Ali Dibadj

Janus Henderson has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Rantum Capital, a Frankfurt‑based private markets investment manager, strengthening its presence in Germany and accelerating its ambitions in private markets across Europe.

Founded in 2013, Rantum Capital focuses on providing private debt and private equity financing solutions to family and entrepreneur‑owned small and mid‑sized companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (the DACH region). The firm has raised around €1.2 billion of capital across its private credit and private equity strategies.

Germany is one of the largest and most important institutional investment markets in Europe. The acquisition will significantly increase Janus Henderson’s scale and local presence in the country, while Rantum’s established relationships with institutional investors, including pensions, insurers and family offices, will extend Janus Henderson’s reach across the DACH region.

Rantum is expected to play a central role in the build‑out of Janus Henderson’s pan‑European private credit platform, leveraging its 13‑year track record and highly experienced investment team. The firm’s differentiated sourcing model and established capabilities position it well to support a phased expansion across Europe over time.

The acquisition also enhances Janus Henderson’s capabilities in private equity, complementing the firm’s broader private markets strategy. Rantum’s private equity expertise has the potential to support future product development.

A distinctive element of Rantum’s platform is its industrial partner network, a group of highly experienced former board members and senior executives from leading German companies. This network provides deep sector insight, strengthens sourcing and enhances local credibility, offering additional perspective and connectivity for Janus Henderson.

The acquisition builds on Janus Henderson’s recent expansion in private markets, following the acquisitions of NBK Capital Partners in the Middle East and Victory Park Capital in the US in 2024, and the firm’s pre-IPO investment strategies, and represents a further step in developing differentiated private markets capabilities across key regions.

Ali Dibadj, Chief Executive Officer of Janus Henderson, said: “As client demand for private markets continues to grow, we are very excited to announce the acquisition of Rantum Capital, which expands our private credit and private equity capabilities in Europe, a strategically important region for the firm. This transaction reflects our focus on diversifying into high‑demand areas while also amplifying our existing strengths, including our institutional client relationships, to better support our clients’ evolving needs.”

Alex Veroude, Head of Fixed Income at Janus Henderson, said: “We are delighted to have the Rantum team join Janus Henderson. They have built a strong private markets platform with a proven track record and deep relationships in Germany and across the DACH region. As clients seek differentiated exposure to private credit, this transaction strengthens our ability to meet that demand. It builds on the private markets capabilities we have been expanding globally, including Victory Park Capital in the US and NBK Capital Partners in the Middle East, and complements our broader offering, including our securitised and ETF capabilities, allowing us to offer a wider range of credit solutions to clients.”

Dirk Notheis, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Rantum Capital, said: “We are very pleased to be joining Janus Henderson, a company with a strong culture and entrepreneurial approach. By combining our local and private markets expertise with Janus Henderson’s global distribution platform, we will be able to create even more value for our investors in the future and expand our offering across Europe”.

 Financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed and the acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026 subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

Campbell Lutyens served as exclusive financial advisor to Rantum Capital. Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz acted as legal counsel to Rantum Capital and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom acted as legal counsel to Janus Henderson.

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Tanya Dawson has been permanently appointed Chief People Officer, reporting to AZ NGA’s Group CEO, Paul Barrett.

Dawson joined AZ NGA in November 2025 as Acting Chief People Officer and has over 25 years of financial services and human resources experience. Her previous roles include Chief People Officer at ClearView, Cuscal Payments and Zurich Cover-More.

Former Head of Finance and Treasury at Cuscal Payments, Cormac Galvin has joined AZ NGA as General Manager, Finance and Transformation, reporting to AZ NGA Chief Financial Officer, Jodie Blackledge.

In the group’s operations team, former Chief Information and Digital Officer at Vital Business Partners, Shaun Nesbitt has been appointed Chief Technology Officer.

In his role, Nesbitt is responsible for driving AZ NGA’s ongoing digital transformation, spanning advice systems, data analytics and AI, and cyber security.

Former General Manager, Technology and Operations at Diverger, Sonya Choi La Rosa has been appointed Head of Business Improvement.

In her role, Choi La Rosa is responsible for building the group’s Advice Model Office, incorporating best practice processes, common technology and integrated change capability, with a focus on continuous improvement in experience and delivery.

Former Head of Managed Accounts and Alternatives at MLC, Neil Gellett, has been appointed Head of Product.

In his role, Gellett will develop AZ NGA’s product strategy, establish a robust product governance and oversight framework, and strengthen relationships with key investment, life insurance and platform partners.

Nesbitt, Choi La Rosa and Gellett report to Nathan Jacobsen, AZ NGA’s recently appointed Chief Operating Officer.

All three roles are newly-created positions, reflecting AZ NGA’s rapid growth and ambitious plans to build integrated Super firms, supported by centralised services and operations.

“AZ NGA is an ambitious, fast-growing business and we are investing heavily in our people and teams to ensure that we have the right skills and expertise to deliver significant benefits, achieve our objectives and targets, and continue growing and scaling,” Barrett said.

“Backed by a supportive Board, we have the plan, the funding and the people to execute our strategy and this is an exciting time for the business.”

Jacobsen said the group was focused on establishing the right foundations to support AZ NGA’s rapidly expanding network of accounting and advisory businesses to deliver quality advice at scale.

That involved consolidating systems, processes and service providers to maximise operational and cost efficiencies.

“We are looking to leverage our scale to deliver improved outcomes, not only in terms of the bottom line, but risk controls and client experience,” he said.

“Many of the areas that my team is focused on are not central to an adviser’s value proposition, they are back-office activities and functions, but they are critical in driving performance and underpinning long-term growth.”

Responsibility for driving front office growth initiatives, including the integration of Super firms and enhancing the group’s client value proposition, falls under AZ NGA’s Chief Growth Officer Chesne Stafford.

Stafford and her team work closely with member firms on areas including M&A, brand, marketing, pricing and offer design for client segments.

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BlackRock Australia has announced its intent to launch the iShares World Equity High Income Complex ETF (ASX: WYNC), an actively-managed strategy designed for income-focused investors who also want to track the broad market. 

WYNC is an innovative addition to the iShares ETF offering that seeks to generate high income by actively managing a diversified basket of securities, which provide exposure to the broad global equity market, alongside selling index call options. The strategy is designed to harvest income from multiple sources, rather than relying on a high-dividend bias.

The strategy uses BlackRock’s dividend rotation approach with proprietary investment insights that blend human expertise, big data and machine learning, the strategy uses over 1000 data signals to identify opportunities for higher yield.

The fund is managed by BlackRock’s Systematic team with a more than 40-year track record of data-backed investing, led by Raffaele Savi, Global Head of BlackRock Systematic, alongside Robert Fisher, CFA, and Anna Hawley, CFA.

The launch underscores BlackRock’s continued focus on expanding access to active investment solutions in Australia.

Gareth Hughes, Australia Head of Retail Wealth at BlackRock, said: “Investor needs in Australia continue to change, with a greater focus on income, whole-of-portfolio outcomes and flexibility in how strategies are delivered – whether it’s index or active, ETF or managed funds. 

“WYNC reflects this evolution, bringing an innovative, income-focused equity solution to the iShares platform while maintaining a risk profile aligned to global markets. We see the fund as a natural fit at the core of the portfolio for advisers and investors looking for a regular source of income, without the performance distortion that can often come with more traditional equity yield strategies.

“We are pleased to bring WYNC to market, expanding access to active income strategies through the ETF structure.”

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Michael steps into the role currently filled in the interim by Chris Artis, following the resignation of CEO Bill Watson in early January.

First Super’s acting CEO, Greg Everett, says Michael’s appointment comes at an important time for the fund.

“Michael brings a rare combination of deep investment expertise, strong governance discipline and a proven ability to build high-performing teams. His experience across asset allocation, portfolio design and investment stewardship positions him to drive our investment strategy forward and deliver long-term value for members.”

Michael joins the fund having held senior investment roles at other industry superannuation funds, including Prime Super and Media Super, where he was responsible for investment strategy and operations, including investment governance.

In accepting the role, Michael says he is looking forward to helping the Fund strengthen its investment capability.

“First Super has built a solid investment foundation and I’m looking forward to working with the team. As financial markets become increasingly complex, a disciplined approach is critical to ensure we deliver competitive outcomes to members.”

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Seth Hoskin

ICE Investors has appointed Seth Hoskin to the role of deputy portfolio manager, effective 1 June. He will be based in Melbourne and will report to ICE Investors, managing director and portfolio manager, Callum Burns.

He joins ICE Investors from Foresight Group where he worked as an investment senior manager and co-fund manager for three years. Prior to that he was a small cap equity analyst at Canaccord Genuity Australia and Forsyth Barr Limited. He started his career as a research analyst at the University of Otago.

Burns says Hoskin’s appointment adds an additional resource to the investment team, strengthening the firm’s expertise in small cap funds management. He will be part of the research and stock selection for the ICE fund, an actively managed Australian equity fund.

“His experience and knowledge of both small caps and experience investing globally will be an asset to our team, broadening our scope to cover off more of the small cap universe.

“Seth brings with him valuable experience and has a proven track record of stock picking backed by in-depth research and due diligence.

“He will be involved in finding new investment ideas and opportunities to add to the portfolio and in turn providing greater returns for our clients.

“Seth’s professional and approachable style will be a value-add for both our clients and is a great cultural fit for our team,” says Burns.

Hoskin holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Economics and a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Otago.

This appointment follows the promotion of Roman Aliev to Portfolio Manager earlier in the year.

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Lorraine Robinson

The Lonsec Investment Governance Solution (IGS) is a new capability designed to help compliance and governance teams, research functions and investment teams strengthen oversight, respond earlier to emerging risks and maintain clear, defensible audit trails.

As investment governance expectations intensify, it has become essential to demonstrate transparent, defensible processes. The Lonsec Investment Governance Solution addresses this shift directly, providing a practical and scalable way to embed governance discipline into everyday workflows. Integrated within iRate, Lonsec’s investment research platform, IGS brings together key governance indicators including ratings changes, performance and fee monitoring, and other material signals into customisable dashboards and reports. This allows governance teams to move away from fragmented spreadsheets and manual processes, replacing them with a consistent, structured and auditable approach to oversight.

The Lonsec Investment Governance Solution is suited for organisations that need to demonstrate consistent, evidence-based oversight of their approved product list or investment menu, such as financial advice licensees, platforms, trustees, investment committees, and governance teams.

Lorraine Robinson, Lonsec Chief Executive Officer, said strong governance plays a critical role in building trust with clients and members:

“Across advice licensees, platforms and trustees, expectations around governance have never been higher,” Robinson said. “Advisers and clients want to know that investment options are being monitored consistently, and decisions are made with care and accountability. The Lonsec Investment Governance Solution provides the framework and transparency that supports better decision making and greater confidence at every level.”

Anna Schofield, Head of Sales at Lonsec, said the solution reflects the growing need for confidence and reassurance across the advice value chain:

“With recent high-profile failings in our industry, the focus on investment governance has intensified and the obligation on those who manage APLs and investment menus in particular has become clearer,” Schofield said. “By embedding governance signals directly within iRate, the Lonsec Investment Governance Solution gives investment teams and advisers greater clarity and confidence in decision making, with a clear and defensible record of how and why decisions were made. Our solution delivers real peace of mind, not just for investment committees, but for advisers and their clients.”

Increasing product complexity and ongoing scrutiny of fees, performance and investment decision making have raised the bar for governance across the industry. By centralising monitoring within an existing research ecosystem, the Lonsec Investment Governance Solution helps organisations strengthen governance while reducing manual effort. This capability supports more confident adviser-client conversations and provides end clients with reassurance that their investments are being actively and transparently overseen.

Lonsec is uniquely positioned to meet this need. With qualitative research coverage spanning more than 1,900 investment products, a well-resourced local analyst team with specialist expertise in the Australian market and regulatory environment, and a rigorous investment research process refined over several market cycles, Lonsec brings a level of depth and credibility that few research houses can match. This foundation underpins Lonsec IGS, empowering advisers and their clients with greater confidence at a time of heightened regulatory scrutiny.

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Mrs Mentis brings 37 years of financial services experience to the TAL Board, including as Managing Director and CEO of Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), Group Executive Business Banking and Chief Digital, Data and Analytics Officer at National Australia Bank (NAB), and senior roles at Westpac, BT Financial Group and Citibank.

Mr Kai brings to the TAL Board extensive experience in corporate strategy and business development across Japanese and global financial institutions. He currently serves as a Director of Daiichi Life Group, Inc (Daiichi Life Group), where he has been responsible for corporate planning, organisational restructuring, and the development and execution of growth strategies in Japan and overseas.

TAL Chair David Cohen said, “We are delighted to welcome both Angela and Akifumi to the TAL Board. Angela brings deep expertise across digital strategy and customer transformation, and a proven track record of leading large, complex organisations with purpose and performance. Akifumi brings valuable perspective from Daiichi Life Group, along with a strong background in corporate strategy and international business development. Together, their complementary experience will be a tremendous asset to TAL as we continue to grow and evolve the way we serve Australians, their families and communities.”

“At the same time, I want to extend our thanks to Christine Bartlett for her outstanding contribution to the TAL Board. Christine has brought dedication, insight and wisdom during her tenure. Christine’s counsel has been a valuable part of shaping TAL’s strategic direction. We wish her all the very best.”

TAL Group CEO and Managing Director Fiona Macgregor said, “We welcome Angela’s and Akifumi’s appointments to the TAL Board. Angela’s expertise in customer experience, organisational culture, and business performance, combined with her strong background in digital and data strategy, aligns exceptionally well with our priorities.”

“Akifumi’s deep knowledge of Daiichi Life’s strategy and his international financial services experience will further strengthen the connection between TAL and Daiichi Life. We very much look forward to the perspective and counsel both Angela and Akifumi will bring.”

Mrs Mentis said, “I am honoured to join the TAL Board at such an exciting time for the business and for the life insurance industry more broadly. TAL’s commitment to protecting Australians and supporting them and their families when it matters most deeply resonates with me. I have spent my career focused on customers and communities, and I look forward to contributing to TAL’s next chapter.”

Mr Kai said, “I am pleased to join the TAL Board and look forward to contributing to TAL’s continued growth and success. TAL plays a vital role in protecting Australians and their families, and I look forward to supporting the business as it continues to evolve.”

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Damien McIntyre

The Munro Global Growth Climate Leaders PIE Fund is available to retail investors in New Zealand and can be accessed via platforms NZX Wealth Technologies and Consilium Wrap.

The Fund invests in a concentrated portfolio of global companies expected to enable or benefit from the decarbonisation of the planet, across four sub themes of clean energy, clean transport, the circular economy and energy efficiency.

In the 13 months since the strategy launched in New Zealand, it has returned 70.40 per cent net of fees to 30 April 2026.

Damien McIntyre, CEO of GSFM, said this high-conviction global equity fund provides New Zealanders with an easy access point to benefit from the investment opportunities presented by decarbonisation.

“As global capital markets continue to shift towards sustainability and thematic investing, the Fund will become increasingly relevant. Having the support and seeding from KiwiSaver providers, Aurora Capital and SBS Wealth has strengthened our ability to deliver these products to New Zealand investors.”

The Munro PIE Fund was first launched as a Wholesale Fund in March 2025 in partnership with GSFM in the New Zealand market and has since reached NZ$71.82 million.

“The Munro PIE Fund has been well received in the New Zealand market, with GSFM’s executive responsible for consultant & wholesale distribution, Michael Angwin, successfully leading its expansion. With this Fund, New Zealand wholesale, and now retail, investors can benefit from easy access to the climate sustainable growth structural trend.

“The GSFM team is reviewing its other existing strategies, as well as assessing new ones, to determine which will be suitable to fill in an investment gap for New Zealand investors. Michael will continue to play a key role in GSFM’s next fund launch to this market,” said McIntyre.

The Fund is managed and issued by Adminis Funds Limited in New Zealand. It is Adminis’ first retail fund.

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Russel Pillemer

Pengana Capital Group has announced it is planning to raise up to $350 million for its market-first AI listed investment trust, to be called AIX, which will aim to invest in the world’s largest and most influential private AI companies.

Pengana announced that it has achieved its minimum subscription following a successful cornerstone offer, which was upsized to $150 million from an initial $100 million target, following strong demand.

The AIX PDS has been lodged today, and the offer will be open from 10 June to 19 June 2026, ahead of an expected listing in early July.

AIX will operate as an innovative self-liquidating ASX listed trust structure, with investments managed by US-based GCM Grosvenor, a global alternative asset manager with more than US$91 billion in assets under management. Grosvenor also manages investments for the Pengana Private Equity Trust (ASX: PE1), one of few ways Australian investors can access SpaceX pre-IPO.

The self-liquidating AIX will target a seven-year lifespan: following an initial two-year period where any gains will be released to investors, and capital reinvested, both capital and gains will be returned to investors from year 2, as underlying investments are realised through IPO, secondary sale or acquisition. If the Trust continues beyond a seven-year lifespan the management fee will reduce to zero, aligning management with the Trust’s expected life.

Russel Pillemer, CEO of Pengana Capital Group, said Pengana’s relationship with Grosvenor can open doors to some of the most sought after private AI companies globally. “We are delighted to be partnering with Grosvenor, who is the ideal manager to help us capture some of the vast wealth creation happening while these AI companies are still private.

“Many compelling AI and AI-related businesses remain private during their highest growth phases. By the time these companies reach public markets, a significant portion of their return potential may already have been captured by private investors. Investing in unlisted securities can provide earlier participation in that value creation.

“AIX will allow Australian investors to access these AI companies, seeking to deliver long-term capital growth by targeting investments in non-publicly traded companies that are developing, enabling, or contributing to the adoption of artificial intelligence and related technologies”, Pillemer said.

Some of the companies in AIX’s sights include Anthropic and OpenAI, which are both progressing with IPO plans. AIX also announced it has already contracted investments with ByteDance and Handshake.

Other target companies named by AIX include Shield AI, Waymo, Lambda, Crusoe, Databricks, and Perplexity.

The potential for explosive private market growth has been demonstrated by SpaceX, which has grown from a US$50 billion valuation in 2020 to the world’s largest private company, with expectations of a valuation around US$1.75 trillion for its impending IPO. SpaceX has been held by Pengana’s PE1 vehicle since 2020.

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John Shuttleworth

Centrepoint Alliance enters agreements to acquire Cairns Wealth and Pinnacle Wealth client books Centrepoint Alliance Limited (ASX: CAF) (“Centrepoint” or “the Company”), a leading provider of advice and business services to financial advice firms and customers throughout Australia, is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreements to acquire the client books and servicing employed advisers of Cairns Wealth and Pinnacle Wealth (together, the “Acquisitions”), further expanding its salaried advice business and supporting the growth of high-quality, recurring earnings.

Both practices operate within the Astute Financial Management Pty Ltd (“Astute”) network, and the transactions further strengthen Centrepoint’s strategic B2B alliance with Astute, a key referral and distribution partner. The Acquisitions reinforce Centrepoint’s disciplined capital deployment framework, targeting high-quality, recurring earnings streams, aligned operating models and strong adviser retention characteristics.

Strategic rationale

• Expanded Queensland distribution footprint: The acquisition of Cairns Wealth establishes Centrepoint’s presence in all major regional centres across Queensland, further strengthening its national advice network.
• Strengthening strategic partnership with Astute: Both practices operate within the Astute network, continuing to deepen Centrepoint’s strategic alignment and referral pathways with Astute.
• Scalable integration model: Cairns Wealth advisers will operate from Astute premises in Cairns, and Pinnacle Wealth advisers will be integrated into Centrepoint’s Brisbane office.
• Earnings quality: The Acquisitions are underpinned by established recurring earnings and current adviser productivity, with retention structures designed to support continuity of earnings.

Funding

Centrepoint confirms that National Australia Bank (“NAB”) has approved a new acquisition facility of $10 million with a five-year term. This facility provides flexibility to fund the Acquisitions and supports the Company’s ongoing M&A strategy.

Integration and operating model

Both Acquisitions are structured as complementary transactions with limited integration complexity. Advisers will transition on to Centrepoint employment arrangements.

Centrepoint Alliance Chief Executive Officer, John Shuttleworth said: “These acquisitions represent attractive strategic opportunities aligned with our disciplined capital deployment framework. Importantly, they strengthen our partnership with Astute, complete our Queensland regional footprint and are expected to deliver high-quality, recurring earnings and immediate earnings contribution.

We remain focused on executing our growth strategy through acquisitions, adviser recruitment and expansion of our platform and investments businesses.”

Timing

Completion of these transactions is expected by 1 July 2026 and is subject to execution of all associated documents and standard regulatory and operational transition processes, including the advisers joining Centrepoint.

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