Awards, surprises, first jobs & more! Q&A with Lonsec's Libby Newman & SuperRatings' Adam Gee

Last week, nominees were announced for both the SuperRatings' and Lonsec Fund of the Year Awards.
Since 2002, SuperRatings, and more recently Lonsec, have acknowledged and awarded those funds at the top of their game in categories as diverse as the 'Fast Mover' Award from SuperRatings and the 'Icon' Award from Lonsec. So, how are the nominees chosen? We ask Adam Gee, CEO of SuperRatings and Libby Newman, General Manager of Income and Multi-Asset at Lonsec to shed some light. We also ask some questions to get to know the people behind the roles...

What is your role and what does an 'average' work day entail?

Adam: I have the privilege of being the CEO of SuperRatings. My average work day includes meeting with a range of key players within the superannuation industry, in order to drive better outcomes through the delivery of SuperRatings research and consulting services. I'm also an avid supporter of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, traveling interstate and often overseas at least once a week to ensure SuperRatings continues to have coverage across the Australian, New Zealand and Hong Kong pension markets.

Libby: I'm the General Manager of Income & Multi-Asset at Lonsec. My team is focussed on researching managed funds (think bonds, derivatives as well as traditional diversified funds, which as the name suggests invest in a bit of everything!) my role is to rate funds and provide a synopsis of what the fund invests in and is trying to achieve. An 'average' day may entail engaging with new managers wanting to understand the research process, talking to our consulting team about which funds may best suit client needs in model portfolios, giving some context to our financial planning clients on bond markets, liaising with our IT team about tech improvements and, of course, checking in to see how the rest of the 20+ strong analyst team is tracking. The majority of my time is spent reviewing fund reports or writing them, though.

Picking winners...

What is your involvement in choosing nominees for the Fund of the Year awards?

Adam: I rely heavily on the experts within our research team to undertake the necessary background work in relation to the selection of the best funds for inclusion for each award category. My role is to engage regularly with the super funds and work with my team to ensure no stone is left unturned in the research and nomination process, as well as to ensure only the best funds are included within each award category.

Libby: I help select nominees for the three Lonsec awards - the Innovation, Rising Star and Icon awards.

"We are continually heartened by the innovations within many funds and the ongoing commitment to supporting member outcomes each and every year we undertake the ratings process." Adam Gee

Can you explain the process of how it all works?

Adam: The Fund of the Year awards night is the culmination of more than six-months work for our research team. The process involves the annual review of in excess of 1,400 disclosure documents this year, across over 600 accumulation and retirement products. A qualitative assessment is then developed using the analysis of a 1,500 question survey, which is completed by the majority of superannuation funds in the industry. The final piece of the puzzle is face-to-face meetings with approximately 80 funds to understand their key initiatives, successes over the year and their strategic objectives over the coming 12-months. The comprehensive process provides SuperRatings with amazing insights into the superannuation industry and enables us to work with our clients to remain at the forefront of industry developments.

Libby: We canvassed the 20+ Lonsec managed fund analysts for nominations in each category. As we rate in excess of 800 managed funds, there were plenty to choose from. Senior analysts from the managed funds research team helped to draw up the list of finalists and the winners.

Any surprises this year?

Adam: We are continually heartened by the innovations within many funds and the ongoing commitment to supporting member outcomes each and every year we undertake the ratings process. This year, it has been particularly pleasing to see some of the smaller funds delivering outstanding services to their members, with a number being recognised as finalists in our various award categories. SuperRatings recognises that small funds are often dismissed as not being able to effectively compete with their larger counterparts, but some of this year's finalists prove that, while scale affords many benefits, the ability to be nimble and agile can also deliver strong outcomes for members.

Libby: Maybe I have been around the industry too many years, but I was very encouraged by the number of nominees in the Innovation category.

"My main concern in my current role is making sure that the right people end up in the right products or funds.." Libby Newman

And a little about you...

What was your very first job?

Adam: While McDonalds beckoned, I could not pass up the $8.40 per hour role as a sales assistant at K-mart during University. The fact that the job happened to be in the hardware section meant it involved mixing paint, playing with power tools and general DIY support, which made it a very enjoyable start to contributing to our tax system. Unfortunately, in spite of significant increases in hourly rates to close to $10 per hour over a 2-year period, I soon realised that it was unlikely to be a long term proposition, so ended up in superannuation after finishing my degree.

Libby: My first job out of university was as a performance analyst/fund accountant in Suncorp's investment division. A great grounding in the mechanics of bonds, equities, derivatives and markets - and a springboard into the cash and fixed interest dealing room.

Who do you most admire and how have they influenced your life/work?

Adam: I find inspiration from many people within our industry and in very public roles outside superannuation. This includes the people in our research team who diligently work through a never-ending flow of PDSs, annual reports and financial statements and never complain, to individuals like Nelson Mandela who worked tirelessly to turn around an entire nation. These and many others display qualities that I admire and have influenced my life.

Libby: My husband of 25 years, David. He has a strong work ethic and is very organised, good at planning and troubleshooting and is a good people reader. He is a great sounding board (even though he doesn't speak 'bonds' or 'fixed interest'). He is not a worrier, I come from a long line of worriers, so I have learned to only be concerned with those things I can do something about. Hence, my main concern in my current role is making sure that the right people end up in the right products or funds. I cannot do much about the markets, but I can be mindful of the risks taken for a given return.

What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

Adam: A highly intelligent individual and close family friend once told me "You're never beaten until you give up" and that is a motto I try and live by in both my work and personal life.

Libby: Don't panic! (Think Lance Corporal Jack Jones in Dad's Army - always makes me smile). If you are feeling overwhelmed, any project can be broken down into 'bite sized', less daunting tasks.

Do you have a secret skill/hidden talent?

Adam: I'm not sure if you would call it a hidden talent but not many people know that I graduated university with a Psychology degree so I am very good at, and constantly, analyse everybody! Other than that, I do ok on the golf course and don't mind a hotly contested game of pool/snooker every now and then.

Libby: Does double under skipping (jumprope) count?!

Is there a particular cause or charity that you support?

Adam: Having two young children who are completely obsessed with animals, we always try and do our bit for the RSPCA and seeing a number of friends and colleagues who have been affected by breast cancer, the National Breast Cancer Foundation is another worthy cause we support.

Libby: I support a number of charities. However, combining someone I admire with support for a great cause would have to be Dr Catherine Hamlin - Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia. Dr Hamlin and her husband Reg moved to Ethiopia in 1959 to establish a training centre for midwives (read all about it in the book Hospital by the River). They discovered that, unlike the west, where obstetric fistula had been virtually eradicated, many Ethiopian women (teenage girls in many cases) would labour for days without access to medical care or midwives, and once delivered of their dead babies, be left with injuries to bladder and/or bowel causing them to leak waste 24/7. Catherine and Reg developed surgical techniques to repair the fistula (injuries) and literally change the lives of many women who had become social outcasts. Nowadays, some even go on to be safely delivered of live babies. At 91 years of age, Catherine still lives in a cottage on the hospital grounds and operates weekly. An amazing inspiration - literally a life changer.

Lonsec Award nominees are:

Innovation Finalists
Alliance Bernstein Managed Volatility Equities Fund
Capital Emerging Markets Total Opportunities Fund
Triple3 Volatility Advantage Fund

Rising Star Finalists
Alliance Bernstein Emerging Consumer Fund
BT Pure Alpha Fixed Income Fund
Paradice Global Small Mid Cap Fund

Icon Award
To be announced on the night.

SuperRatings Fund of the Year Award nominees are:

MySuper of the Year Finalists
CareSuper
Catholic Super
First State Super
HESTA
HOSTPLUS
Intrust Super
QSuper
REST Industry Super
Sunsuper
Telstra Super

Choice Super of the Year Finalists
CareSuper
Catholic Super
Equip
HOSTPLUS
Plum Superannuation Fund
QSuper
Sunsuper
Telstra Super
UniSuper
VicSuper

Pension of the Year Finalists
AustralianSuper
Catholic Super
Club Plus Super
Mine Wealth + Wellbeing
OnePath OneAnswer Frontier Pension
QSuper
REST Industry Super
Sunsuper
Telstra Super
VicSuper

Best New Product Finalists
brightday Complete Super
VicSuper Guaranteed Income Accounts
Mercer LifetimePlus
QSuper Money Map

Rising Star Finalist
AustSafe
Local Government Super (NSW)
OneVue
WA Super

Fund of the Year
To be announced on the night.

All awards will be presented at the 13th Annual SuperRatings Fund of the Year Awards Dinner on October 13 at the Four Seasons in Sydney. Find out more!