Julie Lander, CEO of CareSuper, is to step down from the role after more than 21 years with the fund.
The board of CareSuper has announced that Lander, who joined in 2001 as a general manager, will remain in the role while the fund searches for a new chief executive, a process expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Lander was promoted to the role of CEO in 2002, over which time the trustee office’s funds under management have grown from $1 billion to $20 billion. It now has about 220,000 members.
“Julie has played a significant role in Australia’s superannuation industry, serving our members and the broader superannuation movement with distinction over many years,” said Linda Scot, chair at CareSuper.
“Julie has lived CareSuper’s values, building a strong, thriving culture, and her leadership has driven the fund’s growth, quality member experience and strong investment returns,” she added.
Commenting on her decision to retire, Lander said: “It has been an honour to lead an amazing team of truly professional and dedicated people working together for a fund, and industry, with a strong purpose – to help Australians get ahead.
“Through the dedication of our board and staff, and with the assistance of our service providers, CareSuper punches well above its weight,” she added. “Having served the fund and its members for over two decades, I believe it is the right time to step aside and hand over to a new leader to take CareSuper forward.”
In terms of appointing a new chief executive, Scott said CareSuper is committed to ensuring its “strong culture” is retained as it grows to be the “leading challenger fund to Australia's mega funds”.
“Julie leaves her successor with a substantial foundation to build on, having recently led an organisational review, reinvigorating CareSuper’s executive leadership team with key appointments and launching a five-year strategy to underpin the fund’s next phase of growth,” Scott said.
“We’re grateful that Julie will continue to serve as our CEO during the transition to a new leader, ensuring continuity and stability for our staff and members.”
The fund has hired a former ART executive as its new head of group strategy.
The sovereign wealth fund has revealed six internal hires to support the execution of key strategies.
The fund has announced the departure of a second senior executive in as many months, with its chief member officer to finish up mid-December.
The $89 billion fund has announced a new leadership role within its private markets team.