As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure our Investment Committee has access to the most highly qualified and experienced investment professionals, we are pleased to welcome two of Australia’s most prominent financial economists to our team, Dr Michael Drew and Dr Adam Walk.
Michael and Adam are co-founders of Brisbane-based Drew Walk & Co., a boutique firm of consulting financial economists, and together bring an outstanding back catalogue of high level investment research and experience.
Dr Michael Drew
Michael is a leader in the field of superannuation and pension fund design, with over 20 years experience in financial services and academe. He is well known for his work on the portfolio size effect and sequencing risk. Michael’s research has studied and developed new approaches to the design of the default option in defined contribution funds, as well as devising winning strategies for lifecycle and target date funds. Michael has appeared before the US Department of Labor and the Securities Exchange Commission in Washington DC, been cited by the recent Cooper Review, and has been widely cited by industry, academic, regulatory and government agencies. In addition to his current Professorial appointment, he has served on the finance faculty at the Australian National University and the Queensland University of Technology. Michael has also held Senior Executive and Trustee Committee appointments with the QIC Limited, QSuper, Wilson HTM, Ord Minnett and JB Were & Son.
Dr Adam Walk
Adam is a financial economist and research academic, whose work focusses on superannuation, pension finance, investment management and fiduciary governance. His research has been published in scholarly journals and other publications, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Investment and Enterprise Responsibility Review. Adam has over 15 years professional experience in finance and risk management roles, most recently as Head of Research in QIC’s Lifecycle Strategies group, where he was responsible for the group’s research, portfolio design and investment risk management activities. Previously Adam served as a senior investment professional at QSuper Limited where he provided investment policy and risk advice to fiduciaries overseeing more than $50 billion in assets, and a risk manager at Bank of Queensland.
Michael and Adam’s appointment follows the addition of MGD Wealth’s Richard Marsden and Rachel Barlow to the Committee earlier this year. As Director – International & Executive, Richard divides his time between Australia and New York, giving us on the ground insights and feedback direct from the US, while Brisbane-based Rachel will work closely with existing Committee Chair, Stephen Furness, to translate the Committee’s research into effective investment strategies for our clients.
The appointments come as Committee members recently achieved their Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) professional designation which was awarded by the Centre for Fiduciary Studies (associated with the University of Pittsburgh). The accreditation officially recognises the Investment Committee’s knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities as investment fiduciaries.
MGD Wealth’s Investment Committee
Stephen Furness – Director, MGD Wealth (Committee Chair)
John Barton – CEO, MGD Wealth
Brett Schmidt – Executive Director, MGD Wealth
Michael Drew – Director, Drew, Walk & Co.
Adam Walk – Director, Drew, Walk & Co
Richard Marsden – Director – International & Executive, MGD Wealth
Rachel Barlow – Senior Private Client Adviser, MGD Wealth.
For more information about our Investment Committee or our advisory services, please feel free to contact our office on (07) 3391 5055 or email advice@mgdwealth.com.au.