Joining the Cbus Buzz: Q&A with Morten Frederiksen
Morten Frederiksen has worked at both boutiques and large institutions in Australia and overseas, and this month brings his experience in global portfolio management to Cbus' growing in-house investment team. As he takes up his new appointment at the $35 billion industry fund, we find out what he's most looking forward to in the role, some of the challenges ahead, and about his "interesting" introduction to the industry during the Asian Financial Crisis.
Morten Frederiksen has worked at both boutiques and large institutions in Australia and overseas, and this month brings his experience in global portfolio management to Cbus' growing in-house investment team. As he takes up his new appointment at the $35 billion industry fund, we find out what he's most looking forward to in the role, some of the challenges ahead, and about his "interesting" introduction to the industry during the Asian Financial Crisis.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role as Cbus' Portfolio Manager, Global Equities?
I think it's an exciting time to be joining Cbus with the coming internalisation of some of the equity funds. A lot is happening across the organisation, and there is an exciting buzz and a great collection of people in place for the future.
What challenges do you predict for the role?
There is a lot to do in terms of getting the internalisation going, and so far I have been very impressed with the approaches and progress to date. Our job is to deliver the best possible outcomes for our members and that's what drives us all.
Your 2016 annual report showed that Cbus had approximately 22% in international shares. Will you be looking at reducing this percentage due to current global instability surrounding Trump's presidency?
We constantly review and monitor all our positions given the available information we have at any one point in time.
Are there any investment strategies that are you particularly excited about?
Clearly global equities is the strategy I am most excited about, as it's the strategy that I am directly involved with. There is a lot going on across markets, and the next few years will be very interesting.
How do you feel about working in one of Australia's largest super funds after coming from smaller, boutique firms?
Throughout my career I have worked across smaller boutiques as well as in large global organisations, and a significant portion of my career has involved managing portfolios for large pension funds, both in Australia and offshore, so I think my background will be quite helpful in the role.
Will there be others joining you in the global investment team?
Yes, we are adding one further member to the team this month, taking us to 5 members.
What was your very first job?
My first job in the financial industry was as an Asian equity analyst, and I started at the depth of the Asian Financial Crisis, and it presented a very interesting learning curve. I was given the job of analysing a lot of the most distressed markets and that taught me a lot about the financial markets.
What is the best advice you've ever received?
An old primary school teacher once told me "if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything", and it's kind of stuck with me.
What's something that most people wouldn't know about you?
Having grown up in South Korea, I can still read and write Korean, although have long since forgotten how to speak the language.
Is there a particular charity or cause that you support?
For the past few years, I have supported Giant Steps, Giant Steps, a special needs school focusing on teaching kids on the autism spectrum in Sydney and Melbourne. I have also supported the Smith Family Appeal, as I believe in supporting children's access to education.
