Mr Schneller is an experienced client-facing quantitative researcher, having been a senior member of the Research Group and Investment Solutions Group at Dimensional Fund Advisors since 2017, a leading factor-based asset management firm. During his time with Dimensional Fund Advisors, Warwick led research initiatives and provided thought leadership, analysis and client education on a wide range of investment-related topics across Australia and New Zealand.

Susan Rodgers said Mr Schneller brings strong academic credentials along with senior investment research and strategy experience in systematic equities, which he has achieved locally and internationally.  “It is exciting to have Warwick join the Sydney office, to help me continue the expansion of Scientific Beta’s footprint in the region. I’m thrilled at his appointment,” she said.

“As a senior member of the Investment Specialist Team at Scientific Beta, Warwick will work closely with research, index construction, and business development, linking investors to Scientific Beta’s global leading research and index design capabilities,” she said.

“In addition to Warwick’s appointment, Scientific Beta is expanding its business in Australia. As an example of that, Future Group has formed a new partnership with Scientific Beta in Australia to develop an international equities strategy that is aligned with sustainable investment principles and members’ best financial interest.”

Mr Schneller holds a Ph.D. in Finance from The University of New South Wales and is a CFA charterholder. His educational background includes a Masters in Finance from Bond University and a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics (Hons) from Sydney University.  Additionally, Mr Schneller is an adjunct lecturing in finance at the University of New South Wales. Warwick is a frequent speaker at conferences and client events. His earlier career included forex trading at Macquarie Group.

The post Warwick Schneller joins global index firm Scientific Beta as Head of Investment Solutions appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Warwick Schneller

The post-pandemic working-from-home trend and the impact of rising interest rates in many countries have focused media attention on what all this might mean for commercial property investment.

If you have listed property in your portfolio, this might prompt you to ask what you should do about that news. There are few issues to consider here:

First, the post-COVID working from home trend is not news to markets. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) focused on office properties have fallen nearly 25% since the start of 2022. By contrast, other REITs declined by only around 13% in that period.

Second, keep in mind that office REITs are only one segment of the market, accounting for just 8.1% of the S&P/ASX 300 A-REIT Index as of June 2023.

In offering exposure to many types of properties and structures, a broadly diversified strategy mitigates the impact of any one category and potentially provides more reliable outcomes for investors.

Third, the gradual drop in values in listed securities over 18 months reminds us that public markets offer the benefits of real-time pricing, transparency and liquidity. By contrast, owners of unlisted property often have to play catch-up by making sudden and dramatic devaluations. In this way, returns of securities with infrequently updated prices may appear less volatile than in reality.

Finally, for investors dismayed by recent REIT returns in general, history offers an optimistic note. While it has been a rough 18 months for listed real estate, with cumulative negative returns of around 17%, this same asset class over the past four decades has delivered average annualised returns of more than 9%.

All that adds up to there still being a place for property in a diversified portfolio.

By Warwick Schneller, Senior Investment Strategist and Vice President

The post Returns to the Office appeared first on AdviserVoice.