Cbus Super has appointed Leigh Gavin, former head of investment model design at AustralianSuper, to lead its portfolio strategies.
In this role, he will help drive the $85 billion fund’s new five-year investment strategy, through which it intends to internalise more than half its assets under management. Presently, its internal equities capabilities manage around $7.7 billion in fundamental strategies.
Gavin will also be responsible for enhancing global partnerships for greater access to new investment.
“Leigh is highly regarded across the industry with a proven record of optimising portfolio outcomes,” said Cbus chief investment officer, Brett Chatfield.
“Leigh will also provide support across our broader internalisation programme as well as key strategic portfolio initiatives and business management activities.”
Gavin makes the move to Cbus after two and a half years at Australia’s largest superannuation fund. His remit included providing advice and insights on investments and portfolios, frameworks for oversighting internal portfolios as well as the management, monitoring, and control frameworks for investment performance, investment risk, and cost.
He had also been chief investment officer at LUCRF Super before its merger with AustralianSuper in June 2022.
Prior to that, Gavin spent over 14 years at Frontier Advisors as principal consultant, where he advised some of the country’s largest funds.
Cbus Super recently saw executive changes with its former CIO Kristian Fok taking up the role of CEO towards the end of the last financial year. Days later, his deputy, Chatfield, was named CIO.
In the year to 30 June 2023, Cbus’ Growth (MySuper) investment option returned 8.9 per cent, with a three-year rolling average performance of 7.76 per cent.
