Australian pension fund Aware Super has launched a real estate platform that it says will actively manage its directly owned Australian living, industrial, office and mixed-use property portfolio.

A press release from the pension fund says the portfolio currently consists of 11 operational assets with 99% occupancy, and eight development sites in various stages of planning. The release also says that the fund hopes the platform, called Aware Real Estate, will have A$7 billion ($4.6 billion) in assets within five years. Australian real estate investment manager Altis Property Partners will provide the new unit with support services.

“We already have a $1.7 billion real estate portfolio, which we’re excited to further expand in the Australian market,” Aware Real Estate CEO Michelle McNally said in a statement.

The release says the property platform will help reduce members’ fees, diversify the fund’s real estate holdings and deliver strong returns. It also says the fund intends to increase its internally managed portfolio across all asset classes to 50% by 2025.

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McNally said one of the core strategic focuses of Aware Real Estate’s investment strategy is to be a leader in the build-to-rent sector. She noted that it already has 500 residential apartments across the country, and a pipeline of another 1,200 apartments Aware Real Estate intends to grow and develop.

“Our focus is on sites close to important urban infrastructure like hospitals, schools and transport, to make sure essential workers can live closer to work and reduce commuting time,” McNally said. “By offering discounted rents to essential workers in highly desirable buildings, we not only increase the values attached to these sites, but attract reliable tenants who have employment stability and feel connected to the product.”

Aware Super, which has more than 1 million members and manages A$155 billion in assets, is one of Australia’s largest funds following its 2020 merger with VicSuper and WA Super.

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Tags: Altis Property Partners, Australia, Aware Real Estate, Aware Super, Michelle McNally, Pension Funds, property, Real Estate, residential

Welcome to CIO’s awards season, now in its 12th year!

This year, we are celebrating those who have thrived and been incredible leaders as markets have turned rough and inflation and rates have risen. We are planning to gather in person to applaud their hard work on December 6 at Chelsea Piers in New York City.

As we selected these finalists, our mission was to search the industry for firms that have truly and reliably enhanced the portfolios and improved the work of their clients. While canvassing and reviewing the award nominations, we learned just how hard so many of you are working in the face of a global shift in monetary policy that has made markets challenging.

Many have reexamined long-held assumptions and are achieving success against the backdrop of geopolitical forces unwinding decades of globalization and other macro trends. We are also recognizing finalist firms that are working with asset owners to improve the technology and information they have access to about their portfolio, and those organizations that are working to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in this industry.

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And in a year when the label has become a lightning rod, we are also recognizing firms for their work in environmental, social and governance-driven investing.

Since 2010, CIO has used this awards program to highlight truly innovative approaches to the challenges of institutional asset ownership and asset management. Our panel of industry judges will help us to select the winners from this qualified group of contenders.

The first group of finalists listed below comes from the nominees for asset managers and consultants. We received dozens of nominations in a wide variety of categories.

On December 6 at Chelsea Piers, we will host both the Influential Investors Forum and our Industry Innovation Awards celebration, where we will announce this year’s winners.

Save the date, because you’ll want to be in the room to meet finalists, talk with them about investing and join the excitement as our winners are announced. There is nothing like having a room full of peers to applaud your hard-won success.

The finalists are as follows:

Consultant of the Year

Mercer Consulting, in recognition of the service of Cori Trautvetter
NEPC, in recognition of the service of Kristin Reynolds and Allan Martin
Aiperion, in recognition of the service of Sorina Zahan

Data and Technology

Diligend
Venn by Two Sigma
SEI
Intelligo
Lumenai Investments LLC
Vidrio Financial

Diversity

Ariel Investments
PIMCO
Verus Investments
NEPC

ESG

Russell Investments
TOBAM
Boston Common Asset Management
IOR, LLC

Hedge Funds

Teza Technologies
Lumenai Investments LLC
Tectonic Investors

Liability-Driven Investing

LGIM America
Agilis
Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM)
Capital Group

Multi-Strategy Investing

TOBAM
LGIM America
Capital Group

OCIO

BERG Capital Management
SEI
Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Private Assets

Principal Global Investors
PIMCO
Neuberger Berman

Real Assets and Infrastructure

Principal Global Investors
ABL Aviation
Actis

Tags: Asset Managers, consultants, Technology

Australian Pension Aware Super Launches Real Estate Platform

CIO Announces 2022 Asset Management and Servicing Industry Innovation Award Finalists