Australian global funds manager IFM Investors' new Chief Executive will be David Neal, currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Future Fund.
Announcing the appointment, IFM Chair Greg Combet said Mr Neal was well equipped to steer the firm through its next chapter of global growth.
"I am so pleased we have secured the services of Mr Neal – he is a superb leader and an investment professional with a highly successful record. David will continue the global evolution of IFM Investors consistent with our purpose – to deliver strong net returns to the millions of members of our super fund, pension fund and institutional investors.
"We have an ambitious agenda going forward - to maintain strong investment performance across our asset classes and products, continue to grow and evolve as an organisation, and to be leaders in responsible investment.
"The industry super funds movement has now clearly reached a scale where we can attract the very best corporate leaders in the world."
Mr Neal joined the Future Fund in 2007 as the organisation's first Chief Investment Officer and was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in 2014. Prior to the Future Fund, Mr Neal spent 15 years with Watson Wyatt Worldwide where he started his career in the United Kingdom.
Mr Neal is a current Director of Perth Airport, a Director of FCLT Global, a member of the MSCI Advisory Council, and a member of the ASIC External Advisory Committee. He holds a Master of Arts (Hons) in Engineering from Oxford University.
Mr Combet today also paid tribute to IFM Investors' retiring Chief Executive, Brett Himbury.
"The board, staff and clients of IFM Investors thank Brett Himbury for 10 years of extraordinary stewardship. Millions of workers in Australia and tens of millions globally will have a demonstrably improved retirement thanks to Brett's strong leadership."
Mr Neal's commencement date and Mr Himbury's retirement date will be confirmed in the near future.
