Michael McQueen is joining the industry fund on July 1, coming from Prime Super where he was the general manager for investments for close to two years.

He brings over two decades of experience and held senior investment roles at other super funds, including Media Super, LUCRF Super, and Kinetic Super. He also has experience at various financial institutions like UBS, Goldman Sachs, JBWere, ANZ Global Wealth, and more.

More recently, he was chief investment officer at Foresters Financial between 2023 and 2024.

The announcement follows the resignation of chief executive Bill Watson who left to join BUSSQ as chief investment officer after a 13-year tenure. Greg Everett was appointed acting chief executive in March.

Commenting on McQueen's appointment, Everett said it comes at an important time for the fund.

"Michael brings a rare combination of deep investment expertise, strong governance discipline and a proven ability to build high-performing teams," Everett said.

"His experience across asset allocation, portfolio design and investment stewardship positions him to drive our investment strategy forward and deliver long-term value for members."

In accepting the role, McQueen said he looks forward to strengthening the fund's investment capability.

"First Super has built a solid investment foundation and I'm looking forward to working with the team," McQueen said.

"As financial markets become increasingly complex, a disciplined approach is critical to ensure we deliver competitive outcomes to members."

Other super funds have also been making moves, including Aware Super with a new head of international, based in London; Rest's head of CIO office; NGS Super appointing a chief member officer; and a new chief investment officer joining AustralianSuper.

Angela Mentis and Akifumi Kai have been named the new independent non-executive directors.

TAL also acknowledged the retirement of Christine Bartlett from the board, following her significant contribution as an independent non-executive director.

Mentis brings 37 years of financial services experience to the board, including as managing director and chief executive of Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), group executive Business Banking and chief digital, data and analytics officer at NAB, alongside other senior roles at Westpac, BT Financial Group and Citibank.

"I am honoured to join the TAL board at such an exciting time for the business and for the life insurance industry more broadly," she said.

"TAL's commitment to protecting Australians and supporting them and their families when it matters most deeply resonates with me. I have spent my career focused on customers and communities, and I look forward to contributing to TAL's next chapter."

Meanwhile, Kai is a director at TAL's parent company Dai-ichi Life Group, where he has been responsible for corporate planning, organisational restructuring, and the development and execution of growth strategies in Japan and overseas for the past eight years.

"TAL plays a vital role in protecting Australians and their families, and I look forward to supporting the business as it continues to evolve," he said.

Welcoming both directors, TAL chair David Cohen said the appointments will contribute to TAL's next phase of growth.

"Angela brings deep expertise across digital strategy and customer transformation, and a proven track record of leading large, complex organisations with purpose and performance," Cohen said.

"Akifumi brings valuable perspective from Dai-ichi Life Group, along with a strong background in corporate strategy and international business development.

"Together, their complementary experience will be a tremendous asset to TAL as we continue to grow and evolve the way we serve Australians, their families and communities."

TAL group chief executive and managing director Fiona Macgregor echoed Cohen's statement,

"Angela's expertise in customer experience, organisational culture, and business performance, combined with her strong background in digital and data strategy, aligns exceptionally well with our priorities," Macgregor said.

"Akifumi's deep knowledge of Dai-ichi Life's strategy and his international financial services experience will further strengthen the connection between TAL and Dai-ichi Life. We very much look forward to the perspective and counsel both Angela and Akifumi will bring."

Sinclair will be tasked with strengthening M&G's relationships across Australian institutional investors, including official institutions, super funds and insurers.

He joins the asset manager from TWC Invest, where he was co-founder and partner, focused on capital raising and distribution strategy. Prior to TWC Invest, Sinclair held senior leadership roles at PGIM and Principal Global Investors, where he led institutional businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

M&G Investments global head of client group Neil Godfrey said Sinclair's appointment strengthens the firm's presence in Australia.

"Australia is one of the most sophisticated and developed pension markets globally, with a strong institutional framework and long-term investment approach. It shares key structural characteristics with the UK, making it a natural market for M&G," Godfrey said.

"This enables us to bring our investment capabilities across public and private markets, particularly in areas of credit, real assets, equities and real estate, where M&G has been engaged with Australian investors to help secure differentiated sources of return."

M&G said the appointment reflects its commitment to support long-term growth in Australia as a strategically important market with highly developed superannuation system, deep institutional capital pools and a sophisticated investor base.

M&G has been active in Australia's real estate market since 2004, with a portfolio of US$2.4 billion ($3.6bn) and has managed investments on behalf of institutional clients since 2010.

"Australian institutional investors are increasingly seeking partners that can provide access to differentiated investment opportunities over long-term time horizons," Sinclair said.

"M&G's breadth across public and private markets, combined with its long-standing investment heritage, offers a compelling proposition for clients as they navigate a more complex and evolving investment landscape."

M&G has customers in the UK, Europe, the Americas and Asia, including individual savers and investors, life insurance policy holders and pension scheme members.

Simon Aboud joined the wealth manager on June 1. Late last year, Aboud left Allianz Retire+ as its chief product and marketing officer, a role he assumed in May 2021.

Prior to Allianz Retire+ he was in senior marketing roles at Certane, FIIG Securities, Macquarie Group and Westpac.

Annabelle Kline, chief product officer at BT, commented: "We're pleased to welcome Simon to BT at an important point for the business. With the Asgard migration successfully behind us, we have strong momentum as we move into our next phase of growth."

Kline added Aboud will play an important role as BT positions for "significant shifts we're seeing in the market - from increasingly complex retirement needs through to the growing role platforms can play for advisers and their clients."

"Simon brings deep experience across wealth management and product strategy which will be critical as we strengthen how we support advisers and quality financial advice to thrive, with better outcomes for clients," she said.

Among the changes at Allianz Retire+ last year, David Kane, who was chief operating officer for more than four years, was prompted as chief executive permanently.

Catherine van der Veen and Lucy Foster were appointed as chief distribution and marketing officers in a co-sharing capacity.

Sungwoo Park was named chief financial officer and Maria Fink was appointed as head of business management for life protection.

Current BT chief executive Matt Rady, who has been in the role for more than four years, previously was the chief of Allianz Retire+ between June 2018 and October 2021.

Rady is also the vice chair of Breakthrough T1D Australia, a research, advocacy, and community support organisation.

Brendan Malone left the top job on May 29 and remains on gardening leave until 29 May 2027.

Keary commenced as chief executive on June 1, wrapping up a stint as chief executive of private markets investment firm Keyview Financial Group, which he assumed last November.

Raiz chair Kelly Humphreys said the board has worked with Malone to determine the right time and approach for leadership transition as Raiz enters its next phase of growth.

"Under his leadership we refocused on our core Australian operations and achieved steady growth across revenue, active customers and funds under management. This has resulted in underlying net profits and cashflow, a major achievement during Brendan's time as chief executive," she said.

Malone said it had been a privilege to lead Raiz, highlighting its mission to improve financial literacy and access to investing.

He assumed the post of managing director and group chief executive in September 2022 after George Lucas left the position.

"Helping everyday Australians access investing, build financial literacy and work toward long-term financial wellbeing has been at the heart of everything we've done. I'm proud of what we've
achieved together. I thank our people and our customers for their support and am confident Raiz is well positioned for the future," he said.

Keary led online broker Selfwealth for two years from October 2023, following the sudden departure of Cath Whitaker.

Under Keary, Selfwealth was acquired by Syfe. The acquisition finalised in May 2025, with Selfwealth delisting from the ASX to operate as Selfwealth by Syfe.

Keary also served as chief executive of Ignition Wealth in Asia Pacific and was the chair of Ensombl.

His broader career spans major institutions including HSBC, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and AMP Capital.

"Raiz has built a trusted brand, a differentiated platform and a deeply engaged customer community. I believe we have an extraordinary opportunity to help millions of Australians build wealth, through accessible products and education and guidance delivered at scale," Keary commented.

From July 1, Mathieu Elshout will be Aware Super's new head of international while also continuing to lead on the European property strategy, as senior portfolio manager, property UK, providing operational leadership for the fund's London office as it continues to execute on its international investment strategy.

Aware Super chief investment officer Simon Warner said the appointment recognised Elshout's deep familiarity with the $235 billion fund's international operations and his strong contribution to the London team since joining almost two years ago.

"Mathieu has been an outstanding contributor to our London office since he joined us. He understands our strategy deeply, knows the team and the market, and has the experience and the relationships needed to lead our international program through its next important phase," Warner said.

"Mathieu is the right leader for this stage of Aware Super's international journey with the London office now well-established and highly regarded in European and UK capital markets. With a strong team of 28 investment professionals and a committed pipeline of investments across property, infrastructure and private equity, our focus is now on consolidating what we have built to continue to deliver strong risk-adjusted returns for our 1.3 million members. Mathieu is the natural choice to lead that work."

Elshout said he was looking forward to taking on a broader leadership role while continuing to drive the fund's European property ambitions.

"The Aware Super London team has made significant progress since the office opened in 2023. We've built a high-performing property team and have been rapidly expanding our European portfolio. I'm very proud to have been part of that journey and I'm excited to now take on a broader leadership role as we continue to build on those strong foundations," Elshout said.

"Aware Super is a fund with a clear purpose, a strong culture, and genuine ambition as a global asset manager. I look forward to working with the team to deliver the compelling opportunities this market continues to offer on behalf of our members."

Aware Super formally launched its London office in November 2023 as part of its strategy to globalise its investment capability in line with the growth of Australian pension capital.

The fund has committed £5.25 billion ($10.3bn) for deployment across the UK and Europe in real estate, infrastructure and private equity.

The appointment builds on the investment team structure announced by Warner in February 2026, which established a new leadership framework focused on whole-of-fund decision making and enhanced portfolio resilience.

Rest has appointed Andy Moser as its new head of CIO office.

Clancy said Moser will support the development and execution of the investments team's business plan and manage a range of team-wide functions.

"Andy brings deep expertise, a practical mindset and a collaborative leadership style that will be essential as we evolve our investments function to continue delivering strong outcomes for our two million members," Clancy said.

"Andy combines strategic financial leadership with disciplined execution, strong governance and collaborative stakeholder engagement. He will make a valuable contribution to Rest and our members."

Prior to joining Rest, Moser worked at the Qantas Superannuation Fund for over 12 years in various roles including chief financial officer, head of finance and investment operations and head of finance.

"I'm looking forward to working with Michael Clancy and the broader Investments team to support the delivery of Rest's investment business plan and continue delivering strong outcomes for members," Moser said in a LinkedIn post.

This marks the second notable appointment in as many months for the $105 billion super fund, having appointed Marina Pasika as head of private markets in May.

Pasika had been serving in the role in an acting capacity since October 2025, stepping up after Simon Esposito left the fund for a role at buyout firm CVC Capital Partners. At the time, he also held the role of deputy chief investment officer.

Pasika has been with the fund since 2020 working across private equity and the broader alternatives portfolio. She served as head of private equity and head of growth alternatives.

Previously, she worked in private equity at Future Fund for close to a decade.

Parsons has over 20 years' experience across superannuation, wealth management and broader financial services. He joined NGS Super in 2024 as executive manager of marketing, leading the fund's brand, marketing and digital experience functions.

Prior to NGS, he held senior marketing leadership roles at Colonial First State and Commsec.

The Member Business unit plays a central role in delivering improved member outcomes, strengthening employer partnerships, and building a more connected and seamless experience across all member touchpoints.

Parsons will be responsible for accelerating NGS Super's member growth strategy, enhancing the end-to-end member experience, expanding access to financial advice and education, and further integrating digital capability across all engagement channels.

NGS Super chief executive Natalie Previtera said Parsons' energy, enthusiasm and knowledge of the business stood out, and these qualities will play a critical role as the fund scales its member services.

"Adam brings a powerful combination of strategic marketing expertise, digital transformation experience and a clear focus on member growth and engagement," she said.

"I am honoured to take on this role at such an important time for NGS Super," Parsons said.

"We have a clear opportunity to deepen engagement, enhance the experience we deliver to members and employers, and build on the strong foundations already in place. I look forward to working with the executive team to drive the next phase of growth and impact for the fund."

Parsons' appointment follows a comprehensive executive search process with an extensive field of high-calibre candidates, NGS Super said.

"The strength of the candidate pool reflected NGS Super's market position and strategic momentum," Previtera said.

Scott Mosely will join the organisation on September 1, replacing John Dynon, who has been in the role on an interim basis.

Joining from Mirvac Group, he will bring close to three decades of experience spanning construction, development, capital transactions, and funds management across Australia, Asia and Europe.

As chief executive of funds management at Mirvac, he oversaw robust growth in the development pipeline and oversaw product design and strategy, portfolio construction, capital relationships, investment decisions and balance-sheet management.

Before that, he was at Lendlease for over 25 years, leading in senior roles such as chief investment officer, managing director for funds and investment management, head of commercial, and more.

Commenting, IFM Investors chief executive David Neal said Mosely has a strong track record of delivering outcomes at scale andrepositioning portfolios to improve performance.

"Scott's experience, leadership and disciplined approach will further strengthen our real estate platform, positioning the business for its next phase and supporting IFM to deliver for our clients and the working people they represent," Neal said.

Meanwhile, Mosely said he looks forward to joining IFM at an important time.

"IFM has a clear purpose and a long-term approach - investing to deliver long-term outcomes for clients and the working people they represent. I'm excited to join the team at such an important time for the real estate platform," Mosely said.

"I see significant opportunity to build on IFM's strong foundations, continuing to position the portfolio for resilience and performance while unlocking value across key sectors and markets."

Renato Mota has joined the AI-powered infrastructure provider to support its institutional partnerships, regulatory alignment, and distribution strategy across Australia's wealth ecosystem.

The appointment marks a significant expansion of InvestStream's institutional footprint as the company scales its proprietary financial modelling engine, SUGAI, and conversational engagement layer, SuperAnne, across the superannuation and wealth management sectors, InvestStream said.

Mota brings more than 25 years of leadership experience, including over two decades at Insignia Financial, across financial services, regulatory engagement, and digital transformation. He was chief executive and managing director of Insignia Financial between 2019 and 2024, where he led the group's evolution into one of Australia's largest retail wealth managers, overseeing more than $300 billion in assets under management (AUM).

He also served as a non-executive director at the Financial Services Council (FSC) alongside director roles across Shadforth Financial Group and Bridges Financial Services.

Commenting, InvestStream founder Jason Hoang welcomed the industry stalwart.

"Renato has operated at scale within the highest levels of the Australian wealth management ecosystem and deeply understands the operational realities institutional boards are navigating," Hoang said.

"His strategic insight will be invaluable as we deploy our financial intelligence infrastructure, combining the financial modelling power of SUGAI with the conversational engagement of SuperAnne, across Australia's leading financial institutions."

Meanwhile, Mota explained the rationale behind joining the business.

"The wealth sector has reached a point where traditional, siloed software is no longer economically viable to scale advice," Mota said.

"What drew me to InvestStream is that they aren't just building another interface, they have built a unified, open architecture infrastructure layer, appropriate for regulated environments. This is the exact structural innovation required to safely and efficiently bridge the advice gap for millions of Australians."

After chairing the board for nine years, Lewin has decided to retire from the board, and Praemium has appointed Matthew Quinn as non-executive director and chair-elect, effective immediately.

Quinn brings extensive experience across board governance and executive roles in the wealth and financial technology sectors. He previously chaired the boards of Class and Bravura Solutions, alongside a range of other non-executive positions.

He also served as chief executive of Stockland from 2000 to 2013, overseeing the company's evolution into the ASX 50.

After a transition period, Quinn will succeed Lewin as chair at the conclusion of the AGM.

Praemium chief executive Anthony Wamsteker thanked Lewin for his contributions.

"Barry has helped steer Praemium through some challenging times over the past nine years and guided the business from its early scale-up phase to a profitable, strategically focused platform," Wamsteker said.

"Under his leadership, we have sharpened our high-net-worth strategy, executed key acquisitions and the successful divestment of the UK business, and strengthened our technology offering, delivering meaningful growth in earnings and market position. On behalf of the Board, I thank Barry for his outstanding contribution and stewardship.

"We are excited to build on this strong foundation under Matthew Quinn's leadership as we enter our next phase of growth and deliver on our strategy."

Lewin added: "Matthew joins Praemium at an exciting time and will add significant value as we embark on our next chapter."

"Chairing Praemium, working with a focused board and a talented team has been a great privilege, and I look forward to supporting Matthew as he transitions into his role as chair of the board."

Meanwhile, Quinn said he is pleased to join at an important period for the company.

"Under Barry's leadership, Praemium has resolved a range of legacy issues and made key strategic investments, establishing a strong foundation to pursue an aggressive growth agenda," he said.

"I look forward to working with my fellow directors and management to deliver on that opportunity."

Quinn joins Katrina Efthim and Justin Lipton - both appointed non-executive director in April - as part of Praemium's broader board renewal strategy.

Arndt was speaking at a Senate Estimates Committee hearing yesterday about the rise in turnover at the sovereign wealth fund recently.

"We tend to have people who join, stay for some period, develop their career and then go off, very often to other private sector roles," he said.

"We see that as part of a natural evolution of highly skilled investment people who choose to work in the public service for a period of their career."

Arndt added the Future Fund has a good tenure and low turnover compared to the industry, averaging at 6%, while the overall turnover rate stands at 11%.

Future Fund recently announced the appointment of its new chief investment officer Richard Brandweiner who would take the reigns from interim chief investment officer Hugh Murray in July.

Murray has been handling the top job since September last year after Ben Samild left the role to take up a role with a major institutional investor in the Middle East. There are speculations he stepped down from the role after two years due to tension between himself and Arndt.

Arndt addressed concerns on the time taken to make the appointment and said, "it is not unusual for a senior role like this to take a while".

The sovereign wealth fund commented last month on allegations Arndt's leadership style may be forcing staff out the door, stating the departures were not irregular, particularly in a competitive environment.

It also said it will cut costs by $10 to $15 million in FY27, in a bid to ensure expenses and staffing levels remain appropriate for the years ahead.

There are multiple internal workplace investigations currently ongoing at the Future Fund costing it a total of $300,000 on external contracts to probe the matters.

While deferring to provide the specific allegations in these probes, Arndt maintained he is satisfied that there are no material irregularities in Future Fund's procurement processes.

Natixis IM confirmed Danny King will succeed Watson as country head for Australia, while Barbra Whyte has been promoted chief operating officer for Australia.

King, who joined the firm in 2020 as head of institutional sales, will oversee the institutional and wholesale distribution strategy and work alongside affiliate managers to deliver investment solutions across the market.

Whyte has been with Natixis IM since 2014, joining as head of client service and operations for Australia and New Zealand.

The new appointments come as Evidentia announced Watson as its incoming chief executive, replacing Michael Wright, who will transition into the role of chair as part of the managed accounts provider's succession plan.

Wright will succeed Peter Smith as chair, with Smith remaining involved as founder, Evidentia Group board member, and as director and executive director at Generation Development Group.

Watson joins Evidentia with experience across global and domestic asset management businesses, having previously held senior roles at J.P. Morgan, Man Group, Credit Suisse, Aberdeen and Challenger.

She joined Natixis IM in 2018 and was appointed as the region's country head in 2021.

Evidentia said Watson's appointment comes as a critical point in the firm's growth trajectory, with the business seeking to further scale its platform capabilities and distribution footprint.

Wright said leading Evidentia and Lonsec Group had been "one of the most rewarding chapters" of his career.

"I am incredibly proud of the transformation we have achieved and the strong future focused organisation that has been built," Wright said.

"As the group enters its next phase of growth, I am excited with the addition of Louise ad her significant expertise and look forward to supporting Louise and the leadership team as Evidentia's chair," he said.

During Wright's tenure, Evidentia and Lonsec Investment Solutions were integrated into a larger managed accounts platform focused on governance, risk management and adviser solutions.

Smith said it had been "particularly rewarding" to see the two businesses come together under Wright's leadership to create a "scaled and leading managed accounts business".

Generation Development Group chief executive Grant Hackett said Wright's leadership had been instrument in shaping the business, while Watson brings a "proven track record in scaling investment businesses and driving strategic growth".

Watson is expected to commence in the role in August.

"Mr Ryan's resignation reflects the expansion of his other current board responsibilities, which impact upon the time available for his continuing role of the Sequoia board in the future," Sequoia said.

"Mr Ryan will remain available to the board to assist with an orderly transition and handover."

The board recognised Ryan's contributions to the company during his tenure. Ryan has been chair of Sequoia for less than two years.

The board said it would provide further information about succession in due course.

This comes after Sequoia advised the payment date for the previously declared interim dividend will be delayed from May 15 to June 3.

The interim dividend was previously delayed pending the proposed sale of InterPrac to Conquest Investment Partners; however, the sale agreement was ditched May 1 following ASIC's concerns over the transaction.

At the time, Sequoia said the two parties failed to satisfy all the conditions within the required timeframe.

However, Sequoia now says Conquest has disputed the termination of the agreement.

"On 7 May 2026 the Federal Court adjourned the case management hearing regarding the ASIC proceedings to allow the parties an opportunity to confer regarding the status of the Agreement, due to the purchaser disputing the termination of the agreement by the seller," the Sequoia board said.

"The next case management hearing is scheduled for 29 May 2026. ASIC has subsequently requested the parties confirm the status of the agreement by 18 May 2026 or otherwise seek declarations from the court regarding the effect of the purported termination and the status of the agreement."

Sequoia said its position remains that the agreement has been terminated.

Shaun Manuell has led the fund's Australian equities team for 13 years, overseeing growth in internally managed equities from $1 billion to $100 billion for members.

AustralianSuper chief executive Paul Schroder said Manuell was the ideal candidate to lead the fund's global investment team.

"Following an extensive global search, I am pleased to announce Shaun as our next chief investment officer," Schroder said.

"Shaun has proven himself as an outstanding investor at scale over the long term and a great leader. He has a deep commitment to delivering for members who put their trust in us to grow and protect their retirement savings.

"Having worked closely with the directors of Australia's largest companies over many years, Shaun is known for his considered approach to representing the interests of members in Australia and globally."

Schroder said Manuell is a proven champion for members and Australian companies.

"Our Australian Shares investment option is number one over the last decade. This is underpinned by our internally managed Australian Equities portfolio, which has delivered 2.6% per annum outperformance for members since 2013, relative to ASX benchmarks, equating to $8 billion of additional value," Schroder said.

Prior to joining AustralianSuper, Manuell also held roles with JBWere and Equity Trustees.

Manuell said he felt humbled and excited to take on the new role.

"I am deeply humbled by the opportunity to lead the team that invests retirement savings for more Australians than any other," he said.

"As Australia's largest active investor, we are able to unlock exceptional opportunities for members and the nation."

Senior portfolio managers Luke Smith and Andrew Smith will jointly lead the fund's Australian Equities team on an interim basis pending a permanent appointment.

The appointment comes after former chief investment officer Mark Delaney left the fund after 25 years in December 2025.

Steve Hair will join the group as head of platform sales for the institutional client group (ICG) in Australia.

Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Hair was with Citi for more than seven years where he held a number of roles, most recently as APAC head of futures relationship management, OTC clearing and FX prime brokerage.

Prior to that, he spent close to 15 years with Credit Suisse leading its client solutions business for futures and OTC clearing.

Deutsche Bank said in his new role, Hair will build on the listed derivatives execution franchise, expand clearing sales across futures and OTC markets, as well as prime brokerage in FX and rates.

Deutsche Bank said clearing is a critical part of financial market infrastructure, enabling the secure settlement of derivatives transactions and supporting clients in managing counterparty risk.

Hair will be based in Sydney and report to head of leveraged distribution sales and execution APAC Andrew Walker, and head of platform sales APAC Praveen Vijay.

"Deutsche Bank is well positioned to address our evolving client needs in clearing," Deutsche Bank head of ICG, Australia Matthew Yencken said.

"Steve's appointment reflects the bank's ongoing investment in out Australian platform and institutional client coverage."

The new hire follows announcements on the bank's FX-as-a-service platform, HausFX, which provides automated solutions to the asset management industry.

Mark Gray joins the board of ART, bringing extensive experience as a chair, non-executive director, chief executive and senior executive in the corporate and public sectors.

Gray has served as the Queensland under-treasurer, Queensland office head for Macquarie Group and as chair of the Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility (NAIF).

He is currently chair of Data#3 and serves on the boards of Queensland Urban Utilities, CleanCo Queensland and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Additionally, Grant Smith has been appointed, initially as an adviser to the board's Investment and Valuation Oversight Committees, facilitating succession planning for the role of chair of the Investment Committee when current chair and director Mark Burgess retires from the ART board in 2027.

Smith has almost 30 years' experience across global investment, strategy, governance and stakeholder engagement.

At Macquarie Group, he established, led and grew major investment businesses and teams in Australia and internationally, most recently serving as executive chair and senior managing director of Macquarie Asset Management.

ART chair Helen Rowell said the appointments reflect the fund's focus on delivering strong and sustained outcomes for members.

"In an increasingly volatile and rapidly evolving world, at ART we are keenly aware of our responsibility to deliver for our members," Rowell said.

"The global experience that Mark and Grant bring in their respective roles will serve our members well into the future.

"They understand how important it is for ART to be a patient, long-term custodian of the retirement incomes of almost one in ten Australians, and the diligence that needs to be applied to the oversight of the delivery of outcomes for ART's members."

Gray and Smith will commence their new roles on 1 June 2026.

Norlena Brouwer is joining the annuity provider as chief risk officer, after spending over a year as head of business risk and compliance for enablement, transformation and performance at Aware Super.

She brings close to 20 years of experience across risk and compliance, including chief risk and compliance officer at Marsh McLennan for almost two years. Prior to that, she held senior roles, including group executive risk and compliance and head of risk, at Hostplus where she was stationed for over eight years.

The appointment follows a multi-partner alliance that was formed by CFS, which includes Generation Life and Challenger, to expand its retirement offering.

Commenting, Generation Life chief executive Felipe Araujo welcomed Brouwer to the new role.

"Norlena brings deep experience across risk management, governance and financial services, together with a highly regarded leadership background developed at leading institutions," Araujo said.

"Her expertise and strategic perspective will be invaluable as our business continues to evolve and as we expand our impact across the wealth management and retirement landscape.

"We are excited to have Norlena join the business at such an important stage of our growth journey where strong governance and risk leadership are critical, and we look forward to the contribution she will make to Generation Life and our clients."

Sharing the appointment on LinkedIn, Brouwer said she looks forward to joining the company.

"I am looking forward to joining Felipe Araujo and his leadership team in this next stage of growth and impact," she said.

"I am excited for what's ahead and looking forward to the journey with the Generation Life team.

"I would also like to thank Sally Collins and all the wonderful people at Aware Super for the opportunity, experience and relationships I enjoyed in my time there."

Financial Standard reached out to Aware Super for updates on finding a replacement for Brouwer's role.

Generation Life has also appointed a new distribution manager Robert Coulter earlier this month. Joining from Allianz Retire+, his role focuses on platform and institutional collaboration, APL positing and driving further adviser adoption of its investment bond and investment-lined lifetime income solutions.

The firm appointed former TelstraSuper Investment Management executive Arthur Bengasino as head of investment solutions and ex Australian Retirement Trust executive Tessa Volkmer as head of sustainable investment.

The hires comes as wealth managers face growing demand from affluent families for institutional style portfolio construction, broader access to private markets and more tailored sustainability strategies.

LGT Wealth Management chief investment officer Scott Haslem said the appointments reinforced the firms focus on deepening its investment expertise across both traditional and alternative asset classes.

Bengasino joins after eight years at TelstraSuper Investment Management, most recently serving as head of opportunities and real assets. He brings experience across private markets, including co-investments, secondaries and alternative assets, and will work with clients on portfolio structuring and implementation.

Volkmer joins from Australian Retirement Trust following seven years at Wellington Management, where she was director of sustainable investment. Her appointment reflects increasing client demand for sustainability integration and climate aware portfolio strategies across public and private markets.

The appointments form parts of broader expansion at the firm, which also added two senior family advisory specialists as wealthy families increasingly seek support that combines investment management with governance and succession planning.

LGT Wealth Management chief executive Michael Chisholm said ultra-high-net-worth clients are no longer treating investment management, family governance and succession as separate conversations.

"Portfolios are becoming more sophisticated, with greater exposure to private markets, while families simultaneously navigate more demanding governance structures and intergenerational transitions," Chisholm said.

The business is wholly owned by the LGT Group, which is backed by the Princely Family of Liechtenstein.

Woodburn commenced in the role on May 25 for a five-year term, bringing more than two decades of experience across superannuation, funds management and financial services, spanning legal, regulatory and executive leadership positions.

AFCA deputy chief ombudsman June Smith said Woodburn's appointment reinforced the authority's commitment to delivering fair and effective outcomes across its superannuation work.

"Paul is highly regarded leader with deep technical legal and superannuation expertise and a strong track record of working constructively with diverse stakeholders," Smith said.

Woodburn noted he was looking forward to contributing to the sector and supporting Australians through independent and transparent dispute resolution processes.

"It's a privilege to join AFCA as the lead ombudsman for superannuation and to have the opportunity to contribute to the superannuation industry for the benefit of many Australians," he said.

The appointment comes as AFCA continues to sharpen its focus on how financial firms implement consumer protection and hardship frameworks in practice.

In its latest Systemic Issues Insight Report released last week, AFCA warned that while many financial services firms had established sound hardship and vulnerability frameworks, customer outcomes remained inconsistent due to operational failures and poor execution.

The report identified issues including inconsistent application of hardship policies, missing or misleading customer communications, and continued enforcement activity against vulnerable consumers when it should have ceased.

AFCA said the findings highlighted growing importance of operational systems, oversight mechanisms and escalation processes in ensuring firms appropriately respond to vulnerable customers.

Rob Jarrett was promoted to the role of chief operating officer in May, finishing up as a director of strategic partnering, sourcing and property.

Jarrett has been with AMP for the last five years and previously worked in senior roles at Westpac's institutional bank division and Macquarie Bank.

AMP has appointed Jackie Cleary as its new chief financial officer, hailing from investment bank Jeffries Australia where she spent nearly five years as managing director and head of financial institutions. She is officially set to join on July 20.

Cleary will lead all financial activities at AMP, including responsibilities for financial control, statutory and regulatory reporting, performance reporting, tax and corporate strategy.

Before that, she was a managing director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in the financial institutions group based in New York for 14 years and worked at Westpac.

She will replace Blair Vernon, whose role as chief executive of the ASX-listed wealth manager took effect on March 30, when incumbent Alexis George stepped down.

Vernon commented: "Jackie brings significant experience in capital management and financial services and will have a key role to play as we continue to optimise our balance sheet and redirect capital towards growth, all while maintaining our disciplined operating efficiency."

Adrian Ryan, who is the director of group finance and wealth, took on the role as acting chief financial officer prior to the appointment of a permanent candidate.

In the new-look executive team, Rebecca McDermott is now chief people officer, promoted to the role this month after serving as director of talent and leadership for more than five years. She also oversees the AMP Foundation.

McDermott previously held senior human resource roles at Bloomberg in Hong Kong and spent more than six years at QBE Insurance based in Sydney.

Chief marketing officer Tina Cleary, who took on the role in January 2025, was promoted to the AMP executive team.

Julia Leske has been promoted to head of sustainability business, APAC, which is a newly-created role reporting to the group's global head of sustainability business, Till Jung. Prior to the appointment, Leske was managing director, senior consultant sustainability strategy.

"Julia brings deep regional insight and a strong strategic lens at a time when investors are looking for clarity and consistency in how sustainability frameworks are applied," said Jung in a company statement.

"Her experience navigating the many market and regional nuances, coupled with her command of global sustainability industry developments, will greatly benefit our clients' ability to turn responsible investing into action."

Leske said the role builds on her existing responsibilities and focuses on setting clear direction for the application of sustainability frameworks in the region.

"I'm looking forward to collaborating with clients, colleagues and industry peers as strategic and practical challenges test assumptions and sharpen our thinking," she said.

Leske joined ISS STOXX with the 2019 acquisition of Canberra-based CAER, where she served as CEO. In December last year, she joined the board of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA).

ISS STOXX Sustainability provides climate data, analytics, and advisory services to help financial market participants understand, measure, and act on climate-related risks across all asset classes. The group's sustainability solutions also cover corporate and country research and ratings.

As head of stewardship at Aware, Chris Newton will be leading a team of analysts focusing on building financial value and sustainable outcomes for the fund's listed market portfolio.

"We're excited to have Chris join Aware Super and contribute his deep governance experience which includes over a decade of board experience and deep knowledge of the water sector and First Nations investment and governance frameworks," said Liza McDonald, head of responsible investments.

"His ability to integrate ESG considerations into core investment and asset management process to deliver robust financial returns will be highly valuable to our 1.3 million members."

Newton brings over two decades of investment and ESG experience to the team, having worked across corporate strategy, public policy, asset management and commercial development initiatives in Australia at AMP, ANZ, Deloitte and Victorian Treasury.

He recently chaired Blackwattle Investment Partners ESG Council for four years and led the development of IFM Investors' inaugural responsible investment strategy and carbon reduction strategy in its global infrastructure portfolio.

In addition to his various non-executive directorships, Newton also serves as an independent director and chair of the investment committee for the Yawuru people, the traditional owners of Broome, WA.

After closed to 17 years with HESTA, Andrew Major will join Australian Unity as chief investment officer in the wealth and capital markets division.

Major held a number of roles at HESTA over his tenure, including chief risk officer and more recently acting as a strategic advisor for the investments function.

"After 17 years at HESTA, riding the wave of growth and evolution in the superannuation sector, the time has come for me to jump into a new role as chief investment officer in the Wealth and Capital Markets division at Australian Unity," Major said on LinkedIn.

"My journey at HESTA has shaped my professional capabilities in ways I couldn't have imagined when I started back in 2009, and I am eternally grateful for the connections made, knowledge gained, and experiences shared during this time across the superannuation sector and global investment markets.

"I am excited to continue to support HESTA member outcomes as a board director for two of HESTA's strategic investments. In my new position, I am focused on leveraging this experience to drive strategic and investment outcomes for the Australian Unity group, its members, and clients."

A HESTA spokesperson wished Major every success in his new role.

"Andrew has made an outstanding contribution over many years, including as chief risk officer and most recently in his advisory role supporting our investment strategy," the spokesperson told Financial Standard.

"His commitment to members, deep expertise and institutional knowledge have helped position HESTA strongly for the years ahead."

In January, Australian Unity announced Joe Fernandes would step down from his role as executive general manager - funds management and group chief investment officer.

At the time, Australian Unity said Fernandes played a pivotal role in leading and transforming Australian Unity's funds management businesses.

Fernandes went on to join Future Group as chief investment officer.

The $410 billion super fund has named its first head of AI and automation in a newly created role.

Sarah Carney joins AustralianSuper from Microsoft where she spent a decade, most recently as national chief technology officer for Australia and New Zealand.

AustralianSuper chief platforms officer Mike Backeberg said appointing Carney was a major step in the fund's tech evolution.

"Sarah has over two decades' experience leading digital transformation, AI strategy, and enterprise-scale change programs globally," Backeberg said.

"Having someone of Sarah's calibre join our team is a demonstration of our determination to use technology to its fullest capability to deliver for members."

Backeberg said AustralianSuper has already embraced AI and automation across the business, but the new role will further position the fund as a "technology leader in the superannuation sector".

"At AustralianSuper we are looking to align autonomous agents with human intent, embed guardrails without killing momentum and turn experimentation into repeatable scaled outcomes," Backeberg said.

"This means addressing how AI flows through the organisation, finding ways for humans and machines to collaborate at scale and making sure that governance is fit for purpose."

Carney will start with the fund in late July and said she was excited to be joining.

"In my most recent role I have had a front row seat seeing the incredible development and growth of AI and automation globally," Carney said.

"Finding new ways to apply both automation and AI to support AustralianSuper's purpose of having members achieve their best financial position in retirement is an opportunity I am really looking forward to.

"Whether it's through supporting personalised member guidance and advice, enabling greater investment capability and insights or further improving service levels, AI and automation have a vital role to play in delivering better outcomes for members."

AustralianSuper has also announced the appointment of partner Ignition to start rolling out digital advice options for the fund's 3.6 million members in the second half of this year, with the aim to release all digital advice journeys across the 2026/27 financial year.

VBP has appointed former Godfrey Pembroke chief executive Mark Fisher to lead the group into its next phase of growth, effective June 1.

Prior to Godfrey Pembroke, Fisher was the managing director of Securitor, and held senior roles at BT Financial Group, Westpac and Macquarie Group previously.

As chief executive, Fisher will support the firm's adoption of new technology like automation and artificial intelligence (AI), improve cyber security and risk management, while scaling the business sustainably.

Welcoming the appointment, Jacobsen described Fisher as an experienced and dedicated leader.

"Mark is a highly respected leader with proven experience running successful businesses, driving growth initiatives and leading large teams through periods of change and disruption, and we are very excited to have him on board to take VBP forward," Jacobsen said.

"Over the past few years, VBP has expanded its services and offerings to advice, accounting and mortgage broking businesses, and opened new offices in Cagayan De Oro, in the Philippines. The business has ambitious plans to continue growing and delivering a broad range of outsourcing services to clients."

Fisher added that he looks forward to joining VBP.

"I'm excited to join VBP and grow the group's position as a leading specialist of outsourced services and solutions to financial advisers and accountants," Fisher said.

"VBP is also passionate about being a great place to work and providing career development opportunities for its people, which I strongly believe in."

VBP currently has around 300 clients and over 1500 team members, spread across offices in Sydney, Australia, and Cebu City and Cagayan De Oro in the Philippines.

The business provides a range of services including intelligent automation, paraplanning, administration support, and a range of business consulting services including business coaching, and practice management training and workshops.

Meanwhile, John Nantes has been appointed executive director of Godfrey Pembroke, succeeding Fisher. He brings over 30 years' experience across wealth and financial services, the firm said.

Current chief investment officer Penny Ransom will assume the role of chief executive investment management on July 1.

Ransom joined Lendlease in 2022 as group head of investments and was appointed chief investment officer in July 2024, with responsibility for capital allocation, as well as global capital raising and product development.

She has more than 30 years' experience across institutional real estate, transactions and investment management, including chief investment officer at Investa Property Group, and senior positions at Dexus.

Ransom's appointment follows Gabbani's decision to pursue an external opportunity which allows him to remain in Singapore with his family, Lendlease said.

He has held senior leadership roles across investment management, finance and regional segments in Australia, Asia and Europe.

Commenting, Lendlease group chief executive Tony Lombardo said Ransom is well positioned to lead its international investment management business.

"Penny has been instrumental in strengthening Lendlease's capital position and sharpening our investment strategy. She brings deep global investment management experience, strong investor relationships and a disciplined approach to driving performance," Lombardo said.

"Her appointment provides continuity and momentum as we continue to execute our strategy, deepen investor relationships and drive performance across our international investment management business.

"I would like to thank Justin for his significant contribution to Lendlease over more than two decades and wish him success for the future."

Tonya Ripley has joined from BT where she was head of national accounts. Prior to that Ripley also held roles at HUB24 and AMP.

"Tonya brings over 20-plus years experiences across wealth platforms and distribution along with a strong track record of building strategic partnerships and driving growth," Russell Investments head of distribution Australia and New Zealand Neil Rogan said.

"Her appointment reflects our continued momentum in the Australian wealth market and our focus on strengthening support for our key accounts and platform partners.

"With strong partnerships across a range of licensees and platform providers, we're delighted to have someone with the depth of relationships and experience in the wealth management space join our team and to support our growth strategy."

Commenting on her appointment, Ripley told Financial Standard she was excited to be joining the team at Russell.

"I am excited to be joining Russell Investments at a time of strong momentum for the business in the Australian wealth market," Ripley said.

"Russell Investments has a 40-year pedigree in the Australian market in designing, constructing and managing investment solutions for financial advisers, and I look forward to contributing to the next phase of growth."

Last month Russell Investments also appointed a new head of superannuation in NGS Super's Ben Facer.

Facer had been with NGS Super since 2017, having first joined as chief risk and governance officer. During his tenure he held a raft of roles, and most recently had the dual title of chief member officer and deputy chief executive.

At Russell, Facer replaces Bronwyn Yates, who is leaving the company after close to two decades. She became head of super in July 2025 after holding a variety of roles in strategy and product.

Facer brings over 30 years' experience in superannuation, with previous roles including partner at Deloitte for over five years, and close to 20 years at Mercer in Sydney, London and Singapore.

Global private equity investor Advent has appointed Patricia Cross as an operating partner for Australia and New Zealand, strengthening its regional financial services expertise as it looks to drive growth across portfolio companies.

Cross brings more than four decades of executive and board level experience spanning wealth management, asset management, institutional banking and governance. In the role, she will work closely with Advent's investment professionals and portfolio company leadership teams on strategic directions, governance and long-term value creation initiatives across the region.

Advent managing director and head of Australia and New Zealand Beau Dixon said Cross's appointment adds significant sector and governance expertise to the firm's local operations.

"Her perspective will be highly valuable to our investment professionals and portfolio company leadership teams as we continue to build our presence in the region," said Dixon.

Cross said she was joining the firm at a time of significant change across the financial services landscape.

"Financial services is a sector undergoing profound change, and I look forward to working alongside Advent's teams to help portfolio companies navigate that environment, strengthen their strategic positioning, and drive sustainable growth," Cross said.

Cross currently serves as chair of OFX and as an independent non-executive director of Transurban. She also recently completed a five-year term on the board of guardians for Australia's sovereign wealth fund, the Future Fund.

Her previous board roles include positions as Macquarie Group, National Australia Bank, AMP, Quantas Airways, Wesfarmers and Avia.

Prior to her board career, Cross held senior executive roles across seven countries with institutions including Chase Manhattan Bank, Banque Nationale de Paris, and National Australia Bank.

The appointment adds to Advent's global network of more than 145 operating partners and operational advisers supporting the firm's portfolio companies.

Fiona Trafford-Walker commenced her term on May 12, and Adam Tindall will also join following the conclusion of Deborah Ralston's term in September 2026.

"These highly qualified appointees will ensure our sovereign wealth fund can continue its strong record of returns for the Australian people," Chalmers said.

Trafford-Walker is a highly experienced investment professional with over 30 years in institutional financial asset consulting and provision of institutional investment advice.

She has extensive experience in various leadership roles at Frontier Advisors.

Tindall has worked for over 35 years in the investment and real estate industries.

He has extensive global experience in portfolio, investment and asset management and corporate governance having held leadership and executive roles at AMP Capital, Macquarie Group and Lendlease.

"These appointments will complement the significant investment and corporate governance skills and experience on the board," Chalmers said.

"The government would like to take the opportunity to thank outgoing members, Patricia Cross and Deborah Ralston, for their significant contribution to the board over the past five years.

"During their tenure, the board oversaw the implementation of an updated Future Fund Investment Mandate focused on aligning the fund's investments with the nation's priorities, where it makes financial sense to do so."

In the year to 31 March 2026, following the introduction of the updated Investment Mandate, the fund made a return of over $28 billion, or 11.7%. This follows returns of 12.2% in 2024 and 8% in 2023.

The Future Fund also achieved a 10-year return of 8.6%, above the mandated target return of 7%.

"We look forward to the contribution that Trafford-Walker and Tindall will make to continuing this important work," Chalmers said.

AMP North has appointed Kristen Lennis-Harvey as head of business development and national sales manager as the platform continues expanding its adviser support and distribution capabilities.

Lennis-Harvey will report to director, platforms growth and wealth distribution Kristine Goodwin, and will lead North's national business development strategy as the platform sharpens it focus on adviser growth and client outcomes.

The appointment follows the addition of eight new business managers to North's national sales team earlier this year, reflecting AMP broader push to strengthen its footprint across the advice sector.

Goodwin said the newly created role will support advisers as it continues investing in platform capabilities and adviser partnerships.

"Everything we do at North is focused on helping adviser grow their business and deliver great outcomes for more clients," Goodwin said.

"That means working closely with advisers, understanding what they need today, and ensuring our investment in the platform supports the way advice business are evolving," said Goodwin.

Goodwin also noted Lennis-Harvey brings extensive experience building high-preforming teams and strategic partnerships that drive commercial growth.

AMP group executive, platforms Edwina Maloney said the appointment reinforced the group's commitment to investing in advisers and platform support.

"Kristen's appointment reflects our commitment to continuing to invest in North and in the people who work closely with advisers to help their businesses thrive," Maloney said.

Lennis-Harvey joins from United Health Group, where she held senior national leadership positions focused on strategic partnerships and business growth.

Prior to that, she worked at AIA Australia overseeing key client relationships and commercial negotiations.

Her earlier career included national account management positions at Zurich Australia and CommInsure.

Based in Melbourne, Xavier will focus on servicing wealth advisers and sophisticated clients across the intermediary, private wealth and family office channels, building on the group's relationships in Victoria and other regional locations.

Prior to joining Channel Capital, he was an investment specialist at UBS (previously Credit Suisse) in the global investment management division where he did research work on traditional and alternative strategies.

He was also at Lonsec Investment Research as an investment analyst and in a client-facing role at Shadforth Financial Group (Insignia Financial) previously.

"Xavier brings exactly the right attributes and mindset, including a wealth of experience in fund research and portfolio construction, and we're very pleased to have him join the team," said Luke Mandekic, co-head of distribution with the group.

"I've long admired the Channel Capital's approach and focus on creating value for advisers and their clients. I'm excited to contribute to that culture and to work closely with advisers across Victoria and regional areas," said Jeans.

Mai Platts joins the investment giant as director in client services, reporting to Barbara Whyte, head of client services and operations in Australia and New Zealand.

Platts has worked for some of the country's leading brands, including stints at Macquarie and Ironbark early in her career.

She was director - key accounts and adviser business at Betashares ETFs and prior to joining Natixis was account director, strategic accounts at Bennelong Funds Management.

"We're pleased to welcome Mai, who brings a wealth of experience, to the Natixis IM team and especially to our wholesale clients and platform partners in Australia," said Louise Watson, Country Head for Australia and New Zealand, Natixis IM.

"Her role will support the growth of the range of active ETFs and managed funds promoted by Natixis IM, leveraging the very best solutions from our global expert affiliate managers to serve the personal, and increasingly complex, needs of our clients."

Natixis works with more than 15 active fund managers under a multi-affiliate model and is ranked among the world's largest asset managers with more than $1.4 trillion assets under management.

In Australia, investors would be familiar with Natixis IM's affiliate investment managers Loomis Sayles, Vaughan Nelson, Mirova, Flexstone Partners and IML.

"I look forward to joining the Natixis IM team and continuing to provide a high standard of service to support the growth of exceptional client relationships across Australia. It's an exciting time to join the team as together, we will grow our best-in-class global solutions to our local clients," said Platts.

Mark Stephan joins as a principal asset consultant at Aequitas Investment Partners, a Melbourne-based asset consulting group for financial advisers. Founded in 2010, Aequitas manages over $8 billion in client funds and runs its own proprietary investment platforms, Aequilibrium and Altum.

On announcing his appointment, the group said that Stephan will lead their existing asset consulting relationships with dealer groups and financial planning firms, advising on portfolio construction, governance and investment strategy.

"He brings deep experience across investment consulting, portfolio management and asset research, with a strong track record supporting advisers and institutions in building multi-asset portfolios," it said in a statement.

Prior to joining Aequitas, Mark was senior investment analyst at Mutual Trust for two years and was at Vanguard Australia where he helped establish the group's inaugural Portfolio Analytics & Consulting function locally.

He has also worked at Lonsec as senior investment analyst in managed fund research, conducting research on Managed Funds, ETFs, LICs and SMAs.

Besides Stephan, Aequitas has also appointed Tea Van Ross (nee May) as head of strategy and client delivery. Ross had worked at Commonwealth Bank as senior process manager at CommSec product & customer experience.

The committee has welcomed Leanne Bradley as independent chair and David Wright as a member to provide independent governance and oversight for the upcoming platform.

Bradley brings more than 25 years of experience across investment management, asset consulting and financial services governance, with deep expertise in portfolio construction, manager research and investment governance frameworks.

She is the co-chief executive and principal of fintech solution provider Suite2Go and is a member of Granite Bay Private Wealth, Pella Funds Management, and the International Women's Development Agency.

Meanwhile, Wright co-founded Zenith Investment Partners and spent more than two decades as its chief executive. He is current head of client solutions at Pinnacle Investment Management.

Financial Standard reported last year on Pinnacle Investment Management's investment in FinCap to support the launch.

The committee will provide independent governance and oversight of the asset allocation, portfolio construction and fund selection processes underpinning the private markets platform, which is designed to give financial advisers and wholesale investors diversified exposure to private markets including private equity, private credit and real assets.

Bradley and Wright will be joined on the committee by chair Christian Ryan and head of portfolio and investment solutions Ben Davis.

Ryan said both appointments support a move to replicate a governance framework similar to those utilised by institutional investors.

"Having an independent chair with Leanne's calibre and experience, alongside David's deep expertise in investment research and manager evaluation, gives us a committee with genuine substance," Ryan said.

"As we prepare to bring the FinCap platform to market, we wanted a governance framework that reflects how institutional investors think about oversight, accountability and rigour.

"Leanne's background in investment governance and portfolio construction makes her ideally suited to chair the committee, and David's track record at Zenith speaks for itself. Their independence and combined depth of experience will be invaluable as we scale the platform."

Campbell-Blackwell brings more than 25 years' experience in software engineering and architecture, including over 15 years at Iress in senior technology leadership roles. Iress said he has played a central role in evolving the company's core platforms and improving product delivery.

He will be based in the UK with engineering teams based in all regions in which Iress operates.

Iress group chief executive and managing director Andrew Russell said: "This appointment comes at a critical time for Iress. We are focused on modernising our platforms, increasing product velocity and embedding AI in a practical, ROI-led way. Elevating the chief technology officer role reflects the importance of technology execution in delivering this next phase."

The technology platform recently partnered with global technology consultant Thoughtworks to help design data-driven features that reduce manual effort, improve adviser productivity and support new revenue opportunities for wealth providers.

Iress will implement the changes, starting with Xplan, its software offering for advisers to manage client operations.

"Iress has strong and enviable technology foundations and a clear strategy. Our focus now is on execution, modernising the platform, simplifying our technology environment and delivering high-quality outcomes for our clients," Campbell-Blackwell said.

It will also make the appointment of Sam Wall as chief executive of its APAC wealth business permanent, who has been acting in the role since February of this year. Wall previously led Iress' superannuation business, overseeing its performance and successful transition to new ownership under Apex Group.

"I'm encouraged by the support I've received from clients since stepping into the role and welcome the challenge of delivering a new AI-enabled era of Xplan to drive advice businesses forward," Wall said.

"I'm confident we are well positioned to modernise at pace and deliver better outcomes for our clients," Russell added.

"Our model is clear: strong internal leadership, supported by world-class external capability to accelerate targeted modernisation of core platforms, AI integration across client workflows and improved product delivery, speed and efficiency."

Anthony Attia of Euronext, the European bourse, will join ASX as chief executive on September 1, with previously announced interim chief Darren Yip to support the transition.

Attia brings nearly 30 years of experience across both European and US jurisdictions, including Euronext Paris, New York Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange Group, Intercontinental Exchange, and more, specialising in the full value chain of exchange operations - from listing franchises to post-trade services including clearing, custody and settlement.

As chief executive of Euronext Paris and a member of the board of Euronext from 2014 to 2021, and most recently as Euronext global head of derivatives and post trade, Attia has led major strategic and growth initiatives while developing strong relationships with customers, regulators and market participants, the ASX said.

He also played a central role in Euronext's transformation into a leading pan-European market infrastructure group, including overseeing the development of Euronext's proprietary trading platform, Optiq, and the expansion of Euronext Clearing into a multi-asset international clearing house.

One of Attia's core responsibilities will likely focus on the revitalisation of ASX's Clearing House Electronic Sub register System (CHESS), as it looks to complete the replacement of the system by 2029 with Release 2.

The CHESS Release 1 was effective in April.

Despite Attia's global status, he shares some experience in the Asia Pacific region, currently chairing the board of Global Rate Set Systems in Auckland, New Zealand, a position he has held since June 2024.

ASX chair David Clarke said Attia's appointment follows a rigorous global selection process.

"He brings deep exchange experience coupled with a proven track record of technology-enabled transformation and a clear understanding of the responsibilities that come with leading critical market infrastructure," Clarke said.

"I am confident he will build on the momentum at ASX and support the next stage of our transformation."

Attia added: "I am delighted to join ASX at a pivotal moment in its transformation. There is so much potential, and I'm excited to meet everyone at ASX and to engage directly with key stakeholders in Australia's markets ecosystem."

"I look forward to working with the ASX boards and the executive leadership team to further strengthen ASX's role as a steward of critical market infrastructure and to position us as a leading capital markets hub in the Asia Pacific region."

The exchange has come under immense scrutiny following several technical issues last year affecting its clearing and settling system.

It was advised to have "considerable work to do" by the Reserve Bank of Australia to meet the central bank's expectations for an operator of critical market infrastructure.

To rectify the underlying issues, including governance and listing requirements, the Advisory Group on Corporate Governance was formed to replace the ASX Corporate Governance Council in October. The AGCG recently met for the third time, providing an update on the revision of its corporate governance principles.

"Having worked at the intersection of investment governance and technology, I see a clear opportunity: to apply the governance discipline of the investment program to the investment technology and data programs that serve the investment mission," Grant said.

Grant spent a decade at Future Fund managing $335 billion, most recently as executive director, investment capability and intelligence.

During his decade long tenure, he served as chief of staff to the chief investment officer and owned the governance of the investment team's technology and data program.

Grant also led a wholesale review of how the program was structured, prioritised, and held accountable, and established and chaired the Investment Technology and Data Committee - the governance body accountable for investment technology strategy.

Prior to that, Grant held roles at Hastings Funds Management and worked as energy adviser to the Commonwealth Minister for Resources and Energy.

In his new role as founder and principal of Jolly Rambler, Grant will work with Australian and global institutional asset owners to apply investment governance best practice to their technology and data programs.

"The world's leading asset owners operate their investment programs with rigorous, fit for purpose governance frameworks. Every major allocation decision is anchored to investment strategy, has a clear owner, a defined process, and accountability for outcomes," Grant said.

"Those frameworks exist for a reason; default organisational processes were never built for an investment mission, so the best asset owners built something different.

"Their technology and data programs rarely get the same treatment. Instead, they inherit procurement frameworks, project governance, budgeting cycles, business case templates - tools designed for a different purpose. Yet technology, data and AI are now core enablers of investment capability. Programs that were once peripheral are now consequential."

Speaking at the Australian Shareholders' Association 2026 Investor Conference in Melbourne last week, Clarke said succession planning is one of the most important decisions the board makes and it must have a long-term view for it.

"It's almost a proxy for the standard, the culture, the leadership style, and to a certain extent, strategy that you're looking for. So therefore, you shouldn't rush it. And fortunately, we're in a great position where we've got a very competent internal executive to fulfill that role."

The ASX has appointed group executive of markets and listings Darren Yip as interim chief executive, as the exchange continues its search for a permanent leader.

Yip will assume the role, effective May 29, after announcing in February that chief executive Helen Lofthouse would step down.

The ASX said the appointment is intended to ensure leadership continuity during the transition period, with Yip bringing more than two decades of experience across global financial markets.

Yip said his immediate priority would be maintaining operational resilience, supporting customers while continuing to deliver key strategic and technology initiatives.

On when the markets can expect the announcement of the next chief executive, Clarke said these things always take a while.

"I'm always reluctant to answer that question because I don't feel confident until the candidate that we have chosen is standing up and addressing all the employees and then I know they're going to stay," he said.

The ASX has been in the crosshairs with ASIC since last year around its questionable ability to "maintain stable, secure and resilient" market infrastructure, which were brought to the forefront due to disruptions in trading in late 2024.

In this situation, Clarke said it is important for the board to maintain consistency in language with the management team.

"You're talking to the stakeholders, whether they be shareholders, regulators or customers but the chief executive and the management team are also talking to them, so there needs to be a consistency," Clarke said.

"So, you need input into how that dialogue is being shaped."

Another important aspect is to avoid corporate language, Clarke said.

"You're speaking with those investors to actually make some form of connection. They're seeking to evaluate you through how you communicate with them and frankly make up their minds pretty quickly whether you're someone they can believe or not believe."

The company has appointed Kevin Bertoli and John Whelan as portfolio managers for RG1, replacing the departing Anselmi.

Both Bertoli and Whelan arrived from PM Capital, a subsidiary of Regal Partners from an acquisition in December 2023. They will join existing portfolio manager Herny Hill and supported by a team of approximately 30 equity analysts, Regal said.

They bring extensive global equities investing, serving as co-portfolio managers to PM Capital's global equity fund, since 2006 and 2009 respectively, and will further expand RG1's investment capability.

The investment guidelines for RG1 remain unchanged, Regal confirmed.

Meanwhile, Anselmi will depart the company. He oversaw RG1 since its IPO in September 2017, serving as an investment analyst and later as a portfolio manager.

Commenting, RG1 chair David Jones welcomed the appointments and wished Anselmi well in his future endeavours.

"We are delighted to welcome Kevin and John to the RG1 portfolio management team, recognising their deep investment experience and long tenure managing global equity strategies alongside chief investment officer Paul Moore," Jones said.

"Under Paul's stewardship, Kevin and John have meaningfully contributed to the impressive track record of PM Capital's global long/short strategies and we look forward to their contributions to RG1 going forward.

"We remain pleased with the strong investment performance delivered by Paul and the Regal team since Paul's appointment in September 2025 and extend our sincere thanks to Marco for his commitment and contribution to the company over nearly nine years in the RG1 investment team."

Irina Chinenova has joined the fund as general manager of data and insights, overseeing Rest's data analytics and intelligence capabilities across the business. She will report to chief technology and data officer Jermey Hubbard.

Chinenova brings more than two decades of experience in analytics and digital transformation, including senior leadership roles at Optus and Woolworths Group, where she led data analytics teams focused on customer and product insights.

Rest said the appointment reflects growing emphasis across the superannuation sector on using data to improve member engagement, personalisation and operational efficiency, particularly as funds invest more heavily in digital capabilities.

At the same time, the fund has appointed Abbey Pearce as general manager of tax. Pearce will oversee Rest's tax governance and compliance framework and report to chief financial officer John O'Sullivan.

Peace joins from Cbus Super, where she served as head of group tax. She previously held a director role in the superannuation tax practice at KPMG, advising super funds, sovereign wealth funds and investment managers on tax and regulatory matters.

The appointments come as large super funds continue to expand internal capability across technology, governance and regulatory compliance amid increasing scrutiny and operational complexity.

The hires reflect broader industry trends as super trends as super funds strengthen specialist capabilities in areas such as data governance, cyber security, regulatory compliance and member analytics. As funds scale and face increasing expectations around personalisation, transparency and operational resilience, executive appointments across technology and finance functions are becoming a larger strategic focus.

Taggart joins HUB24 with more than a decade of senior leadership experience across distribution, adviser engagement and strategic growth roles within financial services.

Most recently, he served as a general manager of distribution and marketing at Resolution Life, where he oversaw adviser engagement and spent more than 10 years across Zurich and OnePath in leadership positions spanning sales, strategic accounts and national distribution.

HUB24 executive general manager of platform growth Matt Willis said the appointment would support the firm's focus on strengthening relationships with advisers and improving client outcomes.

The move comes as platform providers increasingly compete on service quality and adviser support, alongside technology functionality and pricing.

Recent industry research found service remains a key driver or adviser satisfaction, with poor support frequently cited as a reason advisers switch platforms.

Taggart touched on his eagerness to contribute to the team at HUB24: "HUB24 has built a strong reputation for service, innovation and collaboration with advisers. I'm looking forward to working closely with advisers to build on the strong access and engagement advisers already have, ensuring they continue to deliver outstanding client outcomes.".

The appointment comes as HUB24 continues expanding its adviser support model through increased investment in training, service accessibility and AI-enabled tools, with the platform seeking to strengthen how advisers interact with both technology and client service teams as advice and business scales evolve.

The Melbourne-based firm has named Jason Beale as its new head of product and operations, with a focus on expanding the group's institutional base.

Beale joined last month after spending four years as head of product at Tokyo-based SBI Digital Asset Holdings, the tokenisation and crypto division of SBI and prior to that, five years as solutions architect and technical lead at the Singapore Stock Exchange. 

Before carving a career in fintech and digital assets, Beale was at UBS, climbing the ranks from analyst developer to director in fixed income, rates and credit IT. 

AUDC's second senior hire is Hamish Crittenden as chief technology officer. 

Prior to AUDC, Crittenden was the chief architect and head of product at FSCO, where he had spent time building and commercialising fintech and blockchain platforms.

"He will lead the next phase of AUDC's technology evolution, scaling an already live, multi-chain stablecoin platform to support institutional-grade adoption," the group said in a statement. 

Separately, Rachael Jones, has been promoted from operations lead to head of ecosystem & strategic initiatives, with the mandate to expand the group's current partnerships with clients including Ripple, Coinbase and Circle.

"Over the past few years, we have focused on building and proving the foundations of AUDD in the market. These appointments are about taking that foundation to the next level and scaling what is already working to enable more institutions to use stablecoins to modernise and improve their services," said AUDC's chief executive officer, Effie Dimitropoulos.

This year the group was granted an AFSL, which allows it to provide non-cash payment facilities and operate within Australia's financial regulatory framework. It said that it has processed more than $1.5 billion in transaction volume since the product AUDD was launched in 2022.

The Magellan Global Fund - Open Class Units - Active ETF (ASX: MGOC) and the Magellan Global Fund Hedged investment strategy will be changed to the Vinva Global Alpha Strategy, and Vinva Investment Management will be appointed as investment manager for the funds.

The funds have approximately $5.3 billion in assets under management (AUM), as at April 30.

Magellan will remain the responsible entity for the funds and retain responsibility for distribution.

Additionally, Magellan said it intends to close the Magellan Global Equities Fund (Currency Hedged) (ASX: MHG). The fund had around $94 million AUM, as at April 30.

After the announcement there was talk on LinkedIn that job cuts would impact fund managers and administration workers throughout Magellan.

A Magellan spokesperson would not confirm to Financial Standard the exact number of employees affected but did confirm there would be job losses.

"As a result of changes to the global equities strategy, a number of roles will be impacted. We are consulting with those affected and are focused on providing appropriate support throughout this process," the spokesperson said.

"We expect the Magellan Global Opportunities Strategy to operate with a dedicated team of six at the conclusion of this process. Alan Pullen will continue as portfolio manager, with Ryan Joyce as deputy portfolio manager.

"We thank those departing for their significant contribution and will continue to assist them through the transition."

Under the changes Magellan will reduce the management fees for the funds from 1.35% p.a. to 0.89% p.a., and performance fees will no longer be charged.

Morningstar equity analyst Shaun Ler said the changes were an acknowledgement of competitive pressure.

"Magellan is ceding management of its flagship strategy and slashing fees, steps it has historically resisted. The shift to lower-cost systematic approached also reshapes Magellan's own product suite," Ler said.

"We don't expect earnings improvement. The fee reduction compresses margins directly and cost savings offer only a partial offset. Magellan explicitly flagged continues short- to medium-term outflow risk stemming from the strategy change, which limits the pace of any near-term earnings recovery."

However, Ler added that Vinva is the better performing manager of the two.

"It is relatively well rated by research houses, though considerably less known than larger domestic peers. This may slow redemptions from Magellan over time, but won't reverse them," he said.

Based in Australia, O'Brien will report to Franck Dubois, head of Asia Pacific for securities services at BNP Paribas.

O'Brien brings more than 20 years' experience at BNP Paribas, having started his career in 2005 within the bank's Australian securities services business.

He later headed custody and clearing product for Asia Pacific from Hong Kong SAR, before taking charge of the banks and brokers segment globally and the FI&C client line for the UK and Middle East.

"With his deep regional knowledge, strong relationships with global partners, and proven track record in delivering complex, market-focused solutions, Gary is well positioned to lead the FI&C client line in Asia Pacific for BNP Paribas' Securities Services business and further strengthen its presence in the region," BNP Paribas said.

"The appointment demonstrates BNP Paribas' ongoing commitment to expanding its securities services business in Asia Pacific, driving growth in the region, and delivering tailored solutions to clients."

Earlier this month Janus Henderson awarded a long-term strategic mandate with BNP Paribas' Security Services to provide a wide range of fund and market and financing services across Australia, the UK, France and Luxembourg.

The mandate is an extension of BNP Paribas' relationship with Janus Henderson and will leverage the bank's capabilities, including those of its Global Markets business, to support Janus Henderson's strategic ambitions.

BNP Paribas said after a competitive tender process, it was appointed to help enhance operational efficiencies across regions, and to support Janus Henderson's front-to-back target operating model transformation.

Joe Cheika, joining from Colonial First State, has been appointed to the newly created role. He will be based in Sydney and will report to chief executive Jason Todd.

Cheika is Ten Cap's second hire since the firm's launch in February 2025, following Mark Kellock who was names senior equity analyst in October.

In his new role, Cheika will lead the firm's distribution function, working closely with existing and prospective clients to drive growth across adviser, private wealth, and institutional channels, Ten Cap said.

Cheika brings nearly 15 years of experience across the financial services industry. Most recently, he was business development manager at CFS, driving new business opportunities and managing relationships with various clients.

He also held roles in investment sales, research relationship management and product governance, gaining experience across platforms, product development, and investment oversight. Prior to that, he spent over two years at Commonwealth Bank.

Commenting, Todd said Cheika's appointment comes at a time when Ten Cap is continuously looking for growth.

"Joe brings over 13 years of experience in wealth and investment management sales and has a strong track record in investment distribution and a deep understanding of the Australian wealth landscape," Todd said.

"His experience across sales leadership, platform strategy, and client relationship management will be instrumental as we expand our flagship fund into new investment channels."

This appointment follows the launch of Ten Cap's listed active ETF (ASX: TCAP) in November last year, based on its existing Alpha Plus Fund, a long-short equity only strategy in Australia.

JANA Investment Advisers has appointed Zac Leman to the newly created position of general manager, wealth.

Leman was most recently head of managed accounts and direct equities at BT Financial Group, a role he held since 2019. Previously, he was head of platforms investment product development.

Prior to BT, he spent four years at Mason Stevens, including as head of adviser services.

At JANA, he will lead the wealth business strategy, strengthening advice, investment, operational and implementation capabilities to support continued growth in the segment.

Meantime, head of wealth Michael Karagianis will continue to lead JANA's Wealth consulting relationships.

The group said Leman's appointment reflects the strong growth and momentum in its wealth business, which has now grown to more than $15 billion under advice or management, about one fifth of which is in managed accounts.

"Zac's appointment strengthens our leadership at a time when clients are seeking more sophisticated, institutional-quality capability that's delivered to meet their needs," JANA general manager of strategy and innovation Lauren O'Neill, whom Leman will report to, said.

"Drawing on his deep understanding of the wealth and advice landscape, Zac will play a key role in expanding access to our investment expertise, and delivering consistent, high-quality advice and implementation outcomes."

Meanwhile, commenting on his new role, Leman said: "JANA's client-first philosophy, purpose-led approach and its depth of investment capability strongly align with how I think about delivering value to clients."

"The business has built real momentum in the wealth segment, and I'm excited to be joining at a time of opportunity and growth.

"The wealth sector continues to evolve, with increasing demand for more sophisticated, outcome-focused solutions. I'm looking forward to working closely with clients and partners to build on JANA's strengths and deliver advice and implementation that supports long-term value creation."

Based in Melbourne, Sara will focus on strengthening Northern Trust's asset owner proposition, working closely with institutional investors, consultants and industry stakeholders across Australia, New Zealand and broader APAC markets.

The appointment comes as competition intensifies within the custody and asset servicing sector, with providers increasingly targeting large scale super funds and institutional mandates through enhanced technology, data and client engagement capabilities.

Sara brings more than two decades of experience industry engagement across strategy and organisational transformation.

Most recently, he was a consultant at Alpha FMC and previously served as a general manager of technology at NZ Super Fund, overseeing enterprise- wide digital strategy, cybersecurity and data platforms, while managing a large team with a multi-million-dollar budget.

Northern Trust said Sara's background in organisational transformation and industry engagement will support its efforts to evolve its service offering and respond to changing client demands.

The firm is one of the largest custodians operating in Australia, with close to $1 trillion in assets under custody locally, placing it among the top providers in a market that has grown to more than $6 trillion in assets overall. It also has the third-highest assets under administration.

Sara's appointment signals a continued focus on building strategic relationships and positioning Northern Trust to capture further growth opportunities in the region's evolving investment landscape, it said.

Gary Dransfield is stepping down after four years as independent chair of ASFA.

While there, he oversaw the appointment of Mary Delahunty as chief executive, the development of the lobby group's 2024-2027 strategic plan, and the integration of ASP Services into ASFA InPractice, it noted.

"I am proud of the organisation ASFA has become during my four years as chair," Dransfield said.

"ASFA is a unique organisation. It is the only body that brings together all parts of Australia's superannuation sector into the one tent, and it is the only body that delivers end-to-end policy reform for the benefit of the whole sector."

At the same time, Bryony Hayes, formerly chief risk officer at TelstraSuper, is also departing the board.

It comes as TelstraSuper merges into Aware Super.

"It has been a pleasure to work with the ASFA chief executive and board at a pivotal time for the organisation and the super sector," she said.

"ASFA is strongly positioned to continue to meet its role as the voice of super as the sector evolves to meet new challenges."

In acknowledging both Dransfield and Hayes, ASFA said they "provided invaluable guidance and advice on the development of the SC3 Framework, a sector-driven initiative coordinated by ASFA to build resilience to cyber threats, fraud and scams by sharing threat intelligence across the industry."

"I am very appreciative of the assistance, collective wisdom and time Gary and Bryony have devoted to the ASFA board," Delahunty said.

"Gary in particular was a valuable source of guidance to me in my first two years as chief executive, and I am grateful for his leadership and help."

Dransfield will stay on to assist with the transition to a new chair, recruitment for which has commenced. ASFA is also in the process of appointing a new board director to replace Hayes.

Meantime, yesterday ASFA and JANA published a guidance note on investment manager operational due diligence to help super trustees meet their fiduciary and regulatory obligations.

ASFA said it aims to complement APRA's prudential framework, including SPS/SPG 530 (Investment Governance) and CPS/CPG 230 (Operational Risk Management), with important intersections with CPS 234 (Information Security).

"The strength of our due diligence frameworks really matters to the integrity of the super system. So, this work has consequences for every Australian worker and retiree," Delahunty said.

"The Guidance Note gives the industry a consistent, practical method for assessing investment manager risk. It's also timely. Quite rightly, regulators' expectations around operational resilience are only moving in one direction, and that's upwards."

Also commenting, JANA head of operational consulting Jo Leaper said: "Operational due diligence isn't a tick-the-box exercise. In practice, there can be gaps between how processes are document and how they operate day to day."

"Effective due diligence is about understanding how an investment manager functions, and whether governance and controls are genuinely working under pressure. Clear roles and responsibilities, appropriate segregation between decision-making and oversight, and well-defined escalation pathways are fundamental to making due diligence meaningful."

Generation Life named Robert Coulter as national key accounts manager, joining from Allianz Retire+ where he served as head of key accounts.

Coulter will focus on platform and institutional collaboration, APL positioning, and driving further adviser adoption of Generation Life's investment bond and investment-linked lifetime income solutions.

He previously worked in senior roles at Ignition Advice, Financial Advice Association Australia, AMP, ING, BT Financial Group and MLC Australia.

Generation Life general manager of distribution Brendon Rodda said Coulter spent more than 20 years building the kind of lasting relationships that advisers and licensees value most, and he understands what it takes to translate those relationships into meaningful outcomes for clients.

"It's a hugely exciting time to be joining Generation Life. The business is rapidly expanding, adviser demand is at record levels, and the tax and retirement landscape is shifting in ways that play directly to our strengths. Robert will play a key role in sustaining our growth momentum while continuing to deliver the high-quality services our advisers and licensees expect," he said.

Separately, PPS Mutual appointed Hasib Qayumi as business development manager for New South Wales.

He will report to NSW and Australian Capital Territory state manager Sabrina Sequeira-Walmsley. His responsibilities include driving growth across PPS Mutual's adviser network in NSW and working closely with financial advisers to support professional clients.

Qayumi joins from AIA Australia where he spent more than eight years in business and client development roles spanning retail distribution and group corporate. He also worked at ANZ, Asteron Life and CommInsure.

"Hasib is well known throughout the advice community and has established a strong reputation with advisers; I have seen it firsthand in the field. Hasib cares about our industry, understands the landscape and brings a positive, can-do attitude. I am very much looking forward to welcoming Hasib to the PPS Mutual family," said Sequeira-Walmsley.

Pasika has been serving in the role in an acting capacity since October 2025, stepping up after Simon Esposito left the fund for a role at buyout firm CVC Capital Partners. At the time, he also held the role of deputy chief investment officer.

Since, she's continued to progress the fund's private markets agenda and strengthen external relationships in that time, Rest said.

Pasika has been with the fund since 2020 working across private equity and the broader alternatives portfolio. She served as head of private equity and head of growth alternatives.

Previously, she worked in private equity at Future Fund for close to a decade.

Rest chief investment officer Michael Clancy said Pasika's appointment reflects her depth of investment experience and leadership capability.

"Marina brings strong investing credentials, a proven track record in private equity and deep experience across private markets," he said.

"She has also demonstrated strong leadership capability in the role, building momentum within the team.

"Since stepping into the role on an interim basis, Marina has led the team with clarity and sound judgement, while continuing to advance our private markets strategy. I'm delighted that she is now stepping into the role on a permanent basis."

For her part, Pasika said: "It's a privilege to continue leading the private markets team and to build on the work underway."

"The focus remains on delivering strong long-term outcomes for members through disciplined investing, strong partnerships and a clear strategic approach. I'm looking forward to what lies ahead."