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Financial Services

Today

Ms Lykouras elected to leave NAB, rather than pursue a possible redeployment.

NAB restructures JBWere, local chief Maria Lykouras to depart

The move comes after the New Zealand business was merged with Jarden, and the team will report directly to the bank’s private wealth executive, Michael Saadie.

  • 23 mins ago
  • Lucas Baird
Ian Macoun, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Investment Management.

Pinnacle eyes global expansion, raising $400m to buy up offshore funds

The ASX-listed asset management juggernaut’s founder, Ian Macoun, said it was paying a fair price to buy stakes in the two businesses in the US and the UK.

  • 1 hr ago
  • Jonathan Shapiro
Commonwealth Bank has paid a stronger than expected dividend.

Home borrowers will pay for the rural bank branch levy

Treasury has come up with a radical but rushed plan to make all banks fund those with the biggest regional reach. But there is no guarantee that it will work.

  • John Kehoe
AirTrunk founder Robin Khuda has made a lot of people very happy with AirTrunk’s $24b sale.

Blackstone, CPPIB close to securing FIRB nod for $24b AirTrunk deal

Of note, the FIRB application is understood be the last remaining item on the buyers’ to-do list, with client and Asian approvals already squared off.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
The ASX edged close to 0.6 per cent higher by end of trading on Monday.

Game on at Selfwealth as rival bidder AxiCorp muscles up to Bell

Investor sources say AxiCorp has lobbed multiple offers at the Selfwealth board over the past few months but received the cold shoulder.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
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Ian Macoun, founder and managing director of Pinnacle.

Pinnacle raising $400m to buy two offshore fund managers

Pinnacle has agreed terms to acquire stakes in New York-based private equity firm VSS Capital and London-based multi-affiliate Pacific Asset Management, sources said.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
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The US dollar is already a loaded weapon. What next?

The apparent decay in the institutions that underpin the power and credibility of the dollar – and its issuer – are the focus of a recent book.

  • Carey K Mott

Yesterday

Telstra’s chief financial officer Michael Ackland, Mirvac chief financial officer Courtenay Smith and Challenger CEO Nick Hamilton at the AFR’s CFO Live summit on Tuesday.

Business says Trump’s return turns up competition for investment

Executives from Telstra, QBE, Challenger and Mirvac have warned that the US and even Britain risk pulling away from Australia by cutting red tape.

  • Updated
  • Jonathan Shapiro
Joe Longo at the ASIC Forum.

ASIC’s Joe Longo named Time climate crusader

This feels like 2011, when Euromoney opened our eyes to the charms of Wayne Swan.

  • Myriam Robin
The group chief financial officer of Ramsay Health Care, Martyn Roberts.

Don’t dump corporate climate targets because of Trump, CFOs say

Big business is locked in to its decarbonisation path given commitments made in other countries, and to investors, senior executives said.

  • Amelia McGuire
Cuscal is chaired by Elizabeth Proust.

Cuscal allocates two thirds of $336.8m IPO: book message

Payments infrastructure business Cuscal is picking up pace as it eyes a $479 million float.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Cuscal is chaired by Elizabeth Proust.

APRA warned Cuscal on risk settings ahead of IPO

The payments company, set to list on the ASX next week, is working with the regulator to improve compliance systems after an external review disclosed in its prospectus.

  • James Eyers and Lucas Baird
PEXA CEO Glenn King (left) has Joe Pepper tackling the UK market.

PEXA courts $1.2b financial software player Dye & Durham

Sources say the group already has a stranglehold on Australian land settlements and is now looking to push into the UK through this takeover bid.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Anthony Albanese in Peru.

PM’s financial advice reforms at risk of collapse

The government’s efforts to get a deal on giving more Australians access to good financial advice without paying thousands of dollars have stalled after an impasse on funding.

  • Updated
  • Jennifer Hewett
Regal Funds Management CEO Brendan O’Connor.

Regal Investment Fund launches $95m raise, hires seven brokers

The raise comes as RF1 is on track to finish 2024 on a high note; it has returned 23.26 per cent year-to-date, and is tracking at 19.6 per cent annualised returns since inception.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
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Close the Loop chief executive Joe Foster with a road additive made from recycled soft plastics at the company’s new plant in Reservoir.

Adamantem Capital lobs bid for Close the Loop; secures exclusivity

Sydney buyout firm Adamantem Capital has agreed exclusivity to acquire Close the loop, a packaging and recovery business capitalised at $109 million on the ASX.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
QIC investment director Lottie Bryon, private equity partner Nick Guest and private equity analyst Eden Peterson.

QIC bets on Aussie climate tech companies, backs $200m VC

Queensland’s sovereign fund has joined Westpac and Clean Energy Finance Corporation in backing Virescent Venture’s second climate-focused fund.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport

This Month

When companies start talking about earnings skew to the second half of the financial year, investors get nervous.

The ASX’s ‘second half club’ is a red flag for investors

We’re now 4½ months into FY25 and companies are telling investors what their year looks like. It isn’t pretty.

  • Anthony Macdonald
Keystone’s Paul Chiodo.

Distressed debt fund wrangles with Deloitte to win $480m Keystone fund

Sources said Deloitte has failed to be wooed by Arbitrium’s bid so far, and is veering towards a liquidation which could be a lengthy and expensive process.

  • Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
The Bank of New South Wales opened branches everywhere, including the goldfields. Here is the tent branch at Wyalong, in the Northern Riverina, opened in 1894.

Branchless banks should not have to prop up bricks-and-mortar rivals

Before the government imposes a new levy to keep regional branches open and head off a Coalition attack, the competition and innovation effects must be weighed.

  • The AFR View

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services