After twenty years working in the union movement, last month Paul Schroder, former National Secretary of the Financial Services Union (FSU), was appointed to the role of General Manager – Business Development at AustralianSuper, one of the country’s largest superannuation funds.

Schroder saw the move to superannuation as a natural one due to the similarities that exist between the union and industry super fund sectors. In particular, the members-first focus that both employ and the shared objective of working to improve the financial security of their members.

‘The opportunity to start a second apprenticeship, at this time of my working life, in something that is important to working people and where I think I can make a contribution, has been the decisive factor in my decision to leave [the FSU] at this time,’ says Schroder of his new appointment.

Given Schroder’s extensive experience in working with business in a constructive and cooperative way to advance the welfare of members, he is well placed to head up AustralianSuper’s Business Development area.

He is no stranger to the superannuation sector having played an active role in the transfer of Finsuper into AustralianSuper, which occurred on 1 July 2006 when AustralianSuper was established following the merger of Australian Retirement Fund and Superannuation Trust of Australia. He has also served as both a member elected and employer appointed trustee of a Defined Benefit staff scheme.

Clearly, Schroder has extensive experience in the finance industry and a strong grasp of the key strategic issues facing the superannuation industry. He has been replaced by Leon Carter, who has been with the FSU for over a decade, working as an Industrial Officer at a state and national level, and co-ordinator of strategic projects, prior to taking over management of the union's operations.

There were several other key movements within AustralianSuper in recent moths, including the appointment of Cath Bowtell as a Member Director to the trustee board. Bowtell, a Senior Industrial Officer with the ACTU who’s responsible for superannuation policy, replaced Greg Combet as the ACTU representative on the AustralianSuper board on 1 July 2007.