Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
lawyers weekly logo
Advertisement
Superannuation
04 July 2025 by Maja Garaca Djurdjevic

Retail super funds deliver double-digit returns despite market turbulence

Retail superannuation funds Vanguard Super and Colonial First State have posted robust double-digit returns for FY2024–25, driven by a recovery in ...
icon

Markets climb 'wall of worry' to fuel strong super returns, but can the rally last?

Australian super funds notched a third consecutive year of strong returns, with the median balanced option delivering an ...

icon

ASIC levy for investment and super sector set to rise 9%

The corporate regulator has released its estimated industry levies for FY2024–25, with the cost for the investment ...

icon

Diversified portfolios deliver for industry funds as markets flourish

Another strong year for equities, both domestic and global, has driven largely positive returns for these industry super ...

icon

VanEck warns of looming US asset unwind as key risk signals flash red

VanEck has signalled an impending major unwinding in US assets, after issuing a warning that the world is largely ...

icon

Metrics makes 2 acquisitions ahead of consumer lending expansion

Metrics Credit Partners has completed the acquisition of Taurus Financial Group and BC Investment Group as it looks to ...

VIEW ALL

CFS loses second senior manager in months

  •  
By Charlie Corbett
  •  
4 minute read

CFS small caps manager Tom Plodr has followed colleague Anthony Vourdanos out the door.

Colonial First State (CFS) has lost its second senior small caps portfolio manager within two months.

Tom Plodr has followed his colleague Anthony Vourdanos out the door, leaving the recently appointed Peter McGann holding the baby.

Plodr and Vourdanos have not disclosed their destinations, but InvestorDaily has heard they plan to work together in the future.

Vourdanos will pack his desk this Friday, while Plodr is set to leave the firm in early October.

 
 

Research house Morningstar downgraded CFS's Core small caps strategy from an investment grade rating to 'hold' on the news.

"This is another blow for investors in this strategy...the quick succession of these departures, and the relative inexperience in small-caps investing of Vourdanos' replacement Peter McGann, mean that our confidence in this strategy has been compromised severely and we advise investors to look elsewhere," the research house said.

CFS has said it is seeking a replacement for Plodr and that it will also hire another analyst to the team.

"It's by no means certain that the firm will be able to hire top-notch replacements, given the current battle for talent in the funds management industry," Morningstar said.

"For those currently invested here, this could be a good time to re-examine your small caps exposure, while those considering placing money here should focus instead on our higher-rated strategies."

In August, CFS hired Marcus Fanning from Morgan Stanley as head of equities.

He replaced Simon Shields, who left in June to head up UBS's Australian equities division after the former boss, Paul Fiani, left to establish a boutique.