Chant West and Conexus Financial will come together from 2020 to host a joint annual super fund awards, replacing their individual awards. The partnership recognises calls from the super industry in recent years for less awards. The co-branded Chant West & Conexus Financial awards will comprise the well-respected data, technology and methodology of Chant West at an event hosted and promoted by Conexus Financial.
The focus of the awards will be to showcase and highlight best practice in the industry. The best feedback Chant West and Conexus Financial have received from previous awards has been funds saying that they use the summaries of what the best funds are doing in each category to drive their strategy and their product and service development.
"We receive the greatest satisfaction when we see funds implementing great initiatives we have highlighted at past awards events and telling us we were part of that process to make it happen," Chant West Head of Research, Ian Fryer, said.
With all the attention being given to the superannuation industry and the outcomes it is delivering for Australians, it is even more important to highlight what funds are doing well and encourage other funds to follow suit. The super industry exists for super fund members, and we believe that industry awards, especially those that focus on articulating best practice, can inspire all funds to do a better job for their members.
''In a post-Hayne royal commission world, we are more conscious than ever of maximising value to members and reducing unnecessary costs across our media, conferences and awards. We share the view held by the likes of Ian Silk, namely that a reduction in the number of industry awards is a positive step towards the super industry of the future performing optimally for members,'' Conexus Financial CEO, Colin Tate, said.
Chant West and Conexus Financial believe that the super industry deserves industry awards that are of the highest quality and that are based on the most independent and rigorous analysis of the capabilities of super funds. We believe that by holding a joint event, our awards will be even better than they were when we held them alone.
We are delighted that AIA Australia, previously sponsor of each of the awards, will remain a platinum sponsor at the joint 2020 awards.
''This is a great initiative and the consolidation is much appreciated,'' AIA Australia CEO, Damien Mu, added.
The joint Chant West & Conexus Financial awards will be held on 14 May 2020 at the Ivy Ballroom, Sydney CBD.
