Background of Chris Cuffe

Chris Cuffe is the sole director of Third Link Investment Managers Pty Limited, which has been appointed to invest and manage the investments of the Fund.

Chris started his career in August 1980 with chartered accountants Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co, now KPMG.

In March 1985 he entered the funds management industry, joining Sydney Fund Managers Limited in the capacity of Company Secretary and Financial Controller. He was also appointed a director in February 1986. Sydney Fund Managers was the Australian subsidiary of a UK based multinational funds management group – Edinburgh Fund Managers PLC. Sydney Fund Managers was responsible for the establishment, administration and maintenance of a number of listed investment companies, unlisted equity trusts and pooled superannuation trusts.

In August 1988 Chris joined the newly formed investment arm of State Bank NSW, First State Fund Managers, and in 1990 assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer. During Chris’ tenure as CEO, he led Colonial First State Investments (as it was later renamed) from a small start-up operation to one of Australia’s leading fund managers. When Chris left Colonial First State in early 2003, the company was valued in excess of $5 billion, managed nearly $70 billion of investment funds on behalf of around 500,000 investors and employed more than 1,000 staff.

Chris joined what is now known as Challenger Financial Services Group Limited in early 2003 in the capacity of Group Chief Executive Officer. A period of intense restructure followed which saw the company recapitalised (via a merger), refocused and expanded with a new management team. Following the completion of this ‘rebuild’ phase, in August 2004 Chris stepped down from the Group Chief Executive Officer role to become Chief Executive of Challenger’s Wealth Management business, a position he held until the end of June 2006. During Chris’ time at Challenger the Wealth Management business was substantially rebuilt in terms of systems, products, processes and staff. It grew from around $3 billion of investment funds under management to over $12 billion during the period and firmly established itself as a significant industry competitor generating substantial profits for its shareholder.

Chris is now an Executive Director at Social Ventures Australia (SVA), which he joined in September 2006. SVA is an independent non-profit organisation based in Australia.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, Finance and Systems with merit from the University of New South Wales as well as a Diploma from the Securities Institute of Australia (now the Financial Services Institute of Australasia). He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and a Fellow of the Institute of Company Directors.

Chris served as a director of the Investment and Financial Services Association and its predecessor for more than a decade, retiring from this position in early 2003. In April 2007 Chris became a director of UniSuper Limited, which provides superannuation services to employees of Australian universities and related organisations and is responsible for managing over $20 billion of funds. Chris is also a director of WAM Active Limited, an investment company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, and a director of Arkx Pty Limited, Australia's first dedicated carbon fund manager whose major objective ir to deliver attractive long term investment returns whilst contributing to a low carbon global economy.

Chris received the Australian Fund Manager’s ABN Amro Hall of Fame Award in October 2007 for his contribution to the investment management industry.

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