Auckland (5 December 2006) - The New Zealand Superannuation Fund has appointed Anne-Maree O'Connor Head of Responsible Investment.

Anne-Maree will play a key role in the development of the New Zealand Superannuation Fund's responsible investing and corporate governance policies. In particular, she will focus on identifying the best strategies for achieving the Fund's objective of implementing and reinforcing its responsible investing mandate. Anne-Maree will work closely with the Fund's Chief Executive and Responsible Investing Committee which consists of three members of the Board of the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, Bridget Liddell (chair), Sir Douglas Graham and Glen Saunders.

The Fund is one of 27 founding signatories of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment and has adopted the United Nations Global Compact as a benchmark for corporate behaviour against which companies are monitored. It also has the voting of shares globally coordinated by International Shareholders Services and is strongly focused on working with industry on developing standards in New Zealand for proxy voting.

New Zealand Superannuation Fund Acting Chief Executive, Paul Dyer, said: "We are delighted with Anne-Maree's appointment. It reinforces the leadership role the Fund wishes to take in the field of responsible investment, which is a complex area."

Prior to joining the Fund, Anne-Maree was the Managing Director of CoreRatings, a leading European rating agency for independent investment analyses of corporate responsibility risks. She moved back to New Zealand after 20 years in Europe. Anne-Maree held various positions in the field of corporate responsibility and governance including Associate Director, SRI at Morley Fund Management, Head of SRI Research at Henderson Global Investors and Head of Corporate Responsibility Ratings at Det Norske Veritas. She has a MSc from the University College of Wales, a BSc from Massey University and the UK Investment Management Certificate. 

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Photographs available on request. Please contact Karine Fox at [email protected]

For more information please contact:

Paul Dyer, Acting Chief Executive Officer, New Zealand Superannuation Fund, 09 300 6980 or 0275 294435