of both your professional and personal worlds and find that sweet spot we like to call 'balance'.

At the Women In Super (WIS) luncheon with investment leader and philanthropist Chris Cuffe last week, it was announced that WIS, in partnership with the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) @ UNSW Business School, will continue its scholarship program, with all WIS members eligible to apply for the AGSM's Executive Education Short Courses to further their learning and leadership capabilities.

Finance industry leaders are among the many top executives preparing to participate in the OzHarvest CEO CookOff, to be held on Monday 19 March at Sydney’s Royal Hall of Industries. Egged on by their friends and colleagues in the form of sponsorship dollars, they will work alongside some of Australia's most talented chefs, to serve a gourmet feast to more than a thousand of the city's most vulnerable people.

Australia’s superannuation system has been recognised as one of the best pension systems in the world, largely due to the introduction of compulsory contributions in 1992. According to the latest APRA data, Australians since have amassed approximately A$2.5 trillion in retirement savings. However, the rapidly growing number of baby boomers heading into retirement combined with longer life expectancies, has pushed the system into a critical tipping point. According to DST’s Sam Higgie, this presents an enormous opportunity for superannuation funds and life insurers. The big question is: are they ready?

Last year, in the first full year of our Products & Services Round-up, Industry Moves reported on a total of 86 products.

Our very first jobs can teach us lifelong lessons - about our character, skills, ethics, and sometimes, that we’d rather be doing anything but this! Industry Moves asked a selection of our featured movers to reveal their introduction into the workforce and discovered that their first jobs were as varied, and interesting, as the professionals they became.

As is customary for our first newsletter of the year, we bring you a snapshot of the 1428 moves reported in 2018 with comparative data and analysis for the last three years.

In our customary fashion, Industry Moves is kicking off the year with an analysis of the activity in reported moves for 2017. In what has been a watershed moment for our reporting capabilities, we also now have five full years of comparative moves data, which we have summarised for you below.

Despite dire warnings from some of the world’s economic think tanks at the beginning of the year, the sky has not yet fallen in and 2017 has proved to be a pretty good year for investors. In more good news, this year Industry Moves reported on 1,426 moves, 849 of which were appointments, with a plethora of newly-created roles and boutique start-ups.

We've covered some interesting topics in our weekly insight pieces this year - from the neuroscience behind investment decision making, to how to prepare your organisation for the digital age. We've also been introduced to some of the industry's newest ethical investment options, as well as the push for workplaces to be more diverse and flexible. As the year draws to a close, we take a look back on the most thought provoking ideas of 2017 and the thought leaders and change makers behind them.

Well, 2017 has been a big year - aren't they all - and for some of our industry's longest-serving employees it has signalled time for a change. This week, we pay homage to a dozen of those who have served impressive innings at their respective organisations (with 221.5 years served between them) and are moving on to pursue new opportunities both in and out of the industry.

For many financial advisers, fintech is thought of as a negative disruption, rivalling their traditional business models with technology that could eventually take away their jobs. However, a new report from the Financial Planning Association may help allay fears, as it spotlights the products that are designed to improve efficiency, reduce costs and optimise valuable face-to-face client time.