ART adds head of investment resilience and planning

Australian Retirement Trust (ART) has appointed Jody Fitzgerald to the recently created role of head of investment resilience and planning.

Ms Fitzgerald will join the super fund in late January 2024 from Morningstar Investment Management, where she serves as head of institutional portfolio management and solutions.

With more than 20 years of experience, Ms Fitzgerald has also previously held roles at Australian Unity, UBS Wealth Management, and Deutsche Asset Management.

ART explained that the head of investment resilience and planning role is responsible for ensuring its portfolios and investment capability can “consistently and effectively navigate and adapt to diverse investment landscapes resulting in optimal returns across market cycles”.

According to ART chief investment officer Ian Patrick, the appointment of Ms Fitzgerald marks an integral step in setting up the fund’s team for continued success in guarding and growing the retirement savings of members.

“Australian Retirement Trust invests more than $260 billion on behalf of our more than 2.3 million members, which is a responsibility we take very seriously,” he said.

“Jody brings to Australian Retirement Trust a wealth of capability and experience in investment management and business leadership roles, and we look forward to her contribution to deliver on our vision to be Australia’s most chosen and trusted retirement partner.”

Ms Fitzgerald is set to commence as head of investment resilience and planning at ART in late January 2024.

The creation of the role was originally announced in March this year as part of changes to ART’s investment team, including the appointment of Andrew Fisher as head of investment strategy.

In September, the ART board announced that current chief executive officer Bernard Reilly had informed them of his intention to leave the super fund in February 2024.

“Bern will leave an incredible legacy, having played an integral role in delivering Australia’s largest superannuation merger to create Australian Retirement Trust back in February 2022,” ART chair Andrew Fraser said at the time.

“Bern has expertly guided Australian Retirement Trust to deliver merger benefits to our more than 2.3 million members and grow funds under administration to more than $260 billion. But I think the thing Bern should be proudest of, and a true testament to his leadership capabilities, is the culture he has helped grow across our organisation.”

Commenting on his decision to depart, Mr Reilly said: “This has been an enormous decision for my family and me, but I know that I am stepping away at the right time for Australian Retirement Trust.

“This is an exciting time, as Australian Retirement Trust enters its next chapter as one of Australia’s leading superannuation funds, I’m excited to continue watching the fund grow as one of its members.”