HFA undergoes board and ownership changes
The Suncorp Group has offloaded its 53 per cent interest in Hedge Funds Limited (HFL), whileHedge Funds of Australia(HFA) managing director Spencer Young has increased his holding to 25 per cent.
The Suncorp Group says while it has exited its interest in HFL, the manager of the HFA trusts, it will remain supportive of HFA Funds having negotiated a minimum $100 million in capacity for future investment by Suncorp Group-related entities.
The Suncorp Group held a 53 per cent stake in HFL, whichSuncorp Metway Investment Managementpublic affairs manager Chris Cunnington says was no longer a good fit from a management and control perspective.
Cunnington says due to reporting and balance sheet issues, the group prefers to either take a 100 per cent stake in a group or act as a passive investor.
As such the two Suncorp appointed non-executive directors, Suncorp Metway Investment Management general manager Maurice Kluge, and Cunnington, have left the board.
They will be replaced by the former chief investment officer of Rothschild Australia, Jonathon Pain, and partner at corporate adviser Grant Samuel, John Morrison.
HFA has also appointed experienced hedge fund analyst and portfolio manager Peter Coates to its Australian analyst team.
In other news from the group international fund-of-hedge-fund adviser to HFL, Lighthouse Partners, has renewed the term of their management and advisory role for another seven years.
Recommended for you
ASIC has released the results of its first adviser exam to be held in 2025, with 241 candidates attempting the test.
Quarterly Wealth Data analysis has uncovered positive improvements in financial adviser numbers compared with losses in the prior corresponding period.
Holding portfolios that are too complex or personalised can be a detractor for acquirers of financial advice firms as they require too much effort to maintain post-acquisition.
As the financial advice profession continues to wait on further DBFO legislation, industry commentators have encouraged advisers to act now in driving practice efficiency.