Future Fund promotes Ben Samild as new CIO
The $202 billion Future Fund has appointed Ben Samild as its new chief investment officer – ending a year-long period in which chief executive Raphael Arndt held the dual role.
Mr Samild joined the Future Fund ten years ago and held the role of deputy chief investment officer along with Wendy Norris and Alicia Gregory in June 2022, following the departure of Sue Blake.
He studied behavioural finance at the University of Melbourne, and his first job was helping with the recruitment process at a professional sports team.
Ben Samild, the new Future Fund CIO
He then spent ten years as a scientist US hedge fund Elysium from 1999 to 2009 before returning to Australia to study. Samild then joined the Labour Union Co-operative Retirement Fund before moving to the Future fund.
Mr Samild had overseen the hedge funds and alternatives program for the Future Fund. He is the fund’s fourth CIO after David Neal and Dr Arndt. who both moved from that position to chief executive officer, and Susan Brake.
As a result of Mr Samild’s promotion Hugh Murray, the head of overlays has been appointed acting deputy chief investment officer of portfolio construction, while Alicia Gregory remains deputy chief investment officer of private markets.
The Future Fund is due to report its returns for the financial year later this month, and has so far exceeded its target return of 4 to 5 per cent above the inflation rate.
The fund has about one-third of its assets in listed equities, a third in private assets such as private equity, property and infrastructure, and a third of its assets in defensive exposures such as debt securities, hedge funds and cash.
The Future Fund is chaired by former treasurer Peter Costello. Mr Costello is also the chairman of
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