Fund People Update

Vale Helen Hewett

Helen Hewett, an industry pioneer and advocate, has sadly passed away. Helen Hewett led Cbus as the chief executive from 1997 to 2004, then moved into a role at Industry Funds Forum which eventually morphed into the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees in 2017. Hewett was a staunch advocate for suicide prevention and the mental health of members, founding SuperFriend. Hewett also co-founded Women in Super after attending a superannuation conference in which there were only four women in attendance. All four women met for breakfast the next day and vowed to do better for women in the industry, and Women in Super was born.

PwC appoints insurance head

Yoshiro Makita is the insurance leader for Australia within Price-Waterhouse Cooper’s financial services business. Makita moves into the role from PwC Japan as head of insurance consulting.

Goldman Sachs welcomes MD of alternatives capital markets

Craig Balenzuela is the new managing director of alternatives capital markets and strategy for Australia and New Zealand at Goldman Sachs Asset management. Balanzuela joins from Queensland Investment Corporation.

U Ethical appoints board members

Uniting Ethical Investors Limited has made two board appointments: Annette King and Robin Burns. King has a wealth of board experience, coming from directorships at MLC Australia, Swiss Re, AFG and FNZ Group, and C-suite roles across the Asia Pacific region with AXA, Mercer and Manulife. King is a qualified actuary, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and president and chair of the Actuaries Institute of Australia.

Burns has over three decades of experience in senior roles and directorships across large financial organisations such as BT Superannuation, Defence Health, FSC, AXA, Pimco, Equity Trustees and Equip Super.

FSC appoints new board member

The Financial Services Council (FSC) has appointed Nick Hamilton, the managing director and chief executive of Challenger Limited as a director. Hamilton has over two decades’ experience in financial markets across the globe.

SMSF Association welcomes chair

Scott Hay-Bartlem is the new chair of the SMSF Association, after being a director since 2019. Hay-Bartlem will take over from Andrew Hamilton who is stepping down after serving his second stint in the role.

Vision Super appoints director

Vijaya Vaidyanath is the newest board member at Vision Super. Vaidyanath is the former chief executive of City of Yarra, and the current chief of Homes Melbourne.

JANA welcomes head of quantitative analysis, 4 department heads

Christopher Worthington has been appointed to the role of head of quantitative analysis and risk at JANA Investment Advisers. Worthington moves into the role from New Zealand Super as a senior investment strategist of asset allocation.

Four others have been appointed as department heads in a company restructure. Andrew Cassar is running Australiasian equities, Iain North is the head of alternatives, Courtney Wilder is overseeing portfolio design, and Gary Wilson is the head of capital markets.