Australian Retirement Trust has signed a memorandum of understanding with Alcoa Super.
This was the third merger announcement made by the fund since the start of the year as the fund targeted achieving $500 billion by 2030.
The two funds would now commence a comprehensive due diligence process, and any potential merger, via a successor fund transfer (SFT), will only progress if both funds determine that doing so would be in each of their members’ best interest.
Alcoa Super had more than 5,000 members and $2 billion in funds under management.
ART chief executive, Bernard Reilly, said: “Our merger last year to become Australian Retirement Trust was really just the starting point and laid the foundation for our future growth strategy,
“Over the last year alone, we’ve increased our member numbers by more than 200,000 and
our funds under management by $40 billion.
“Mergers and transitions are just one aspect of our growth channels, which also include
pursuing growth through member direct and retail financial advisers.”
The two other MOUs that ART was working on was AvSuper, which had previously looked to merge with CSC, and Commonwealth Bank Group Super.
The two funds have announced the signing of a non-binding MOU to explore a potential merger.
The board must shift its focus from managing inflation to stimulating the economy with the trimmed mean inflation figure edging closer to the 2.5 per cent target, economists have said.
ASIC chair Joe Longo says superannuation trustees must do more to protect members from misconduct and high-risk schemes.
Super fund mergers are rising, but poor planning during successor fund transfers has left members and employers exposed to serious risks.