# Government Employees Superannuation Board

Government Employees Superannuation Board is a Pension Fund based in Perth, Australia.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Pension Fund
- **Headquarters:** Perth, Australia
- **Region:** Oceania
- **Address:** Perth, WA, Australia
- **Founded:** 1987
- **Assets under management:** AUD $35B – $45B (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** gesb.wa.gov.au
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/gesb

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Government Employees Superannuation Board is a superannuation scheme based in Perth, Australia. It manages approximately $28.3 billion in assets, primarily serving Australasian regions.

## Sectors

- Real Estate
- Infrastructure
- Private Credit
- Hedge Funds

## People

- Ben Palmer — Chief Executive Officer
- Paul Taylor — Chief Investment Officer
- Jo Gaines — Independent Chair of the Board
- Mr Bird — Employer Director and Chair of the Investment Committee

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at GESB?

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.

### How does GESB allocate its portfolio?

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.

### Is GESB a typical Australian industry super fund?

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.

### What is GESB's posture on responsible investment?

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.

## Related profiles

- [Government Employees Retirement System of the Virgin Islands](https://altss.com/profile/government-employees-retirement-system-of-the-virgin-islands-gers)
- [Government of Canada](https://altss.com/profile/government-of-canada)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/government-employees-superannuation-board

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