Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) chief executive, Ann Byrne will step down from her position later this year.
ACSI president Gerard Noonan said Byrne's five years with the organisation supported its growth into a major force in corporate governance in Australia and bolstered super funds focus on the environmental and social impact of companies.
"Ann's direct style and her intellectual savvy are well known to many chairs and directors of the stock exchange's top 200 companies," Noonan said.
"She has been an articulate advocate on ESG issues for many years and has a deep understanding, on behalf of millions of super fund members, of the importance of improved corporate governance in Australia's corporate landscape."
Byrne has spent the past year involved in a major project to re-organise ACSI's governance and representative structure, Noonan said.
Byrne is former chief executive of UniSuper and Superannuation Trust of Australia (now AustralianSuper) and will continue in her role as elected member of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) organisation, which she has held for three years, until October.
ACSI has started an international search for Byrne's replacement.
The research house has offered a silver lining after super fund returns saw the end of a five-month streak last month.
A survey of almost 6,000 fund members has identified weakening retirement confidence, particularly among those under 55 years of age, signalling an opportunity for super funds to better engage with members on their retirement journey.
The funds have confirmed the signing of a successor fund transfer deed, moving closer to creating a new $29 billion entity.
A number of measures, including super on Paid Parental Leave, funding to recover unpaid super, and frameworks to encourage investment in the energy transition, have been welcomed by the superannuation industry.
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