104: State Super's John Livanas

An episode of the Conversations with Institutional Investors podcast, hosted by Investment Innovation Institute [i3], titled "104: State Super's John Livanas" was published on October 8, 2024 and runs 45 minutes.

October 8, 2024 ·45m · Conversations with Institutional Investors

0:00 / 0:00

Episode Description

John Livanas is the Chief Executive Officer of State Super, the $37 billion superannuation fund for public service and public sector workers in NSW. In this episode, we talk about the use of defensive overlays, dealing with the COVID drawdown and machine learning in investments. Enjoy the show!

Overview of podcast with John Livanas, Chief Executive Officer of State Super

01:30 Peter Drucker's book, The Unseen Revolution, provided inspiration to enter the pension fund industry

03:00 We are actually starting to see some of the benefits that Drucker described eventuate here in Australia

07:30 In Australia, every member can actually see their own money in their account. That relationship where you can see where your money is going and see the wealth accumulating creates a more stable system

10:00 On individual risk and financial literacy

12:00 The unique characteristics of State Super

15:00 State Super is unusual; it is probably where most of the funds will be in 10 years' time.

16:00 We think the biggest decision is setting the investment strategy and then our internal team or TCorp will implement that

18:00 In 2017, we were called the biggest hedge fund in Australia, because we made money on the upside and the downside

19:30 During COVID, our downside protection triggered and that meant we never got into the negative. It is not about anticipating what will happen, but think about how these factors will take place

22:00 Using machine learning in the investment process

24:00 Machine learning didn't work as well for the Ukraine invasion. That was more a secular relationship. But we did change our portfolio quite significantly

31:00 Machine learning will have a role, but I will still look to people to make the decision

35:00 State Super is not regulated by APRA, but often we look at the policies as if we were

37:00 Active manager do take a little while for that outperformance to come through

Follow the Investment Innovation Institute [i3] on Linkedin
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Explore our library of insights from leading institutional investors at [i3] Insights

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Demond Martin, CEO and Co-Founder, WellWithAll – Inclusive Capitalism: Building a business that empowers communities (Re-broadcast)

Apr 8, 2026 ·26m

George Tomeski, CEO, Helfie.ai – Paging Dr. iPhone: Using AI to help you take control of your health (Re-broadcast)

Apr 1, 2026 ·28m

Joe Musselman, Founder & Managing Partner, BVVC — Building Deterrence: Bolstering national security by investing in defense tech

Mar 25, 2026 ·32m

Taylor Lauber, CEO, Shift4 — Removing Pain Points: Providing payment solutions for merchants, from stadiums to mom-and-pop shops

Mar 18, 2026 ·30m

Marco Santori, CEO, Solmate — Crypto Simplified: Giving retail investors easy access to SOL while growing the Solana network

Mar 11, 2026 ·27m

Ken Seipel, Chairman and CEO, Citi Trends — Community Retail: Turning around a national business by refocusing on core consumers

Mar 4, 2026 ·26m

Similar Podcasts

Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders In the increasingly crowded and competitive corporate and financial ecosystem, it’s harder than ever for companies to break through the clutter and be heard. The media, investors, agenda-driven influencers, even customers and competitors, are defining your business story on their terms. Therefore, it is imperative that companies take control and proactively drive the conversation with stakeholders in an effort to build & maintain equity value.In Welcome to the Arena from ICR, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of ICR, Tom Ryan, interviews key business and financial players who influence the fate of public or aspiring public companies in the capital markets. As a former Wall Street Journal ranked sell-side equity analyst and the founder of one of the largest strategic communications firms in the world, Tom understands what it takes to navigate this complex environment.This is a forum for CEOs, CFOs, institutional investors, sell-side analysts, financial journalists, private equity pro Leaders in Investment - IPE Leaders in Investment An IPE and IPE Real Assets podcast In this new podcast series from IPE and IPE Real Assets, members of our editorial team speak to leading figures in the institutional investor community to curate a library of in-depth, focused content.Conversations with chief investment officers and other asset-owner leaders will range across beliefs, objectives, investment philosophy, strategy and outlook. Capturing diversity of thinking towards mainstream and alternative investments, both liquid and illiquid, conversations will dive into investment governance, strategic and tactical asset allocation, implementation, in-house teams, manager hiring and firing, sustainability and how to deal with partners and stakeholders. Engaging with asset owners both in Europe and beyond, this series will provide unique access to the thinking that guides their decisions.The result will be a valuable library of downloadable insights into what motivates both individuals, teams, boards and tr Blockchain Germany – Web3 Startups, Crypto Innovation & Venture Capital by Startuprad.io™ Startuprad.io™ – Europe’s Startup & VC Podcast Network Blockchain Germany™, powered by Startuprad.io, is your front-row seat to the European blockchain revolution. From Berlin to Zug, Frankfurt to Vienna, host Joe Menninger dives deep into how Web3, crypto startups, and venture capital are transforming the continent’s innovation landscape. Every episode delivers founder stories, investor strategies, and insider intelligence from the beating heart of Europe’s decentralized economy.Whether you’re a founder building in blockchain, a VC exploring tokenized assets, or a tech executive decoding regulation, this podcast unpacks the trends shaping the next wave of digital infrastructure. We go beyond buzzwords to analyze how distributed-ledger technology, smart-contract platforms, and digital currencies drive tangible business value. Expect candid conversations with thought leaders who bridge finance, compliance, and deep technology—from early-stage disruptors to institutional investors.Our guests include entrepreneurs pioneering DeFi protocols, The Chicagoland Guide Aaron Masliansky The Chicagoland Guide explores how the Chicagoland area actually works, through conversations about housing, infrastructure, development, and the civic decisions shaping the region’s future.Hosted by Aaron Masliansky, a Chicago-area real estate advisor and urban planning graduate, the show features in-depth discussions with mayors, developers, policy leaders, business owners, and cultural institutions. Rather than surface-level neighborhood highlights, each episode examines the forces influencing growth, investment, and community life across Chicagoland.For residents, investors, and civic leaders who care about long-term thinking and how place shapes opportunity, The Chicagoland Guide offers thoughtful, grounded conversations about the region’s trajectory.

URL copied to clipboard!