Investment Committee

Ms Berends has worked in the financial services industry for over 35 years and possesses extensive experience in both investment management and superannuation. Before moving to a non-executive career in 2014 she worked for 15 years with US based investment manager Marvin & Palmer Associates. Ms Berends contributed extensively to industry associations throughout her executive career, serving on the boards of the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA australia) for 13 years (7 as Chair) and the Association of Superannuation Funds Australia (ASFA) for 12 years (3 as Chair). Ms Berends has been awarded Life Membership of both IMCA Australia and ASFA. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Monash University, is a Fellow of the Actuaries Institute and a Fellow of ASFA.  

Ms Berends is an independent non-executive director of ASX listed Pinnacle Investment Management Group Limited and of listed investment companies Antipodes Global Investment Company Limited, Plato Income Maximiser Limited and Spheria Emerging Companies Limited. She is also an independent non-executive director of BT Funds Management Limited, BT Funds Management No. 2 Limited and Westpac Securities Administration Limited (collectively the BTFG Superannuation Board). She is a director of MDC Foundation Limited (a not for profit company) and a member of the QSuper Investment Committee.

Commencing his career as a chartered accountant, Chris Cuffe entered the funds management industry in 1985. In 1988 he joined Colonial First State where he was CEO from 1990 until 2003. In 2003 he became CEO of the listed Challenger Group.

Chris is now involved in a portfolio of activities in the investment and non-profit sectors which include:

• member of the Investment Committee of UniSuper, which provides superannuation services to employees of Australia's higher education and research sector;
• member of the investment Committee of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia’s largest charitable foundation;
• chairman of Australian Philanthropic Services and portfolio manager of the APS Foundation;
• director of listed companies Global Value Fund and Argo Investments;
• director of unlisted private debt companies Keyview and Ventra Capital; and
• founder, director and portfolio manager of Third Link Growth Fund.

Chris was previously a non-executive director of UniSuper from 2007 to 2017, of which the last six years was as Chairman.

In October 2007 Chris was inducted into the Australian Fund Manager’s RBS Hall of Fame for services to the investment industry. In 2017 he was appointed as an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales and a Diploma from the Securities Institute of Australia. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand, a Fellow of the Institute of Company Directors and an Associate of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.

Matthew is a co-founder of the Hearts and Minds Investment Conference.

He is currently the Co-Executive Chairman of Barrenjoey Capital.

Prior to Barrenjoey, Matthew held a number of local and global senior leadership roles at UBS over a 25 year period, including Joint Global Head of the Investment Banking business, Head of Capital Markets, Head of the Corporate Advisory business and, most recently, Chief Executive Officer and Country Head of UBS Australasia from 2008 to 2019 when he retired.

In these roles Matthew has advised on many of the largest and most complex equity capital markets and corporate transactions completed in Australia.

Matthew is also Chairman of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, a member of the University of New South Wales Council, an Advisory Board Member of JDRF, a Director of the Financial Markets for Children Foundation, a Panel Member of Adara Partners and Chairman of NSW Govt. Cardiovascular Research Advisory Group.

Matthew holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance major) from the University of New South Wales and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales.

Brett is currently Chairman of Escala Partners and Chairman of PLC Asset Management.
He has worked in a range of senior positions including Vice Chairman at UBS Australia where he spent 23 years. Brett also spent 5 years at Citi serving as Vice Chairman Australia, Institutional Clients Group. Brett has served as a Non-Executive Director of Tabcorp and Chair of Audit and Risk for its demerged entity, Echo Entertainment, giving him valuable insights into the functions expected of ASX 100 boards. He was a Council Member at RMIT University and Chair of the Risk and Audit Committee. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant.

Paul has worked in the financial services industry for over 20 years and has extensive experience in investment markets, technology, retail banking, risk management and insurance. 

Paul is the former Managing Director of CommSec, Australia’s leading online broker and former Managing Director of Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd. Paul has also held a number of CFO and governance positions across large financial services businesses. Prior to financial services, Paul held senior roles in Chartered Accounting and Consulting firms specialising in corporate advisory and strategy.  

Paul holds a Commerce degree and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

David Wright is a Managing Partner and joint founder of Zenith Investment Partners (Zenith).

David established Zenith in October 2002 and has extensive investment industry experience. David’s role includes overall responsibility of the business and remains closely involved in servicing the Firm’s investment consulting clients with portfolio construction, management and monitoring advice.

Prior to establishing Zenith, David held senior positions within the financial services industry including IWL Ltd (Head of Research), an ASX listed company in which he was also a significant equity holder. David was instrumental in building and further developing IWL's managed investment research methodology and process and expanding the group's distribution of research to financial advisers. Other roles included Associate Director and Head of Managed Funds research at Lonsdale Limited and an analyst with the Advisor Group, a national financial planning group.

David has extensive experience researching, assessing and rating many forms of managed investments including, unlisted managed funds, listed managed investments including LIC’s, ETF’s, ETMF’s and property syndicates.

David is also a former practitioner lecturer of the Securities Institute of Australia (now FINSIA).