Qantas Super names private markets lead

Qantas Super senior investment manager Allan Chen has stepped into the head of private markets role.

The $8.5 billion Mascot-based fund for Australia's national air carrier employees has confirmed that Chen will lead investment in private markets across the real asset, private equity, venture capital, and impact space.

The new private markets lead joined Qantas Super in 2015 as an investment manager looking after growth assets, private markets, and alternatives.

After five years, Chen relocated to Adelaide with his family and took a career break as a full-time parent.

He returned in  2022 and was promoted to head of private markets after an eight-month stint as sustainability and impact lead.

Before joining Qantas Super, Chen was an associate with Goldman Sachs, looking after investment banking.

He also spent five years with PWC as an accountant and financial modelling manager specialising in loans and banking.

Qantas Super is the latest asset owner to consider merging its assets with a larger fund.

Last September, it confirmed it would explore merger options.

The fund currently outsources its administration services to Mercer which manages all Qantas Super's member data, transaction processing and call centres.