Aware Super has begun its search to replace Damian Graham, its current chief investment officer, who intends to retire within the next few years.
According to a press release, Graham will relocate to the London office to take on the role of head of international, effective at the end of 2025, as he transitions to retirement. Damien Webb, the plan’s current head of international, has assumed the role of deputy chief investment officer and will be relocating from London to Sydney.
In other news, the pension plan has also appointed Frank Bulman as its European private equity team leader, along with new hires for infrastructure and property investments.
Bulman will join the $126.2B plan’s London office, bringing the U.K. private equity team to five people, according to Private Equity International. He will report to Jenny Newmarch, the global PE chief based in London who temporarily moved from Sydney to assist in setting up the London office. Newmarch will return to Australia in September.
In his new role, Bulman will be responsible for developing new manager relationships across Europe and North America and join the pension plan’s global PE investment committee. He will further deepen the established PE relationship as a strategic partner on both co-investments and co-underwriting opportunities.
“I will be working alongside an exceptional team in London and Sydney to support the development of our global program,” said Bulman, in a recent LinkedIn post.
Prior to joining Aware Super, he served as a co-founder of Park Town Equity Partners, which focuses on European lower- and mid-cap private equity investments.
With more than 25 years of experience, Bulman previously worked at PE investment firms Averroes Capital and RJD Partners, where he spearheaded teams focused on European lower- to mid-market buyout funds.
Additionally, the plan has made other appointments in its London office, including Steve Ingham as associate portfolio manager for infrastructure and Katie Robertson as associate portfolio manager for property.
The fund allocates 6.45% to private equity and has investment over $2.67B since opening its London office in 2023. Over the next five years, the fund aims to allocate up to $6.9B across private equity and real assets.
(Image: Frank Bulman’s LinkedIn profile)
