Two new partners have signed up to Future IM/Pact, a campaign launched last year aimed at attracting more diversity to investment management, bringing the number of key fund managers and superannuation funds to participate to 14.
Challenger Limited and Macquarie Securities were the newest signatories to the scheme, which would have an initial focus on women.
“We realised that attracting women into our business requires grassroots education about what a career in investments offers. We’re delighted to be working alongside other industry leaders to raise the profile of this profession and provide meaningful opportunities for young people to get a foot in the door,” Challenger Life chief executive and chief investment officer, Chris Plater, said.
“Addressing an industry-wide challenge like this requires collaboration across all aspects of industry,” Macquarie Securities head of research, Kristen Edmond, said. “It’s refreshing to be able to partner with our clients to implement practical solutions aimed at building our future talent pipeline.”
Future IM/Pact would be running events in Melbourne and Sydney this week aimed at helping students understand the impact of investing and the opportunities the sector offered young women.
New research has shown that investing in alternative assets and using active management has, to this point, delivered strong results for Australian super funds.
Australia’s $4 trillion superannuation industry is fundamentally reshaping the nation’s external accounts, setting the stage for a more sustainable current account surplus despite weaker commodity markets.
Rest has expanded its portfolio of renewable energy infrastructure by supporting a Victorian solar farm and battery project.
Economic growth was weaker than expected, once again highlighting an economy largely sustained by population growth and government spending.