In the reader-takes-all online publishing market, the page-view is currency.
Journalists and publishers (or even ‘content creators’ in the icky internet-age jargon) might snobbily argue that quantity is not the same as quality.
But it’s quantity that counts.
And the Investment News NZ (INNZ) numbers were up more than 140 per cent year-on-year in a 2024 crammed with enough corporate and court actions to fill a Santa-bag of stories.
Tradition demands, however, a top 10 list of most-viewed pages to stand as proxy for the entire (roughly) past 12 months of content creation.
So, in a customary end-of-year wrap-up, INNZ presents the 10 pop-toppers of 2024, grouped loosely in four thematic arrangements.
(Actually, there’s 11 stories this year but who’s counting? It’s Christmas.)
K-special: the $100bn+ gift that keeps on giving
Pleasingly, the perennial INNZ-produced crowd-pleasing KiwiSaver report emerged as number one in the charts this year with a K-pop musical accompaniment. Always there or thereabouts, the in-house KiwiSaver study pipped one of the many ANZ contenders in 2024 for the top spot.
Elsewhere among the 10 (or 11), a report spin-off tale detailing another billion-dollar milestone for the Milford scheme turned heads.
KiwiSaver 2024 report lands: all the moves, free to read
Milford claims transfer record as billions pile up in KiwiSaver
NZ Inc: from A to F
Inevitable, perhaps, but including ‘New Zealand’ at the end of a brand name is such a cliché. INNZ takes issue with the practice that saw half of the top 10 (and almost 50 per cent of the top 11) contents splattered with NZs in the headlines.
As the list below reveals, ANZ stars in three of those five stories after the bank-owned investment house – the largest in the land – embarked on a total makeover during the year that included dropping its fusty, old-fashioned wholesale furniture at the op-shop.
Other moves at both BNZ (shifting house, losing heads) and FNZ also recorded strong viewing statistics.
ANZ to shutter $3bn wholesale funds arm
ANZ-Mercer deal collapses
ANZ funds loses two heads as investment team shake-up rolls on
FNZ founder moves to board role; BNZ investments chief exits
Local third-party managers dumped from BNZ funds in first move for FirstCape
Court outcomes: FMA makes dates
In a busy year for the Financial Markets Authority (FMA), it was the regulator’s legal come-ons to both Booster and the wholesale shambles known as Du Val that gripped readers this year.
Both legal actions are ongoing and sure to feature in sequels.
FMA v Booster headed for long court battle
Court forces Du Val into ‘interim receivership’ on FMA request
Sold!
A late-breaking contender from Craigs Investment Partners shot into the top 10 (or was it 11?) in the dog-days of December as acquisitive US private equity firm, TA Associates, bought half of the biggest (by money) wealth advisory network in the country.
Meanwhile, the Apex Group buy-out of Trustees Executors’ custody and fund-accounting bits made for a rare back-office chart appearance in 2024.
Other deals are understood to be pending with views possible in 2025.
Craigs sells half to TA Associates
Apex picks up TE custody, fund-accounting pieces
This is the final INNZ issue for 2024. We’ll be back for viewing some time in January next year, weather pending.
Best wishes to all for the holiday season – and special thanks to advertisers, subscribers, Vicky, Lachlan and Greg (for the last time).
