It’s time for Australia to reimagine prosperity in the 21st century. Superannuation is central to Australia’s renewal. The sector has revolutionised retirement and finance, rewarding hardworking Australians and making Australia an exporter of capital. Its real power though lies not in its trillions of dollars, but in the collective efforts of the hard-working Australians who make it possible. But success is not guaranteed. As the system matures, so too must our thinking. With the super contributions finally reaching 12 per cent on July 1, the industry now faces the challenge to deliver prosperity for every Australian. Superannuation in the second half of the 21st century could be as important to Australia as wool was in the 19th century – and iron ore has been since 2000.

Paul Schroder leads the largest pension fund in Australia, and the 16th largest in the world. As Chief Executive of AustralianSuper, he oversees the management of $380 billion on behalf of 3.5 million Australians.

Paul is building AustralianSuper’s presence around the world, leveraging its size and scale to access the best investment opportunities for members. In 2021, the Fund opened a New York office which, alongside offices in London and Beijing, has significantly expanded its reach into global markets. He has also led the internalisation of both the Australian and global equities teams, as the Fund seeks to invest $7 out of every $10 offshore.

Paul has been part of the Champions of Change Coalition since 2015, promoting gender equality and inclusive workplaces. In 2023 he was named one of Australia’s 10 most powerful business leaders.

Before becoming Chief Executive in 2021, he held various senior roles at AustralianSuper, overseeing membership growth, mergers, corporate strategy, new product development, risk, brand, and reputation. As the Fund’s first Chief Risk Officer, he introduced a new Risk Management Framework and fostered a strong risk culture.

Paul joined AustralianSuper in 2007 after a successful career in the trade union movement, including as National Secretary of the Finance Sector Union. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, where he won the Shell exhibition prize for Labour economics.