Trans-Tasman fund rating firm, ResearchIP, has hired Australian investment industry veteran and one-time senior van Eyk executive, Rob da Silva, as head of research.
Da Silva joins the Queensland-headquartered firm from SQM Research where he has held a similar position for the last nine years.
Prior to SQM he spent a brief spell – starting near the end of 2013 – as head of research and deputy chief investment officer for the ill-fated van Eyk Research, which fell into administration in September 2014.
However, da Silva began his career as a fixed income manager, headlined by two long stints at BT and Principal Group in Australia lasting 11 and 12 years, respectively.
At ResearchIP he will also “lead the firm’s expansion into the Australian research market”, according to a release.
While domiciled in Australia, the business – founded by Darren Howlin – has to date primarily focused on a Taiwanese government-run fund hub contract and the NZ market, where it launched a stand-alone research operation in 2019. ResearchIP had previously supplied qualitative NZ manager reports to the-then NZX-owned FundSource from 2015.
“With engagement already from Australian Managers, we will shortly be releasing research on a range of funds from the likes of Ausbil, First Sentier, and Perpetual with many more in the pipeline,” the latest ResearchIP release says. “Supported by our RIPPL Effect concept, we aim to quickly achieve full market coverage for the Australian and New Zealand markets.”
ResearchIP is also a minority shareholder in the NZ fund platform, Flint Wealth, along with Trustees Executors (TE) and Harbour Asset Management. Starting as equal partners, the ResearchIP stake in Flint has since diluted to about 17.5 per cent with TE and Harbour splitting the remainder equally.
Elsewhere last week, Auckland-based KiwiSaver provider, Generate, has named Ciaran Scott as national advice manager, luring its hire from BT-Westpac for the newly created role.
Scott served as national distribution manager for the Westpac-owned funds business since 2021 “where he helped grow their presence in the institutional market, develop capabilities across the banking network and managed their strategic partnership with Forsyth Barr”, the Generate release says.
Westpac sold its advice network to Forsyth Barr in 2020 but retained a distribution agreement.
Before joining BT-Westpac NZ, Scott worked in Australia for about eight years in various advice roles at BT Financial Group and a four-year turn in a sales position for MetLife.
Generate has about $4.8 billion under management, mostly in its KiwiSaver scheme that boasts a strong following in the NZ advisory market.
Meanwhile, boutique NZ consultancy firm, Makao Investments, is also in expansion mode.
Makao is on the hunt for a new investment consultant to join founders Noah Schiltknecht and John Horrell – both Russell Investments NZ alumni.
According to the job specs, the role would suit those with “experience in investment management, or a related industry, and have a track record of successfully building enduring client partnerships”.“We are seeking candidates with a natural orientation towards people and relationships – who enjoy finding solutions to client needs, and who are adept at translating complex investment topics into less esoteric language,” the Makao recruitment ad says.
The consultancy firm hired Tavis Graham as an investment analyst last year, replacing Ruth Thorburn.
Since launch in 2019, Makao has grown rapidly with a client base including national advisory chain, Wealthpoint, as well as Public Trust and the Waikato Regional Council – the latter picked up late last year.
In a bid to boost its public profile, the NZ Society of Actuaries (NZSA) is looking to appoint a chief executive for the first time – albeit in a part-time 12-month contract capacity initially.
The new chief position comes as the NZ actuarial body embarks on “an exciting journey to modernise to ensure greater influence and impact within New Zealand, and to elevate the benefits to its members”, according to the recruitment materials.
“Central to these changes is the appointment of a Chief Executive who will represent the interests of the members and support the Society’s Council to deliver its strategic objectives.”
The NZSA job would equate to about 50-70 per cent of standard full-time employment hours.
“As this is a new role, the successful candidate will have specific tasks supporting the establishment of this role in the first year and, if successful, will enable this position to transition into a permanent role in future,” the ad says.
Founded some 50 years ago, the NZSA boasts about 400 members.
