Government Employees Superannuation Board

Paul Taylor is the Chief Investment Officer, having joined from Willis Towers Watson where he was Head of Asset Consulting. He reports to CEO Ben Palmer, a long-time GESB insider who previously served as the fund's General Manager of Investments. The Investment Committee is chaired by an employer-nominated director, identified publicly only as Mr Bird, and operates under the oversight of an independent board chaired by Jo Gaines.

The fund runs a multi-asset strategy with a strong tilt toward unlisted real assets. Confirmed holdings include US-listed property vehicles Welltower Inc and Prologis Inc, unlisted domestic retail and office property portfolios, a dedicated European unlisted property mandate, and a global infrastructure portfolio. The fund layers medium-risk alternatives — hedge funds and private credit — and commodity exposures on top of the real-asset core.

No. GESB is a statutory authority established under the Western Australian State Superannuation Act 2000, not a standard industry fund. The WA Government guarantees the payment of member benefits, making the state treasury a contingent sponsor of the fund. This government guarantee gives GESB a distinct liability profile and influences the shape of its long-duration investment exposures.

GESB employs a hybrid model. The fund holds direct positions in named listed entities such as Welltower Inc and Prologis Inc, while also investing through unlisted property funds and infrastructure mandates managed by external firms. The CIO's consulting background at Willis Towers Watson suggests a manager-selection culture that evaluates and recommends external mandates alongside internally managed exposures.

GESB has been recognized as a Rainmaker ESG Leader for three consecutive years through 2023. The fund is a member of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) and participates in collaborative stewardship through the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST). ESG integration is applied across its real-asset and alternatives allocations.