FEAL board welcomes Ian Patrick

Australian Retirement Trust chief investment officer Ian Patrick will replace Paul Watson on the board following the latter's resignation from Hostplus as group executive of member experience.

Welcoming Patrick to the board, The Fund Executives Association chair Brian Delaney said Patrick's extensive experience across more than two decades in the institutional investment industry will be valuable.

"FEAL is committed to serving executives across an array of specialist roles and having someone of Ian's calibre, who currently oversees a $260 billion fund, ... will contribute to FEAL's ability to provide events and programs that are meaningful in developing leadership skills across the fund executive cohorts."

Patrick was named ART investment chief in 2022 after Sunsuper merged with QSuper to become Australia's second-largest superannuation fund.

Before arriving at Sunsuper, he served as chief executive of JANA Investment Advisers.

Delaney thanked Watson for his significant contribution to the board and FEAL over 17 years "Paul has been a valued and dedicated member of the FEAL community through his two terms as director and in steering FEAL's events in his role as chair of the program committee.

The chair stated that Watson's experience and commitment to FEAL have helped FEAL deliver on its purpose to empower world-class leaders in the superannuation industry.

Aside from Patrick, the board line-up now consists of BUSSQ chief executive Damian Wills, HESTA chief experience officer Lisa Samuels, and TelstraSuper chief executive Chris Davies.

Also sitting on the board are AustralianSuper chief audit executive Belinda Ray, Aware Super group executive for people and workplace Steve Hill, and Rest Super chief risk officer Gemma Kyle.