Nominations for the annual Chief Investment Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Year Awards, for fiduciary funds in Australia, close this week – on April 19. Winners will be announced at a function in Melbourne on May 7.

The Awards, organized by La Trobe Financial*, with the support of 13 financial services firms or organisations and with an independent assessment panel, carry a prize of AUD$10,000 each to go towards an educational initiative of the recipients’ choosing.

Greg O’Neill, president and CEO of La Trobe, said the Awards are designed to assist in the professional development of the senior executives of Australia’s super funds and other fiduciary funds. They will be presented this year, as last, by John Brogden, CEO of the Financial Services Council (FSC).

Last year’s winners were Steve Merlicek, CIO of IOOF, and Stephen Rowbottom, COO of HostPlus.

Sponsors are: Gold – National Australia Bank. Silver – Affiliated Managers Group, JP Morgan, Commonwealth Bank and Apollo. Supporting – KPMG, Northern Trust, PwC, Norton Rose, FSC, Ernst & Young, DST Global Solutions and the Australian Centre for Financial Studies.

For nominations, go to: http://www.ciocooawards.com.au/Pages/Nominate.aspx

Or, for inquiries, email CaterinaNesci: cnesci@latrobefinancial.com.au

*The author is a non-executive director of La Trobe and judging panelist.