Risk specialist departs ART: QIC PM joins

Kate Griffin
KATE GRIFFIN
Australian Retirement Trust - Risk Manager - Investments
DEPARTURE
Australian Retirement Trust
AUSTRALIAN RETIREMENT TRUST
Date: 27 January 2023
Position: Risk Manager - Investments
By Elizabeth Fry

The Australian Retirement Trust has confirmed the departure of Kate Griffin as divisional risk manager of investments.

She has held that position for one year, crossing over from Q Super where she served in a similar role for nine years.

Before arriving at the Queensland super fund in 2013, Griffin worked as a product specialist- in real estate at Avia Investors.

During her four years at the life office, she also worked in compliance.

Griffin started out as a legal and compliance officer at UBS in 2002.

Commenting on her departure, an ART colleague said in an internal note that Griffin has accepted a 'terrific opportunity' adding that her exit drew to a close a chapter that represents a lasting legacy in terms of member contribution and relationships built.

ART said Kate is a great example of someone who works across varying disciplines and differentiates herself by changing her role for the better.

"Often multifaceted,  these changes act to distinguish performance," the memo said.

"In Kate's case, the summarised evidence manifests in the design and build of the divisional risk manager investment role long held to be an exemplar across the organisation.

"I use the term summary because the role title does not do justice to the breadth of Kate's influence across the organisation.

"Never one to say no, in part driven by a thirst for knowledge, Kate has long established herself as a primary point for engagement to inform inquiry of a broad range of investment risk topics.

"Through her ten years of service, initially with Q Super and more recently ART, Kate has steered the investment capability through a raft of corporate industry, legislative and regulatory change with unerring accuracy.

"Her personable traits, quick wit and professionalism have created strong and enduring relationships with many stakeholders, including colleagues, external service providers and the regulator."

Meanwhile, Roger Zhu, a portfolio manager at QIC for seven years, has left to join ART.

Zhu - who has specialised in dynamic asset allocation across major markets including tilts in FX, bonds and equities -  is a former assistant professor in Finance at The University of Queensland.