NESS Super

Day-to-day investment strategy is executed by the fund's internal investment team under the oversight of the trustee board. The board includes equal numbers of member-representative directors nominated by the Electrical Trades Union NSW and employer-representative directors nominated by NECA, with an independent chair. Paul Lahiff has been the independent chair of the fund.

NESS Super operates under Australia's profit-for-member superannuation framework. The trustee board has equal employer and union representation, a structure legally mandated for industry super funds. NECA nominates employer directors and the Electrical Trades Union nominates member directors. This stands in contrast to retail super funds, which are governed by shareholder-appointed boards and typically operate on a for-profit basis.

The Electrical Trades Union NSW branch is a founding sponsor of NESS Super and retains the right to nominate member-representative directors to the trustee board. The union does not manage the fund's investments, but its governance role ensures the fund's strategy remains aligned with the interests of electrical and communications workers. This relationship is a direct product of Australia's industry super system, which emerged from union-employer agreements in the 1980s and 1990s.

NESS Super has confirmed exposure to Australian property through the Dexus Wholesale Property Fund, a diversified mixed-use real estate vehicle, and a Charter Hall-managed commercial property portfolio. Both are institutional-grade real estate platforms with long track records in Australian office, industrial and retail assets. The fund's property allocation sits inside a broader portfolio that also includes equities, fixed income and infrastructure.

The fund uses a combination of internal management and external mandates. Direct property exposure is accessed through pooled institutional vehicles run by Dexus and Charter Hall, suggesting a willingness to use third-party managers for specialist asset classes. Other portfolio segments may be managed internally, but the specific blend is not publicly detailed.