The $4.1 billion coal industry superannuation fund Auscoal Super has secured former Colonial First State Asset Management portfolio manager Michael Berry as the latest addition to its internal investment team.

Berry's appointment as an investment analyst expands the investment team headed by Paul Coenraads to three.

Prior to his appointment, Berry was a Colonial First State Asset Management hedge fund portfolio manager.

"Michael has a great depth of experience across a broad range of investment positions and will be a great asset to Auscoal Super," Auscoal Super chief executive Bruce Watson said.

"Additional internal expertise will help the fund strongly focus on its investment objectives across all asset classes and continue to deliver sound long-term value to members."

Berry will be based at the superannuation fund's Sydney office, however, he will regularly travel to the fund's head office at Warners Bay, north of Sydney.

Mid-last year, former Deutsche Bank consultant Daniel Grioli was appointed as an investment analyst. Grioli was formerly based in London and specialised in structured products.

Auscoal Super employed Mercer Consulting as its external asset consultant after an unsuccessful attempt in 2007 to share an investment team with Seafarers Retirement Fund and Seafarers Employees Retirement Fund.

The shared investment team, headed by former Futureplus chief investment officer Terry Newsom, was established in a bid to reduce costs and increase internal investment resources.

Newsom has remained at Auscoal Super as an adviser on the investment team.