Super funds need firm handle on manager fees

27 August 2009
| By By Mike Taylor |
image
image
expand image

Jack Gray

Superannuation funds need to take more control of the fees they pay fund managers because the current market structures are dysfunctional, according to the adjunct professor of finance at the Paul Woolley Centre for Capital Markets, Jack Gray.

Gray, who formerly headed up Sunsuper, told a Pensions and Investments Summit on the Gold Coast that the existing market dynamic was dysfunctional because the pricing power was owned by managers rather than the members of superannuation funds.

He said the degree to which the markets had become dysfunctional was also reflected in the generous packages paid to executives in the financial services industry.

"Outrageous levels of compensation are being paid and we need to take control of it," Gray said. He said this was particularly the case in circumstances where the available evidence suggested that the financial services industry did not create as much wealth as other sectors of the economy, yet continued to extract huge fees.

"The finance industry does not add much value at all," Gray said. He said much of the blame for the global financial crisis could be attributed to rationalist economics and the belief that markets could be trusted to prevail when this had certainly not proven to be the case.

AUTHOR

Recommended for you

sub-bgsidebar subscription

Never miss the latest developments in Super Review! Anytime, Anywhere!

Grant Banner

From my perspective, 40- 50% of people are likely going to be deeply unhappy about how long they actually live. ...

1 year 3 months ago
Kevin Gorman

Super director remuneration ...

1 year 3 months ago
Anthony Asher

No doubt true, but most of it is still because over 45’s have been upgrading their houses with 30 year mortgages. Money ...

1 year 3 months ago

In what is being called a coordinated cyber attack, a number of Australia’s largest superannuation funds have suffered a breach with thousands of user accounts compromise...

14 hours ago

Donald Trump’s tariff blitz has shaken global markets, fuelling uncertainty over trade retaliation, recession, and economic fallout, while Australia, though bruised, esca...

16 hours ago

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor has vowed to slash red tape and introduce a suite of financial services reforms aimed at transforming Australia into a leading financial hub...

1 day 15 hours ago

TOP PERFORMING FUNDS