Victorian Funds Management Corporation (VFMC)

Kids@Work Day 2024! Today we celebrated the end of the year with VFMC’s annual Kids@Work Day! Our team members brought their children into the office, where they enjoyed a variety of delicious treats, a fun puppet show, gingerbread man decorating, and many other fun activities! We love providing our parents the opportunity for their kids to experience the curious, smart, kind, and inclusive VFMC culture firsthand. We look forward to more opportunities to connect in the new year.

This week, we celebrated our exceptional group of analysts who graduated from VFMC’s two-year Analyst Development Program. Throughout the program, they have taken advantage of opportunities such as mentoring, extensive training, on-the-job development, and a group immersive project. Congratulations to Emily, Natalie, Rob, and Yanjun! We are thrilled to see your careers continue to grow at VFMC.

The Chair of Victorian Funds Management Corporation (VFMC), Lisa Gay, announces the departure of Lisa Gray from the Board of VFMC (effective 31st December 2024). Lisa was appointed as a member of the VFMC Board in January 2022, and prior to that, was the VFMC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from 2016 to 2021. During Lisa’s time on the board, she chaired the People Committee. VFMC’s Chair, Lisa Gay said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Lisa for her contribution to the organisation both as a Board Director, but also as CEO since joining VFMC in 2016. Lisa's tenure has been marked by her insightful leadership, and commitment to the success of our organisation by leading with clear direction and strong leadership. On behalf of all VFMC, we thank you and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.” “On behalf of the Executive team, and our staff, we extend our thanks and best wishes to Lisa. We are grateful for Lisa’s expertise, and insights as both CEO and Director. Lisa has made a significant contribution to our stability and development as an organisation and her impact has not only been to the VFMC team but also our clients over her tenure” said Kate Galvin, Chief Executive Officer.

VFMC Celebrating 30 years Last Thursday, VFMC celebrated their 30th Anniversary at the State Library Victoria. We all came together to hear Kate Galvin, VFMC CEO, Lisa Gay, Chair of VFMC Board and Chris Barrett, Secretary of the Department of Treasury and Finance and VFMC Director, share some of the success that VFMC has accomplished over the past 30 years. VFMC are entrusted to manage more than $90bn of assets for over 30 State Agencies, making us one of Australia’s largest fund investors. Our important work means our clients can focus on delivering their vital services to the Victorian community. In the video below, members of the VFMC team share some significant milestones in VFMC’s history. We love our work and the impact we have, together we look forward to the next 30 years of proudly investing for Victoria’s future.

Fantastic to see our CEO, Kate Galvin sharing some of her inspiring story with The Australian Financial Review

Celebrating International Men's Day Yesterday, VFMC celebrated the invaluable contributions men make to our communities, workplaces, and families, whilst highlighting the importance of mental, emotional and physical health.   People of all genders were invited to participate in an experiential workshop led by Mr Meditate. This workshop taught us techniques to stay grounded in the present, manage stress and activate the relaxation response. We also learnt about brain breaks, and how to effectively utilise them.   We walked away feeling rejuvenated and equipped with practical, evidence-based techniques to navigate everyday stresses and enhance our well-being.

Last week our CIO – Russell Clarke, joined delegates from Goldman Sachs Asset Management on their India Investors Tour. Russell had the privilege of ringing the bell alongside Shri Ashish Chauhan, Managing Director & CEO of the National Stock Exchange of India, to close the end of day trading at the India Stock Exchange. Thanks very much to the team at Goldman Sachs for organising this program and inviting Russell to be a part of it. This trip was invaluable to understanding firsthand the Indian market and its opportunities.

This morning, we gathered for a morning tea to celebrate the festival of lights, Diwali. It was a wonderful opportunity for our team to come together, share stories, and enjoy some delicious treats  while honouring Diwali’s universal message of hope, renewal, and the triumph of positivity.   Diwali is a time for joy, reflection, and community, and we are grateful to have such a vibrant and diverse team to celebrate with.   Wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali!

VFMC is delighted to announce the appointment of Karla Harman as our new Executive Manager, Investments! Karla joined VFMC in 2021 as a Senior Client Account Manager. In her new role, she will continue to leverage her extensive experience in the financial services industry leading teams and providing investment consulting to institutional clients. Her expertise spans leadership, tailoring investment objectives, investment governance, and portfolio construction. We are excited to see Karla excel in this new position and drive our investment strategies forward! 

At VFMC, we prioritise wellbeing and mental health, ensuring our approach to work is sustainable, meaningful, and productive. We support our people in living and working in balanced ways and empower teams to collaboratively develop Balanced Lives Team Agreements. Additionally, we encourage daily meeting-free time and shorter meeting durations. We provide membership to our in-building wellness facilities, offer an Employee Assistance Program, and provide Mental Health First Aid Training via Hearten Up to all our people. This week we held our inaugural Cornhole Tournament. A fantastic way for our people to connect and have some fun together. Events like this help build our culture, strengthen our bonds and make VFMC an even better place to work.