Board of Trustees
The MSB Board of Trustees
A Board of five Trustees is responsible for managing the MilitarySuper Scheme. These five Trustees comprise:
- An independent chairperson (appointed by the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science)
- Two employee representatives (one officer and one Other Rank member) nominated by the Chief of the Defence Force and appointed by the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science
- Two employer representatives who are experienced in government policy and administration (appointed by the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science).
With the exception of one of the employer representatives, Trustees hold office for a period of up to three years, and can be re-appointed to these positions. When the current employer representative ceases office, his replacement will be appointed for a term of up to three years. Trustees are removed in the same way they are appointed.
The Board ensures that the Scheme is operating according to the rules specified in the Scheme enabling legislation and according to superannuation law. The MSB Act and Trust Deed are the Scheme’s governing legal documents. The documents set out the duties of the Trustees to all Members and the responsibilities and powers of the Board. These include responsibilities for the administration of the Scheme.
To assist in fulfilling its duties, the Board has established specialist committees. The committees give additional focus to significant functions, monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and performance of these functions and make recommendations to the Board. The committees comprise:
- Audit and Risk Management Committee
- Communication Committee
- Reconsideration Committee*
- Invalidity Classification Committee*
*The Reconsideration Committee and the Invalidity Classification Committee are set up under the Rules as decision making bodies.
Trustees
Chairman
Mr Tony Hyams
Trustee and Chairperson of MilitarySuper since 1 September 2007
Mr Hyams was formerly Head of Credit Suisse in Australia and is now a senior advisor to the Group. He is Chairperson of the Australian Reward Investment Alliance, a director of the Australian Government Employees Superannuation Trust, Chairman of its Investment Committee and Deputy Chairman of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. He is also a director of several private sector organisations. He has degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of Melbourne and brings to the role of Chairman an extraordinarily broad knowledge and understanding of investment and financial matters. In addition to his role as Board Chairman, Mr Hyams was also Chairman of the Board’s Investment Committee, prior to the Committee being subsumed by the full Board.
Minister's Nominees
Mr Gabriel Szondy
Trustee since 1 August 2007
A former senior partner and head of the superannuation tax practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Melbourne, Mr Szondy has over 30 years experience in the audit and taxation profession and superannuation industry and is widely acknowledged as one of the foremost superannuation experts in Australia. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia and a Fellow of the Association of Superannuation Funds in Australia (ASFA). Mr Szondy was a member of the Victorian Executive Group of ASFA and immediate past Chairman of its National Taxation Policy Committee. He is also an independent director of CARE Super and is a director of Frontier Investment Consulting. He currently serves as Chairman of the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Mr Felix Bleeser
Trustee since 1 March 2005
Mr Bleeser is a former Assistant Secretary Financial Training in the Defence Chief Finance Office and was also previously the Director General Defence Occupational Health Safety and Compensation. He has extensive experience in personnel policy and management in Defence, and was a member of numerous Defence review bodies, including the review of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Scheme, the Defence Efficiency Review and the Strategic Review of Defence Personnel Policies into the 21st Century. He is a past Director of Superannuation Policy in Defence and an alternate member of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Authority, the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission and the Government’s Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission. He is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and serves on the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Australian Defence Force Nominees
Brigadier Bob Brown CSC
Trustee since 18 October 2007
Brigadier Brown served for 35 years in the Australian Army, as an infantry officer, including service with the United Nations and in Iran and Iraq. His appointments included Director General Personnel Policy, Headquarters Joint Operations Command Project and Joint Combined Training Capability. He is currently working at Headquarters Joint Operations Command. He has a Masters of Strategic Studies and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors; and currently serves as Chairman of the Military Superannuation Communication Committee.
WOFF Robert Swanwick JP, MAICD
Trustee since 22 September 1997
Warrant Officer Swanwick is an Air Force Loadmaster who has served throughout Australia and overseas for 30 years and is currently the Airmen Aircrew Work Force Planner, within the Directorate of Personnel - Air Force. He has been posted to various Tri Service programs within Defence HQ, Air Force and Army units and attached to Navy establishments. He has completed several operational deployments including to the Sinai Peace Keepers and three recent deployments to the Middle Eastern Area of Operations. He holds diplomas in frontline management and aviation and has extensive training in communications, investment and superannuation administration. Over the past twelve years, he has held the position of Other Rank Trustee, and is a Member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee and a Member and former Chairman of the Military Superannuation Communication Committee.