Putnam Investments has named Charles Wall as senior vice president, director of institutional business, Australia. Wall will commence with Putnam Investments on August 1, 2006, and will report to Jeffrey Peters, managing director, head of Putnam’s international business.
Wall will be responsible for institutional sales and relationship management in Australia. He will lead the expansion of Putnam’s institutional business and presence in the region.
“We are very committed to the Australian marketplace,” said Peters of Wall’s appointment. “Charles has the proven experience, skill and knowledge of both the institutional business and the Australian business landscape that will help us develop a strong institutional capability. We are very excited about this opportunity to have him on the Putnam team.”
Before joining Putnam, Wall was investment director for Fidelity International, supporting both the institutional and intermediary channels. Previously, he was chief investment officer for NRMA Insurance, a portfolio manager with LGT Funds Management and a strategist for Baring Securities.
In his new capacity, Wall joins Peter Walsh, who came to Putnam in Australia in April 2006 as director of retail business.
BT Financial Group has announced the appointment of Gary Cox to lead its successful superannuation business.
Jason Yetton, BT general manager, customer solutions, said this was a significant appointment, which involved responsibility for BT’s corporate super, personal super and retirement product solutions.
“Gary is a highly experienced executive with deep expertise in the super and retirement market,” he said. “Gary has a strong track record of leadership and achievement, and has successfully led a number of large financial services companies through significant organisational, cultural and technology change programs.”
“BT sees this experience, as well as Gary’s focus on improving the customer experience, as being critical as we move into the new super landscape post-Budget 2006,” Yetton added.
As head of Super Solutions, Cox will oversee a business unit that is charged with growing market share and providing market-leading customer service.
A key focus for Cox will be to lead the Super Solutions team through a thorough review of BT’s products, systems, organisational capabilities and distribution channels, and define BT’s strategic direction as an industry leader in the new super regime.
Watson Wyatt Australia has announced a senior appointment to its investment consulting team, with the addition of Andrew Grimes as an investment consultant.
“This addition to our investment consulting team continues Watson Wyatt’s commitment to recruiting high quality individuals with a differential perspective to meet our clients’ diverse investment needs,” said the head of investment consulting in Australia, David Neal. “It also highlights our policy of adding resources well ahead of new business growth.”
Prior to joining Watson Wyatt, Grimes spent four years working for Schroder Investment Management in London as a UK equity fund manager.
Over the last two years Grimes undertook a range of management consulting projects for McKinsey & Company in Australia.
“The depth and strength of our team clearly positions Watson Wyatt as Australia’s leading independent institutional investment consultant. The latest addition complements the existing skill set within our Australian consulting team and will further enhance our position as the thought leader in the investment consulting industry,” Neal said.
AIST has announced that Peta-Gai McLaughlin, a barrister and solicitor, has recently joined the organisation in the newly created role of legal and compliance manager.
McLaughlin has worked in the superannuation industry for the past seven years and joined AIST from Cbus Superannuation Fund.
Prior to working at Cbus, she worked as an in-house senior lawyer at the Victorian Government Superannuation Office and at the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal.
McLaughlin commenced her career within the superannuation area at Colonial.
This appointment allows AIST to offer a much wider range of membership services and benefits. Initially, McLaughlin will be developing AIST’s Board Competency Services, providing Australian Financial Services Licence compliance training and audits, drafting legal and compliance updates for members, as well as legal and compliance consulting projects.
McLaughlin is the chair of the Victorian management committee of Women in Super and is also involved in various legal and superannuation discussion groups.
