Conversations with Institutional Investors

David Di Pilla is Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of HMC Capital, a diversified alternative investment firm. In this episode, we speak about the challenges of building a new investment firm during the COVID-19, the attraction of healthcare real estate and the taking a private equity approach to listed markets. Please enjoy the show! Overview of Podcast with David Di Pilla: 1:00...

In this episode, we speak with Thomas Haugaard, Portfolio Manager for Emerging Market Debt at Janus Henderson Investors. Haugaard, a former economist, talks passionately about why emerging markets form such an interesting investment universe, the influence of geopolitics on debt securities and the risks from climate change. Please enjoy the show! Overview of Podcast with Thomas Haugaard: 01:00 My...

Craig Roodt is Director of Investment Governance and Risk at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and is also known for his time with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). In this episode, we speak about the governance challenges of in-sourcing asset management functions by pension funds, the Your Future, Your Super performance test and some the worst governance failures he has seen during hi...

In episode 85 of the [i3] Podcast, we speak with Jakob Wilhelmus, who is Director of Thematic Research at PGIM about their new report into food security and the changing food system. We spoke about the impact on the global economy and investment opportunities for institutional investors. Please enjoy the show! Overview of Podcast with Jakob Wilhelmus, PGIM 01:00 PGIM published the report 'Food for...

Peter Johnston is Managing Director of Lighthouse Infrastructure, a sustainable infrastructure and real asset fund management company that has more recently been investing in affordable housing for key workers. In this episode, we delve deep into the issue of affordable housing and how it presents an opportunity for institutional investors. Overview of Podcast with Peter Johnston, Managing Directo...

David Brown is the Chief Investment Officer of the Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund. David is also well known for his involvement in the private asset markets in his previous role as Head of Private Markets for Victorian Funds Management Corporation (VFMC). In this episode, we cover both the unlisted space, his time working with Leo de Bever and the unique set of circumstances when invest...

In this episode of the [i3] Podcast, we look at machine learning and artificial intelligence. Our guests are Kaggle Founder Anthony Goldbloom and Stanford CS Professor Chris Manning, who are both involved in venture capital firm AIX Ventures, as investment directors. We speak about the state of play in machine learning and artificial intelligence, the most interesting applications, including ChatG...

Tanya Branwhite is the Head of Portfolio Construction at the asset manager for the state of New South Wales, TCorp. In this episode, we speak about Tanya's early career, including ruffling some feathers at Macquarie Group, TCorp's interpretation of a Total Portfolio Approach and the lessons we should have learned from the GFC. Enjoy the show! Overview of Podcast with Tanya Branwhite, TCorp: 01:00...

Sean Anthonisz is the Head of Investment Strategy of Mine Super, a pension fund for the mining industry. In this episode, we talk to Sean about his background in academia and the intersection with investment implementation, the use of 'fairly loose graphs' in the industry, P-hacking and decarbonisation in a mining fund. Please enjoy the show. Overview of Podcast with Sean Anthonisz, Mine Super 01:...

Last month, scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a defence facility that sits under the US Department of Energy, announced that they had achieved a nuclear fusion reaction that produced more energy than it took to ignite it, using high-powered lasers. The announcement was both celebrated as a milestone in science and criticised as an overhyped media spectacle. In this episod...

In episode 78 of the [i3] Podcast, we speak with Ian Patrick, Chief Investment Officer at the Australian Retirement Trust. We delve into the latest developments of the merger between legacy funds Sunsuper and Qsuper, we discussed inhouse asset management and the impact of decarbonisation. Enjoy the show! Overview of Podcast with Ian Patrick, CIO of the Australian Retirement Trust 01:00 Coming to A...

Geoff Bazzan is Head of Asia-Pacific Equities at Maple-Brown Abbott. In this episode of the [i3] podcast, we speak about the Asian equity markets, whether value-style investing is suited to the Chinese market and the recent geopolitical upheaval. Please enjoy the show. Overview of podcast with Geoff Bazzan, Maple Brown Abbott 01:00 Starting at Maple Brown Abbott more than 35 years ago 03:30 Change...

Henrietta Pacquement is the Head of the Global Fixed Income Team at Allspring Global Investments (formerly known as Wells Fargo Asset Management). In this episode we look at the differences between the US and European fixed income markets, the likelihood of a recession and how to place portfolios and the impact of the energy transition on credit. Please enjoy the show. Overview of Podcast with Hen...

In this episode of the [i3] Podcast, we speak with Simon Russell, Founder and Director of Behavioural Finance Australia, about his new book: 'Behavioural Finance: A Guide for Listed Equities Teams'. We talk about how institutional investors are not immune to biases, even if they are aware of them. The application of behavioural finance to selling discipline and the relationship between intelligenc...

In Episode 74 of the [i3] Podcast, we speak with David Elms, Head of Diversified Alternatives and Portfolio Manager, Janus Henderson Investors. David, an Australian based in London, discusses the changing nature of bonds and their correlation to equities, trend-following versus option strategies and he tackles the idea that illiquidity stabilises portfolios. "You can paint illiquidity as a feature...

In this episode of the [i3] Podcast, we speak with Bob Maynard, Chief Investment Officer of the Public Employees Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI) at the eve of his retirement, after 30 years with the fund. We look back at how a job as the deputy attorney of Alaska saw him getting involved with investing and how he has stuck to his mantra of keeping it simple. "Whenever I get a bright idea, I go...

Why should institutional investors care about biodiversity in their investment strategy, when they are still embarking on the net zero journey? Because it is most likely to be the next area of focus for regulators and society more broadly, Caroline Cantor of Federated Hermes says. BTW, did you know the average person eats about a credit card worth of plastic a week through micro plastic pollution?...

Nick Abrahams is the Global co-leader of Norton Rose Fulbright's Digital Transformation Practice and a futurist. In this episode, we talk about digital assets, the value drivers behind non-fungible tokens (NFTs), cybersecurity and negotiating with ransomware attackers. Overview of Podcast with Nick Abrahams, Norton Rose Fulbright 01:00 You are a lawyer by trade. How did you get involved in the dig...

John Reade is the Chief Market Strategist for the World Gold Council. John is not only a former investor with a well-known US hedge fund and strategist with investment bank UBS, he actually started out in the mines of South Africa as an engineer. In this podcast, we talk about gold as a long term asset, the potential as an inflation hedge and discuss some of the common criticisms of gold voiced by...

Pablo Berrutti is Senior Investment Specialist, Sustainable Funds Group at Stewart Investors. Starting as a risk specialist, Pablo became quickly aware of the dangers of climate change, even before he knew what ESG was. In this conversation, we discuss the likelihood of fossil fuel-based companies making the transition to low carbon business models and pose the question whether companies' quick re...

Sue Brake is the Chief Investment Officer of the Future Fund. In this episode, we talk about the fund's 15 year celebration, looking at the early days of how the fund started to invest just as the global financial crisis began to impact markets. We also discuss the recent investment strategy review and look at the years ahead. Please enjoy the show! To access the book 'Celebrating 15 Years of the...

Hamish Chamberlayne is Head of Global Sustainable Equities at Janus Henderson Investors. In this podcast, we talk about Hamish' background in analysing energy companies, the sense and nonsense of ESG ratings, reliance on technology and opportunities in Australian listed companies. Please enjoy the show. Overview of Podcast with Hamish Chamberlayne 2:30 I've always been interested in how the natura...

Adam Gilmour is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Australian rocket company Gilmour Space. His business is backed by some of the largest institutional investors in Australia, including Hostplus, HESTA and NGS Super, as well as several venture capital firms. In this interview, we talk about the business of rocket launches, space cargo, interest from institutional investors and Chinese s...

John Pearce is the Chief Investment Officer of Unisuper, one of the best performing funds in Australia. We talk about in-house management, sense and nonsense of asset buckets, APRA's performance test and China. Please enjoy the show. Overview of Podcast with John Pearce, Chief Investment Officer of UniSuper 1:00 Starting in the back office of Westpac Investment Management 3:00 There is no way you...

In episode 64 of the [i3] Podcast, we speak with Matt Benkendorf, CIO of Vontobel Quality Growth, a global equity strategy of Vontobel Asset Management. We spoke about the firm's unusual deployment of investigative journalists, how to create thoughtful portfolios when divesting tobacco and, of course, learnings from the global pandemic. Please enjoy the show. Overview of Podcast with Matt Benkendo...