Key points:
- The High Growth option, where most members are invested, delivered an 11.02% return for FY2024
- This marks the second consecutive year of double-digit returns for Aware Super's flagship option
- Over 10 years, the option has delivered an average annual return of 8.82%
- More than 750,000 of Aware Super's 1.1 million members are invested in this option
Damian Graham, Chief Investment Officer at Aware Super, attributed the strong performance to several factors:
- A highly diversified portfolio
- Growing international exposure, particularly to US equities
- Strong performance across multiple asset classes, including infrastructure and private equity
Graham emphasized the benefits of the fund's lifecycle design, which adjusts risk exposure as members age:
"It means they have more exposure to growth assets while they're younger and can accommodate more risk, so they can benefit greatly in years like this," he said.
The fund recently opened its first international investment office in London to enhance its global investment capabilities.
Other notable results include:
- Conservative Balanced pension option: 7.66% return for FY2024, 6.64% average annual return over 10 years
- High Growth Indexed option: 14.62% return for FY2024
- High Growth Socially Conscious option: 12.73% return for FY2024
Aware Super manages more than $175 billion on behalf of its 1.1 million members.
Graham stressed the importance of focusing on long-term returns, highlighting the 8.82% average annual return of the High Growth option over the past decade.
