Age of activism UniSuper's recent, very public opposition to the Westfield restructure illustrated at least one thing: super funds have clout. Gone are the days when trustees delegated all investment decisions - including shareholder voting rights - to an assortment of external fund managers. Now, some of the big funds have their own in-house managers who have the expertise to make complicated judgments. And as the episode with Westfield showed, they are not afraid to use this expertise.
But what does this mean for businesses? Will super funds become increasingly active in the governance and decision-making of the companies they own? Will they use their clout to force companies to do things they wouldn't otherwise have done? Will they even use their financial muscle to force environmental and social change, divesting from fossil fuels, tobacco and weapons manufacturers? Or is this all hyperbole? FS Super associate editor James Fernyhough sat down with UniSuper chief investment officer John Pearce to
 Leading the waySharon Davis has always been fascinated by the human condition; it has driven her passion for people, her career, and building a better future for the ...  Climbing to the topVanguard Australia managing director Daniel Shrimski is determined to propel the investment giant's superannuation product into the top 10 funds by assets ...  The super, super fundAware Super has marked its expansion into Europe with the grand opening of its London office.  A fresh startColonial First State chief investment officer Jonathan Armitage has a clear-eyed focus on positioning the fund manager as the first choice for retirement ...  In the thick of itDrawn to the intersection of colliding viewpoints, Industry Super Australia chief executive Bernie Dean has dedicated his career to crafting consensus ...  Cards on the tableMeat Industry Employees Superannuation Fund has proved size doesn't always matter, outdoing industry giants with impressive returns. At the same time ...  The art of investingEquity markets will always move higher over the long term despite the current uncertainty about interest rates, monetary policy, and inflation, according ...  Dawn of a new eraBeginning his tenure amid a turbulent COVID environment, Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation chief executive Damian Hill has overcome a challenging ...  Living the dreamHeading one of the country's largest sustainable investors wasn't something Peter Chun ever envisioned for himself, but that's just a bonus of taking ...  Taking actionAfter more than two decades as Local Government Super, a monumental rebrand has breathed new life into the $14 billion industry fund. Jamie Williamson ... |
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Further Reading
Cover Story
Leading the way
SHARON DAVIS
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FUTURE GROUP AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FUTURE GROUP AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD
Sharon Davis has always been fascinated by the human condition; it has driven her passion for people, her career, and building a better future for the next generation and beyond. Eliza Bavin writes.
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