50 Influential Leaders in Asset Management in ANZ

Last updated: June 2026

Asset management in Australia and New Zealand covers two distinct but deeply connected disciplines. The first is investment management: the stewardship of financial assets including superannuation funds, sovereign wealth funds, listed equities, infrastructure debt, private credit, and real estate, on behalf of millions of members, clients, and governments. The second is physical and infrastructure asset management: the systematic planning, maintenance, and lifecycle management of physical assets including roads, water networks, buildings, industrial equipment, and public infrastructure. As of June 2026, both disciplines are navigating some of the most consequential conditions in their history. Australia's superannuation system has surpassed A$4.3 trillion in total assets, according to data from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, with contributions climbing 14.1 per cent to $210.2 billion in the year to June 2025. New Zealand's KiwiSaver assets reached $130 billion in the June 2025 quarter, according to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. At the same time, both nations face an infrastructure deficit of significant proportions: the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission's National Infrastructure Plan, released in February 2026, found that New Zealand's infrastructure assets are being systematically underfunded, with maintenance backlogs growing across local government roads, water networks, and public buildings. Australia faces similar pressures at state and local government levels.

The people on this list are shaping both halves of that story. I put together this directory to surface the leaders who are genuinely driving the field forward in 2026, spanning fund management, sovereign wealth, infrastructure investment, physical asset management, and the professional bodies and institutions that set the standards the whole sector works from. Rather than recycling the same familiar names from global lists, this directory is focused on the ANZ region and the leaders who are doing the work here. Each person featured was selected for their documented contribution to the field, from running trillion-dollar investment portfolios to advancing the practice of infrastructure lifecycle management across New Zealand councils and Australian utilities.

For leadership teams inside asset management organisations looking to strengthen how their executives communicate, make decisions, and hold each other accountable, Jonno White, author of Step Up or Step Out (10,000+ copies sold) and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, works with financial services organisations globally. Email jonno@consultclarity.org.

Why Asset Management Matters

Asset management sits at the foundation of both national prosperity and daily community life. The investment management side of the equation shapes when Australians and New Zealanders retire, how much they have to live on, and how the economy is capitalised for the future. The 2025 Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index ranked Australia's superannuation system among the top five pension systems in the world. Australia's superannuation sector alone employs thousands of investment professionals and directs capital into infrastructure, housing, global equities, and private markets at a scale that affects the entire economy. The physical asset management side is equally consequential. The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia reported in its 2025 State of the Assets research that Australian local governments manage over $600 billion in infrastructure assets, a figure that includes roads, bridges, drains, buildings, and community facilities. Managing those assets well, or poorly, determines whether communities have safe roads, reliable water, and functional public buildings for the next generation.

For teams navigating significant investment or organisational change, Jonno White facilitates executive offsites, Working Genius workshops, and leadership sessions for financial services and infrastructure organisations. Bring Jonno in to help your leadership team align on strategy and communication at jonno@consultclarity.org.

How This List Was Compiled

Each leader on this list was selected for a documented, fact-checked contribution to asset management in Australia and New Zealand. That contribution takes different forms: leading a multi-hundred-billion-dollar fund with a verified track record, running a professional body that sets standards for the sector, building a public voice that shapes how practitioners think, or advancing the research and systems that underpin infrastructure decision-making across both countries. Current incumbency in the stated role was confirmed via primary sources dated within the last 12 months. The list covers both financial and physical asset management, as both are essential dimensions of how ANZ manages its most valuable assets.

Part One: Sovereign Wealth and Government Funds

1. Raphael Arndt

The Chief Executive Officer of the Future Fund since 2020, Raphael Arndt leads Australia's sovereign wealth fund, which manages A$335 billion in assets across seven government funds. Arndt joined the Future Fund in 2008 and served as its Chief Investment Officer before stepping up to CEO. His background as an engineer and infrastructure economist, holding a PhD from the University of Melbourne focused on risk allocation in public-private partnerships, shapes the Future Fund's whole-portfolio investment approach. Under his leadership, the fund delivered a 12.2 per cent return in the year ended June 2025, double the government-mandated benchmark target.

Arndt is one of the most consequential institutional voices in Australian finance, not only for the scale of assets he oversees but for the consistency and clarity with which the Future Fund articulates its long-term, risk-adjusted investment philosophy. His public statements on the need for institutional investors to model genuinely long-horizon risk, including climate and geopolitical risk, carry significant weight across the sector.

2. Jo Townsend

The Chief Executive of the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation since April 2024, Jo Townsend leads the organisation that manages the NZ Super Fund, New Zealand's NZ$80 billion sovereign wealth fund. Townsend brings over 30 years of investment management experience from senior roles in Australia, including eight years as CEO of Funds SA in South Australia. Her appointment marked a significant leadership transition for the fund, which she has steered through the restructuring of its CIO function into a co-CIO model.

The fund received "excellent" ratings across business, governance, people, and investment models in a recent WTW five-year review, placing it in a small group of leading asset owners globally. Townsend's focus on sustainable, long-term investment that delivers for all New Zealanders reflects both the fund's legislated purpose and her career-long commitment to member outcomes.

3. Brad Dunstan

Co-Chief Investment Officer of the NZ Super Fund since December 2024, Brad Dunstan joined the Guardians in 2013 as Head of Portfolio Completion and was appointed co-CIO as part of the fund's transition to a dual leadership investment model. His long tenure at the Guardians, preceded by a role at Canaccord Genuity in London as co-Head of European Equity Derivatives, gives him both the institutional depth and the market-facing breadth that a co-CIO position demands. Dunstan is one of the most senior investment professionals in New Zealand.

Together with Will Goodwin, Dunstan forms a leadership pair that the Guardians' Board believes is better suited to the fund's projected growth and increasingly complex investment environment than a single-CIO model. Their complementary skills across portfolio construction and direct investment position the fund strongly for the next phase of its growth.

4. Will Goodwin

The second of the NZ Super Fund's co-Chief Investment Officers since December 2024, Will Goodwin was previously Head of Direct Investments at the Guardians and brings particular depth in private markets and direct investment. His background in direct investments, including infrastructure and real assets, is well matched to a fund that uses these asset classes as important return drivers. His appointment reflects the Guardians' commitment to depth of investment expertise at the most senior level.

Goodwin's focus on unlisted assets and direct deal origination complements Dunstan's portfolio construction background, creating a leadership pair with a broad investment coverage across the NZ Super Fund's diversified global portfolio.

5. Richard Brandweiner

Incoming Chief Investment Officer of the Future Fund from 1 July 2026, Richard Brandweiner was announced in April 2026 as the successor to Ben Samild. Brandweiner brings over 30 years of investment management experience across all asset classes, including four years as CIO at First State Super (now Aware Super) and CEO of Pendal Group from 2018 to 2023. He also served on the board of Australian Ethical Investment prior to his Future Fund appointment. Future Fund CEO Raphael Arndt described him as "an experienced investor and executive with significant experience in leading investment teams to achieve their mandates."

Brandweiner's appointment at the Future Fund, one of the most watched investment leadership roles in Australia, signals continuity in the fund's whole-portfolio approach to long-term risk-adjusted returns. His broad experience across public and private markets and his prior leadership of one of Australia's major asset managers make him one of the most credentialled CIOs stepping into the role.

Part Two: Australia's Superannuation Sector

6. Paul Schroder

Chief Executive of AustralianSuper since 2021, Paul Schroder leads Australia's largest superannuation fund, which manages over A$410 billion in members' retirement savings on behalf of 3.6 million members. Under his leadership, AustralianSuper has deepened its internal investment capability, expanded internationally with offices in London and New York, and consistently ranked among the strongest-performing funds in its peer group. Its Balanced option returned 9.52 per cent for the fiscal year to June 2025, and its internally managed Australian equities portfolio has outperformed ASX benchmarks by 2.6 per cent annually since 2013.

Schroder's public advocacy for mandatory employer contributions paying simultaneously with wages (Payday Super, legislated to commence July 2026) and for member-first governance at industry funds reflects his view that superannuation's social purpose and its investment performance are complementary objectives.

7. Shaun Manuell

Chief Investment Officer of AustralianSuper from 1 July 2026, Shaun Manuell steps up from 13 years as Head of Australian Equities at the fund. Under his leadership, the fund's internally managed domestic equities portfolio grew from A$1 billion to A$100 billion and delivered 2.6 per cent annual outperformance against ASX benchmarks since 2013, equating to approximately $8 billion in additional value for members. His appointment as only the second CIO in AustralianSuper's history, following an extensive global search, reflects the fund's preference for deep institutional knowledge over external recruitment.

Manuell is known within corporate Australia for the considered, long-term approach he brought to company engagement as head of domestic equities. His leadership of the investment function at AustralianSuper will shape how the fund deploys its growing scale in both public and private markets.

8. Ian Patrick

Chief Investment Officer of the Australian Retirement Trust since the fund's formation in 2022 from the merger of QSuper and Sunsuper, Ian Patrick oversees investment of over A$280 billion for 2.3 million members. Patrick was CIO of Sunsuper for seven years before the merger and has been one of the most consistent voices in Australian super on the case for strategic internationalisation of investment. ART has stated ambitions to deploy over $1 trillion in international markets over the coming decade.

His public commentary on private markets access, equity market concentration risk, and the strategic rationale for internalisation has shaped how large Australian super funds think about managing their growing scale while maintaining member returns.

9. John Pearce

Chief Investment Officer of UniSuper since 2009, John Pearce oversees the investment of over A$158 billion in assets for more than 700,000 members in Australia's higher education and research sector. He is one of the longest-serving CIOs among major Australian super funds and among the highest-remunerated, reflecting both the responsibility of the role and his track record. UniSuper produces monthly investor video updates that Pearce personally fronts, making him one of the more publicly visible investment leaders in the super sector.

His forthright commentary on AI valuations, equity market dislocation, and the case for taking an internally managed approach to unlisted assets reflects a directness that distinguishes his public voice in a sector where careful communication is the norm.

10. Peter Chun

Chief Executive of UniSuper since September 2021, Peter Chun leads the fund's overall strategy, culture, and operations with approximately A$158 billion under management. Prior to UniSuper, Chun held senior roles at Aware Super, Colonial First State, and Credit Suisse. He was appointed to the ASFA board in October 2025 and is an active participant in industry conversations about advice access and retirement income design.

Chun's focus on access to financial advice, on the social and policy dimensions of the superannuation system, and on building a member-centric culture inside a fund serving a specific and well-educated membership base marks him as one of the more thoughtful CEO voices in the sector.

11. Sam Sicilia

Chief Investment Officer of Hostplus since 2012, Sam Sicilia oversees the investment strategy for Australia's fifth-largest superannuation fund by assets, with approximately A$118 billion serving over two million members. Hostplus has distinguished itself under his watch by maintaining a pure external manager model, outsourcing not only funds management but manager selection to specialist asset consultants. Sicilia has been a consistent and outspoken public voice on why this model can deliver comparable or superior outcomes to internationalisation at certain fund scales.

His 2026 panel appearance at the IFS Conference, discussing economic outlook and investment strategy alongside peers, reflects his ongoing contribution to the public discourse on how Australian superannuation thinks about the macro environment.

12. Sonya Sawtell-Rickson

Chief Investment Officer of HESTA since 2019, Sonya Sawtell-Rickson leads investment strategy for the A$96 billion industry fund serving health and community services workers. She joined HESTA as the fund was taking significant steps toward investment internalisation and a total portfolio approach, and her leadership of that transformation has been credited with both improved member returns and more integrated company engagement.

Prior to HESTA, she held senior roles at QIC, QSuper, and the Investor Group on Climate Change, where she built one of the most substantive ESG integration track records of any investment leader in the Australian market. Her commentary on how climate risk intersects with member returns and fiduciary duty is among the most technically credible in the sector.

13. Deanne Stewart

Chief Executive of Aware Super since 2019, Deanne Stewart leads Australia's third-largest super fund with over A$200 billion in assets and 1.15 million members. Under her leadership, the fund has won the Chant West Super Fund of the Year award twice in three years and Pension Fund of the Year three years in a row. She also oversaw the successful merger of VicSuper and First State Super in 2020 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Wollongong in 2025.

Her public leadership on gender pay gaps in superannuation and on the responsible investment credentials of large super funds has made her one of the most prominent CEO voices in the sector.

14. Simon Warner

Chief Investment Officer of Aware Super from December 2025, Simon Warner was appointed to lead the investment function of A$200 billion Aware Super. Warner spoke at the Fiduciary Investors Symposium in the Blue Mountains in May 2026, discussing management style, decision-making frameworks, and how long-term investment discipline is maintained through short-term noise. His appointment positions him as one of the youngest senior CIOs in the Australian super sector.

Warner's global investment experience, combined with his alignment to Aware Super's purpose-driven culture, reflects the fund's approach to building investment leadership that serves both performance and member interest over the long term.

15. Kristian Fok

Chief Executive of Cbus Super since June 2023, Kristian Fok previously served as the fund's Chief Investment Officer for 10 years. Cbus, the specialist super fund for the building and construction sector founded 40 years ago, manages over A$105 billion for more than 925,000 members. His transition from CIO to CEO gives him a distinctive vantage point on how investment strategy and member services must be integrated rather than siloed.

Fok's stewardship of Cbus through one of the most scrutinised periods in the fund's history reflects a commitment to both investment discipline and operational excellence that the fund's building and construction membership expects.

16. Alison Tarditi OAM

Chief Investment Officer of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) since 2012, Alison Tarditi OAM oversees approximately A$86 billion in retirement savings for Australian Commonwealth Government civilian employees and Defence members. She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2025 Australia Day Honours for her service to the finance industry, and was recognised by the CFA Institute Research and Policy Center as a Woman of Influence in March 2026. Her LinkedIn posts on monetary policy, inflation dynamics, and equity market structure are among the most analytically precise public investment commentary from a senior Australian institutional investor.

Tarditi was Chairman of the World Economic Forum's long-term investing council from 2014 to 2020 and remains a council member, reflecting the global standing of her work on investment governance and inclusive meritocracy in building high-performing investment teams.

17. Damien Webb

Chief Investment Officer of Brighter Super since January 2026, Damien Webb joined the A$37 billion Queensland-based fund after serving as Deputy CIO and Head of International at Aware Super, where he oversaw an ambitious UK expansion of the fund's direct investment capability. His appointment at Brighter Super, where most investments are externally managed, marks a significant enhancement of the fund's investment leadership as it navigates growth and competitive positioning in a consolidating industry.

Webb has recently participated in member-facing investment education through Brighter Super's public channels, demonstrating a commitment to member communication alongside portfolio management.

Part Three: Investment Fund Management

18. David Neal

Chief Executive of IFM Investors since 2020, David Neal leads the Melbourne-headquartered asset manager that is collectively owned by 16 Australian and one UK pension fund and manages over A$232 billion in assets, including infrastructure equity, infrastructure debt, listed equities, and private equity. Neal joined IFM from the Future Fund, where he spent 13 years, first as inaugural CIO and then as CEO.

IFM's 2025 sustainability report, the Canadian-Australian pension fund investment initiative signed in May 2026, and the firm's advocacy for public-private infrastructure partnership at state and federal levels all reflect Neal's vision of how industry-owned asset management can create long-term value beyond financial returns.

19. Kylie Rampa

Chief Executive of the Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) since 2022, Kylie Rampa leads a sovereign investor managing over A$130 billion across infrastructure, real estate, private debt, private equity, fixed income, and multi-asset overlays. She joined QIC after serving as Group Head of Investments at Lendlease and 13 years at Macquarie. She was the only Queensland woman to head a major Australian investment manager at the time of her appointment.

Since joining QIC, Rampa has delivered returns comparable to the Future Fund, with the endowment portfolio and long-term diversified funds reaching over 12 per cent in the most recently reported period.

20. Ross Israel

Head of Global Infrastructure at QIC since 2006, Ross Israel co-founded QIC's infrastructure capability and has built it into a team managing 21 direct investments out of offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, New York, and London. He appeared on the Infralogic Investors Forum Australia panel in March 2026, outlining investment themes including renewable energy, data centres, and climate-resilient assets. He is also a director of US infrastructure business CenTrio.

His 30-plus years of experience in corporate finance and funds management spans infrastructure investment, capital raisings, and mergers and acquisitions across Australia and globally, making him one of the most experienced infrastructure investors based in Australia.

21. Deborah Coakley AM

Managing Director of QIC Real Estate since October 2024, Deborah Coakley AM leads QIC's real estate funds business and development pipeline, joining from Dexus where she was Chief Executive of Funds Management overseeing a A$30 billion business. She was recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours for her contribution to the property and investment management sector. Her active participation at the 2026 PERE Asia Summit in Singapore and her public commentary on the fundamentals of quality retail real estate reflect a conviction-driven investment philosophy.

Coakley is also a National Vice President of the Property Council of Australia, a member of its Capital Markets Division, and a Non-Executive Director of the Children's Cancer Institute.

22. Shemara Wikramanayake

Managing Director and CEO of Macquarie Group since late 2018, Shemara Wikramanayake leads one of the world's most significant financial groups, including one of the world's largest infrastructure asset managers. Macquarie Asset Management managed over A$871 billion in assets as of March 2026 and operates across real assets, real estate, and credit. Wikramanayake joined Macquarie in 1987, established and led corporate advisory offices in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, and headed Macquarie Asset Management for a decade before becoming CEO.

She is a Business Champion for the Philippines for the Australian Government, a member of the Monetary Authority of Singapore's International Advisory Panel, and a member of the World Bank Private Sector Investment Lab, reflecting the international weight of her position in global asset management.

23. Ben Way

Group Head of Macquarie Asset Management since April 2021 and a member of Macquarie's Group Executive Committee, Ben Way leads one of the world's largest and most diversified alternative asset managers. MAM's real assets business alone manages investments in over 190 businesses across infrastructure, green investments, agriculture, and real estate in 33 markets. Way joined Macquarie in 2006 and held senior roles including CEO of Asia before his current position.

His global stewardship of MAM's infrastructure and energy transition business, including convening senior industry, finance, and policy leaders at GEC events across 2024 and 2025, reflects a commitment to thought leadership alongside investment management.

24. Ani Satchcroft

Co-Head of Infrastructure for Asia-Pacific at Macquarie Asset Management and Senior Managing Director, Ani Satchcroft oversees the team responsible for more than 80 investments in the infrastructure and agriculture sectors across nine markets in the region. She has led major acquisitions in Australia and New Zealand across digital, utilities, and transport infrastructure sectors and sits on the boards of several portfolio companies. She was featured in the 2025 ANZ Women in Dealmaking M&A Outlook Report and spoke at the Mergermarket M&A Forum Australia in September 2025.

Her public commentary on the investment case for digital infrastructure, energy transition, and demographic-driven infrastructure demand reflects a long-horizon, needs-driven approach to deploying private capital at the intersection of community need and investor return.

25. Jacob Mitchell

Founder and Global Equities CIO of Antipodes Partners since 2015, Jacob Mitchell built the firm into a leading Australian active manager with over A$20 billion in assets following the acquisition of Maple-Brown Abbott in 2024. Antipodes was named Morningstar's 2026 Fund Manager of the Year in Australia, and the firm now operates five independent investment teams across the Antipodes and Maple-Brown Abbott brands. His investment philosophy centres on identifying high-quality businesses trading at attractive valuations, with a focus on delivering a smoother investment journey across market cycles.

Mitchell's consistent LinkedIn posts on specific stock holdings, macro conditions, and investment process make him one of the most substantive active commentators on global equities from an Australian base.

26. Paul Xiradis

Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer of Ausbil Investment Management, Paul Xiradis has led the firm for over 30 years and is one of the longest-serving fund manager CEOs in Australia. Ausbil Australian Active Equity focuses on the outlook for earnings, with its assessment of 2026 opportunities anchored in anticipated revisions across the market. In 2024, Xiradis was inducted into the Australian Fund Manager Foundation Hall of Fame, and in 2025 he was awarded the SQM Research and Financial Newswire Lifetime Achievement Award.

His decades-long commitment to fundamental, earnings-focused active management has made him one of the most respected practitioners in Australian equities, with an investment approach that has produced a strong long-term track record through multiple market cycles.

27. Vince Pezzullo

Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager for Australian Equities at Perpetual Asset Management, Vince Pezzullo leads one of Australia's most established value-oriented domestic equities strategies. Featured in Morningstar's analysis of Australia's best fund managers heading into 2026, his team is increasingly constructive on the relative prospects for value companies following an extended period of growth and momentum outperformance. Perpetual Australian Share's disciplined, valuation-led framework has made it a reference point for value investing in the Australian market.

His commentary on the disconnect between market valuations and fundamentals in 2025-2026, and the pockets of opportunity that creates for disciplined value investors, has contributed substantively to the public debate about the sustainability of equity market valuations.

28. Andrew Martin

Co-founder and Portfolio Manager at Alphinity Investment Management since 2010, Andrew Martin is one of the architects of Alphinity's investment philosophy, which centres on finding quality companies that are undervalued relative to their near-term earnings momentum. Alphinity has produced a strong long-term track record of consistent outperformance in both Australian and global equities. Martin is a regular contributor to Livewire Markets and features in Alphinity's public commentary on current portfolio positioning.

His public discussion of specific investments, sector positioning, and the conditions that drive earnings upgrades makes him one of the more informative active equity voices in the Australian market.

29. Harry Moore

Chief Executive Officer of First Sentier Group, Harry Moore leads the Sydney-headquartered global asset management organisation that managed AU$190.7 billion across equities, fixed income, infrastructure, listed property, and alternative credit as at 31 March 2026. First Sentier Group operates as the umbrella for investment teams including First Sentier Investors, FSSA Investment Managers, Igneo Infrastructure Partners, RQI Investors, Stewart Investors, and AlbaCore Capital Group, all operating with investment autonomy under responsible investment principles.

Moore's leadership of an organisation of this complexity across diverse asset classes and geographies reflects executive depth that is uncommon in the Australian market, and positions First Sentier Group as one of the more significant global asset management organisations headquartered in Australia.

30. Ludovic Theau

Chief Investment Officer of Australian Ethical Investment since April 2023, Ludovic Theau brings over 30 years of experience in ESG investing, funds management, commercial banking, and financial advisory. Prior to Australian Ethical, he served as CIO of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Australia's Green Bank, and held roles at Hastings Funds Management, Westpac, ABN AMRO, Macquarie Bank, UBS, and BNP Paribas.

His combination of ethical investment conviction and conventional investment rigour is increasingly relevant as the broader super sector reckons with climate risk, mandatory sustainability reporting from 2026, and growing member interest in how their savings are deployed. His leadership at Australian Ethical, which manages A$14.28 billion exclusively in ethical funds, makes him one of the most credentialled responsible investment practitioners in the Australian market.

31. Steve Johnson

Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director of Forager Funds Management, Steve Johnson founded the firm in 2009 and manages approximately A$470 million across the Forager Australian Shares Fund and Forager International Shares Fund. He regularly writes for the Australian Financial Review, appears on The ABC and Ausbiz, and maintains an active LinkedIn presence that includes direct commentary on specific stocks, earnings season observations, and investment process updates. His Australian Shares Fund reported 21.7 per cent returns in the 12 months to March 2025, outperforming 123 equity managers.

Johnson is one of Australia's most transparent active fund managers, with a willingness to share genuine investment thinking in public that distinguishes his voice in a market where fund managers often communicate cautiously.

32. Roger Montgomery

Founder of Montgomery Investment Management, Roger Montgomery has more than three decades of experience in equity analysis and investment management and is the author of the investment book Value.able. His firm manages concentrated portfolios of quality Australian and global businesses, and his LinkedIn and media presence include regular market commentary and investment education. He is one of the most recognisable individual voices in Australian equity investment management.

Montgomery's commitment to valuation discipline and quality-focused investing, communicated consistently across media and LinkedIn through market cycles, has built him a substantial audience among both professional and retail investors in Australia.

Part Four: New Zealand Investment Leaders

33. Sam Stubbs

Co-founder and CEO of Simplicity NZ, Sam Stubbs leads one of New Zealand's fastest-growing and most publicly outspoken KiwiSaver providers. Simplicity operates as a not-for-profit, donates 15 per cent of fees to charity, and invests with a conscience. Prior to Simplicity, Stubbs was CEO of Tower Investments and Managing Director of Hanover Group, and spent a decade at Goldman Sachs in London and Hong Kong. His LinkedIn and media presence is among the most active of any New Zealand fund manager, with regular commentary on housing affordability, banking practices, and the case for low-cost, index-based investment.

In November 2025, Simplicity announced plans to invest in New Zealand infrastructure assets, reflecting Stubbs' conviction that KiwiSaver capital should be deployed in New Zealand's long-term interest. That conviction, expressed publicly and consistently, has made him one of the most influential voices in shaping how New Zealanders think about their savings.

34. Andrew Bascand

Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer and co-founder of Harbour Asset Management, Andrew Bascand leads one of New Zealand's most awarded active investment managers with more than NZ$20 billion under management. Harbour was named New Zealand's Overall Fund Manager of the Year in the 2025 Morningstar Awards and the 2026 Fixed Interest and Overall Fund Manager of the Year. Bascand contributes regularly to market commentary through articles, podcasts, and media appearances, and his appointment to the board of Christchurch City Holdings Limited in February 2025 extends his contribution to New Zealand's investment governance landscape.

His public commentary on the importance of diversification in a period of concentrated market returns and his advocacy for managed funds as a vehicle for long-term wealth building reflect a practitioner voice that reaches well beyond institutional audiences.

35. Frank Jasper

Chief Investment Officer of ASB, Frank Jasper oversees investment strategy for one of New Zealand's largest KiwiSaver providers, which was named Morningstar's KiwiSaver Fund Manager of the Year for New Zealand in 2026. ASB's Growth, Moderate, Balanced, and Conservative KiwiSaver funds all achieved top-quartile returns for both one and three year rolling periods to December 2025. Jasper's focus on making investment decisions that help New Zealanders have confidence in their financial future reflects the dual-purpose nature of KiwiSaver as both a retirement savings and housing deposit vehicle.

The Morningstar recognition and the fund's consistent top-quartile performance across multiple fund types speak to the investment discipline that ASB's approach, under Jasper's leadership, has brought to a highly competitive KiwiSaver market.

36. David Iverson

Chief Investment Officer of the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) since June 2025, David Iverson oversees investment of the A$50 billion government-owned fund that manages assets to meet New Zealand's no-fault accident compensation obligations. Iverson joined ACC in 2021 as Head of Dynamic Asset Allocation, previously spent 11 years at the NZ Super Fund finishing as Head of Asset Allocation, and has held senior roles at Goldman Sachs JB Were and Russell Investment Group. He is internationally regarded for his work on asset allocation and dynamic investment strategy.

The ACC Fund's investment profile is unique in New Zealand, combining a long liability horizon with a requirement for genuine liquid reserves, making asset allocation decisions particularly consequential. Iverson's appointment brings one of the deepest asset allocation skill sets in the country to that challenge.

37. Mark Lister

Investment Director at Craigs Investment Partners and a member of the firm's Executive Committee, Mark Lister is one of New Zealand's most prolific investment commentators. He contributes regular columns to the NZ Herald and Newsroom on market conditions, investment strategy, and the outlook for New Zealand investors, and his LinkedIn posts on the OCR outlook, New Zealand equity performance, and global market dynamics are among the most widely read investment commentary in the country. Craigs Investment Partners marked its 40-year anniversary in 2024 with a State of the Nation event that Lister anchored.

Lister combines institutional experience with accessibility, making complex market conditions comprehensible to a broad investor audience. His consistent willingness to put a specific view on record, rather than hedging to the point of meaninglessness, makes him a more useful public voice than most.

38. Blair Turnbull

Chief Executive of Milford Asset Management NZ since 2025, Blair Turnbull leads one of New Zealand's most prominent and awarded fund managers, which has won the Morningstar Overall New Zealand Fund Manager of the Year award multiple times and the INFINZ Diversified Growth Fund Manager of the Year Award in 2024. Milford is privately owned, with the majority owned by staff and board members, and manages funds across KiwiSaver, unit trusts, and wholesale products for New Zealand investors.

Turnbull's appointment marks a new phase of leadership for a firm that has built its reputation on active management and strong long-term investment performance. His leadership of one of New Zealand's most staff-owned fund managers positions Milford well for the next stage of its growth.

Part Five: Infrastructure Investment Leaders

39. Jason Boyes

Chief Executive Officer of Infratil since April 2021, Jason Boyes leads one of the world's most distinctive listed infrastructure investment companies, which owns renewable energy, digital infrastructure, airports, and healthcare assets across New Zealand, Australia, Asia, the United States, and Europe. Infratil has group assets exceeding NZ$10 billion and targets shareholder returns of 11 to 15 per cent per annum over the long term. Boyes appeared on the Shared Lunch podcast in April 2026, discussing infrastructure investment, data centre opportunities, and the energy transition.

His focus on simplifying the portfolio and reinvesting in higher-growth assets as Infratil matures reflects the active portfolio management discipline that has driven the company's long-term performance.

40. Paul Newfield

Chief Executive of Morrison since 2022, Paul Newfield leads the Wellington-based specialist global infrastructure manager that was founded in 1988 and manages Infratil among its key mandates. Morrison is a pioneer in listed infrastructure investment, having launched Infratil in 1994 as one of the world's first listed infrastructure funds. The firm manages investments across New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Singapore, with funds including the Morrison Growth Infrastructure Fund.

Newfield's leadership of Morrison brings continuity to a firm that has demonstrated over 30 years that specialist infrastructure investment, managed with discipline and long-term orientation, delivers for investors and communities alike.

Part Six: Physical and Infrastructure Asset Management

41. Steve Verity

Principal Advisor for Asset Management at the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA), Steve Verity is one of Australia's most recognised thought leaders in the sustainable management of built infrastructure. He has over 30 years of experience managing infrastructure across the public and private sectors, represents IPWEA on the Global Forum on Maintenance and Asset Management (GFMAM), and is the principal author of several major infrastructure studies including the National State of the Assets Report for the Australian Local Government Association. He attended the Institute of Asset Management Global Conference in 2026, continuing his engagement with international best practice.

His work sits at the critical juncture between asset management theory and the practical reality of how Australian local governments manage the hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure their communities depend on.

42. Julian Watts

Partner at KPMG Australia's Infrastructure, Assets and Places division and the firm's Global Head of Asset Management, Julian Watts works with asset owners and operators across transport, health, utilities, and government infrastructure in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the USA, the UAE, and the UK. He is a passionate advocate for digital twins and the integration of Industry 4.0 technology into infrastructure decision-making. He has held leadership roles with the Asset Management Council, the Institute of Asset Management, and ISO committees, and co-chairs the Smart Cities Council's Digital Twin Task Force.

Watts published an article in Infrastructure Magazine arguing the case for a Chief Asset Management Officer as a missing C-suite role, addressing how senior executives can gain visibility over complex physical asset bases before they create operational or regulatory risk.

43. David Jenkins

Chief Executive of IPWEA (Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia), David Jenkins leads the peak body for professionals in the public works sector across Australia and New Zealand. He hosts the Infrastructure Matters podcast, through which he has interviewed the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission CEO and a wide range of international infrastructure and asset management leaders. The podcast, active from 2025 into its fourth season in 2026, is a substantive resource for infrastructure professionals.

Jenkins advocates actively for the professional status of public works engineering and asset management as disciplines, including meeting with federal senators in Australia to discuss the education pathway for public works engineers and pressing for recognition of skills shortages in the sector.

44. Gary Porteous

President of Apopo and Client Director for Asset and Network Performance at WSP in New Zealand, Gary Porteous is one of the most important voices in New Zealand's infrastructure asset management profession. He is the first holder of the Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) accreditation in the Asset Management Engineering field of practice, and holds the AMCP Apopo accreditation and WPiAM CSAM credentials. His governance role at Apopo, combined with his practical experience advising infrastructure owners across transport, bridges, structures, and geotechnics, makes him a practitioner-leader in the fullest sense.

His appointment to the board of Christchurch City Holdings Limited in February 2025 extends his contribution to New Zealand's infrastructure governance beyond professional body leadership.

45. Murray Pugh

Chief Executive of Apopo, New Zealand's lead association for infrastructure asset management professionals (formerly IPWEA NZ), Murray Pugh leads the organisation through a period of significant expansion and professionalisation. Apopo hosted its largest-ever Congress in May 2026 in Hamilton with over 407 delegates, established a dual professional accreditation pathway for practitioners, and won the New Zealand Association for Training and Development Award for its Digital Badge learning programme. Under Pugh's leadership, Apopo has been cited in major national infrastructure reviews as a key vehicle for lifting New Zealand's infrastructure management capability.

His regular "Views" column on Apopo's website reflects genuine practitioner-leader thinking on the state of infrastructure asset management in Aotearoa, from the National Infrastructure Plan to the growing role of AI in the sector.

46. Geoff Cooper

Chief Executive of Te Waihanga (the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission) since September 2024, Geoff Cooper leads the government body responsible for long-term infrastructure strategy and planning for New Zealand. Prior to becoming CE, he served as General Manager of Strategy at the Commission, leading the National Infrastructure Pipeline and the development of New Zealand's first Infrastructure Strategy. His background combines global policy experience with practitioner work as Chief Economist at both PwC and Auckland Council.

In June 2025, Cooper and the Commission released the draft National Infrastructure Plan, which found that New Zealand is underinvesting in infrastructure maintenance, with assets depreciating faster than they are renewed. His public commentary on the plan reflects a willingness to name structural problems clearly in the public interest.

47. Ross Waugh

Principal at Waugh Infrastructure Management Ltd, Ross Waugh is one of New Zealand's most experienced infrastructure asset management consultants. A participant at the 2025 Apopo Congress in Christchurch and panellist at RIMS 2024 in Auckland, he co-leads the Climate Adaptation Platform with Dr Theuns Henning, which is investigating how resilience investments can better support community wellbeing across the Asia-Pacific. His firm, Waugh Infrastructure Management, has over 25 years of experience supporting New Zealand's municipal and private infrastructure owners.

Waugh's contribution to infrastructure asset management spans consulting practice, professional body engagement, and research collaboration with universities, making him one of the more deeply connected practitioners in the New Zealand sector.

48. Dr Theuns Henning

Director of the Infrastructure Asset Management Programme at the University of Auckland and CEO of Infrastructure Decision Support (IDS Ltd), Dr Theuns Henning is a global authority on infrastructure lifecycle modelling and climate adaptation in asset management. He received the Best Paper Award at AMPEAK 2026, has published more than 50 international journal papers, is the primary author of World Bank guidelines integrating asset management and climate adaptation, and has completed research projects supporting countries from the Philippines to Saudi Arabia. He has held multiple IPWEA New Zealand Excellence Awards, including for the Strategic Maintenance Investment Justification Project for New Zealand State Highways.

His dual role as academic programme director and industry CEO at IDS gives him a uniquely integrated perspective on how infrastructure asset management practice and research can reinforce each other, and his co-leadership of the Climate Adaptation Platform positions him at the frontier of how New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific prepare physical infrastructure for a changing climate.

49. Megan Finnie

Senior Asset Manager at Fulton Hogan and Director of IPWEA NSW & ACT, Megan Finnie brings a rare combination of frontline asset management practice and sector leadership to her public role. She appeared on the Infrastructure Matters podcast in October 2025 discussing workforce challenges, climate pressures, and the role of storytelling and systems thinking in modern infrastructure planning. Her willingness to share honest reflections on the workforce and cultural challenges facing the sector, alongside the practical solutions she has developed, makes her a distinctive voice in the ANZ asset management professional community.

Her position at the intersection of major infrastructure delivery through Fulton Hogan and professional body leadership through IPWEA NSW & ACT gives her a vantage point on both the practice and governance of public works asset management that is uncommon in the sector.

50. Adam Copp

Chief Executive of Infrastructure Australia since July 2023, Adam Copp leads the statutory body responsible for providing independent advice on infrastructure investment to the Australian Government. Infrastructure Australia's assessments shape which projects receive Commonwealth funding and how national infrastructure priorities are set. Copp, who was elevated from interim CEO and formally appointed in July 2023, has led the organisation through the development of updated infrastructure priority lists and engagement with the National Infrastructure Plan that Te Waihanga released for New Zealand.

His leadership of Infrastructure Australia at a time when the Commonwealth is navigating competing infrastructure priorities across defence, housing, renewables, and transport places him at the centre of the national debate about where Australia's infrastructure investment should go and why.

Notable Voices We Almost Included

Several leaders came very close to this list. Nick Astwick, CEO of the NZ Super Fund from 2023, represents the executive leadership of sovereign wealth alongside Jo Townsend. Katharine Tapley, Head of Sustainable Finance at ANZ Banking Group, is among the most credible ESG investment voices in the ANZ banking sector. David Elia (CEO, Hostplus) and David Anderson (CEO, Australian Retirement Trust) are consequential super sector leaders whose peers were selected ahead of them for this list by a narrow margin. In New Zealand's infrastructure investment space, Jason Boyes' manager Paul Newfield at Morrison leads a firm whose infrastructure investment philosophy has shaped the region for 30 years. In physical infrastructure, the academic and consulting depth of Geoff Brayshaw at the Asset Management Council of Australia and Tony Parish, a Life Member of Apopo and partner at Pattle Delamore Partners with a 30-year contribution to international asset management standards, are among the most significant voices not featured.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Asset Management Leadership

Asset management organisations, whether managing portfolios of financial assets or physical infrastructure, make a predictable set of leadership errors that erode performance over time.

The first is confusing short-term metrics with long-term value creation. In financial asset management, this manifests as managing to quarterly returns at the expense of the genuine long-term perspective that members and beneficiaries actually need. Leaders like Ian Patrick and John Pearce have been consistent in public about the need to resist short-term pressure and maintain a long-horizon investment discipline, particularly as Australia's super funds grow to a scale where their investment decisions move markets.

The second is siloing investment and member services. Super fund CEOs who have seen the strongest member outcomes have typically been those who understand that investment returns and member experience are not separate mandates. Deanne Stewart's Aware Super and Peter Chun's UniSuper are cited repeatedly as examples of how integrated leadership across investment, member services, and governance drives sustainable outperformance.

The third is treating infrastructure as a passive yield asset rather than an active management discipline. Jason Boyes at Infratil and Ross Israel at QIC have been public about the active management dimension of infrastructure investment, including the need to engage deeply with portfolio companies, drive operational improvements, and make divestment decisions when assets no longer fit the portfolio's strategic direction.

In physical asset management, the most common mistake is deferring maintenance to manage budgets. Steve Verity's National State of the Assets research consistently shows that deferred maintenance is not a saving but a transfer of cost to future generations, often at significantly higher price. Murray Pugh and Geoff Cooper have both named this structural problem at the national level in New Zealand: the country is running assets into the ground, and the consequence is a maintenance backlog that will cost future governments far more than timely investment would have.

The fourth is under-investing in data and systems. Both financial and physical asset management are increasingly data-intensive disciplines, and the organisations producing the best outcomes in 2026 are those that made the investment in quality data infrastructure ahead of when they needed it. Julian Watts at KPMG and Dr Theuns Henning at the University of Auckland have both made this point publicly and consistently, from different disciplinary vantage points.

Implementation Guide: How to Apply This List

For practitioners in financial asset management, this list is most useful as a map of the public thinking that is shaping the sector's key decisions in 2026. Following the LinkedIn and media commentary of the super fund CIOs listed here, particularly Alison Tarditi OAM, Sonya Sawtell-Rickson, and John Pearce, gives a real-time window into how the most sophisticated institutional investors are thinking about asset allocation, private markets access, and the macro environment. For New Zealand investment professionals, the commentary of Mark Lister at Craigs Investment Partners and Andrew Bascand at Harbour Asset Management provides the most consistent and analytically rigorous local perspective on market conditions.

For infrastructure investment professionals, the most valuable application is tracking how the gap between financial and physical asset management is closing. The leaders at IFM Investors, QIC, Macquarie, and Infratil are making allocation decisions that directly shape what physical infrastructure gets funded and built across the region. Following their public commentary, particularly on digital infrastructure, energy transition, and data centres as the next infrastructure frontier, gives practitioners a clearer picture of where capital is flowing.

For physical asset management practitioners in local government and asset-intensive industries, the Apopo Congress proceedings, the IPWEA Infrastructure Matters podcast, and AMPEAK are the most relevant professional forums. Gary Porteous and Murray Pugh at Apopo and Steve Verity and David Jenkins at IPWEA represent the professional bodies where practice standards are set and where the most practical asset management frameworks are shared and tested.

For any organisation managing complex assets, the leadership dimension of asset management is often the least well-developed. Teams make better investment and maintenance decisions when they have clear communication frameworks, healthy conflict norms, and accountability structures that work. Jonno White, author of Step Up or Step Out (10,000+ copies sold) and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, works with leadership teams across financial services, infrastructure, and government sectors to build those foundations. Email jonno@consultclarity.org. Whether virtual or face to face, international travel is often far more affordable than organisations expect.

For a companion directory of infrastructure thought leaders globally, see the Essential Infrastructure Thought Leaders Globally post on consultclarity.org

For wealth management practitioners with a broader financial planning and advice focus, the Essential Wealth Management Thought Leaders in ANZ post on consultclarity.org

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between financial and physical asset management?

Financial asset management involves professionally managing investment portfolios including equities, fixed income, property, infrastructure debt, and private markets on behalf of clients or beneficiaries such as superannuation fund members. Physical asset management involves the systematic planning, maintenance, renewal, and disposal of physical assets including infrastructure, buildings, and equipment over their operational lifecycle. Both are governed by the ISO 55000 standard for asset management, though the professional communities, tools, and day-to-day practice are largely distinct.

Why is the ANZ superannuation sector so important to asset management globally?

Australia's compulsory superannuation system has grown to over A$4.3 trillion in total assets as at June 2025, making it the world's fourth-largest pool of pension capital. Because Australian super funds are long-horizon, patient capital investors, they are among the most significant buyers of infrastructure equity, direct real estate, private equity, and alternative assets globally. Their scale means that investment decisions made by Australian super fund CIOs and CEOs have ripple effects across global capital markets. New Zealand's KiwiSaver system, at approximately NZ$130 billion, follows a similar compulsory savings model and is growing rapidly.

Who is the most influential physical asset management body in New Zealand?

Apopo (formerly IPWEA NZ) is Aotearoa New Zealand's lead association for infrastructure asset management professionals. The organisation established the Asset Management Engineering Chartered Professional (CPEng) field of practice and a dual international accreditation pathway. The 2026 Apopo Congress in Hamilton attracted a record 407 delegates, reflecting the growing scale and ambition of the physical asset management profession in New Zealand.

What are the biggest trends in ANZ asset management in 2026?

In financial asset management, the dominant themes include superannuation consolidation, investment internalisation versus external manager strategies, the expansion of private markets and direct investment at scale, and mandatory sustainability reporting under Australia's 2026 climate disclosure regime. In physical asset management, the key trends are digital twin integration, the growing recognition of deferred maintenance as a systemic risk, New Zealand's 2026 National Infrastructure Plan setting new standards for lifecycle planning, and the ongoing transformation of the water sector in New Zealand.

How can I engage Jonno White for my organisation?

Jonno White is a Certified Working Genius Facilitator and keynote speaker who works with organisations across financial services, infrastructure, government, and not-for-profit sectors globally. He is the author of Step Up or Step Out (10,000+ copies sold) and the host of The Leadership Conversations Podcast with 230 episodes reaching listeners in 150 countries. Email jonno@consultclarity.org to discuss your team's needs.

Final Thoughts

Asset management in Australia and New Zealand is not one profession but two, joined at the most important seam in the economy: the long-term stewardship of value. The financial asset managers on this list are determining how the retirement savings of millions of Australians and New Zealanders are deployed across global markets and local infrastructure. The physical asset managers are determining how long a bridge stands before it needs replacing, how a water pipe failure is prevented before it floods a suburb, and how a data centre is built to serve a growing digital economy.

Following the thinking of the people on this list is one of the highest-return investments available to any practitioner in or adjacent to the sector. The ideas they are publicly testing, the decisions they are making at institutional scale, and the frameworks they are building for the organisations they lead represent the leading edge of how ANZ approaches one of its most consequential responsibilities.

For leadership teams looking to build the communication, decision-making, and accountability frameworks that allow good asset management strategy to translate into results, Jonno White works with organisations globally as a Certified Working Genius Facilitator and executive team facilitator. Bring Jonno in for your next leadership session. Email jonno@consultclarity.org. Many organisations find that international travel is far more affordable than expected, and that a single well-facilitated day with the right frameworks can shift how a leadership team works for years.

About the Author

Jonno White is a Certified Working Genius Facilitator, author of Step Up or Step Out, and leadership consultant who has worked with schools, corporates, and nonprofits around the world. His book Step Up or Step Out has sold over 10,000 copies globally, and his podcast The Leadership Conversations has featured 230+ episodes reaching listeners in 150+ countries. Jonno founded The 7 Questions Movement with 6,000+ participating leaders and achieved a 93.75% satisfaction rating for his Working Genius masterclass at the ASBA 2025 National Conference. Based in Brisbane, Australia, Jonno works globally and regularly travels for speaking and facilitation engagements. Organisations consistently find that international travel is far more affordable than expected. To book Jonno for your next keynote, workshop, or facilitation session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

Sources

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (total superannuation assets, contributions data). Reserve Bank of New Zealand (KiwiSaver assets). Morningstar, Inc. (Morningstar Awards for Investing Excellence Australia and New Zealand 2026). Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (National State of the Assets 2025 research). New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga (National Infrastructure Plan 2026).

Next Read

Australia and New Zealand's infrastructure sector sits at the intersection of financial capital and physical asset management. The 50 Essential Thought Leaders in Engineering and Infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand post on consultclarity.org profiles the engineers, project directors, and infrastructure leaders delivering the physical assets that investment capital funds. Keep reading: https://www.consultclarity.org/post/thought-leaders-engineering-infrastructure-australia-new-zealand