Australian Shareholders' Association
Australian Shareholders' Association (ASA) is an Australian not-for-profit organisation which advocates for the rights of retail shareholders. Founded in 1960 in Sydney, ASA provides educational resources and professional learning opportunities for its members, who are largely independent small-scale investors. ASA's most prominent public role, however, is in the research and publication of recommendations that members can use to inform their votes on such matters as executive pay and director re-elections. This role brought ASA under the scrutiny of an inquiry into the role of proxy advisors launched by Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg  in May 2021. ASA does not believe itself to be a proxy advisor, given its not-for-profit status, as well as the fact that its research is published as 'intentions' rather than recommendations. Most recently, ASA has been one of the primary advocates against a Federal Government proposal to loosen disclosure requirements for directors of public companies, on the basis of their belief that the proposal "threatens the rights of investors". ASA's funding comes from membership fees, as well as donations and sponsorships. Sponsors for its 2020 conference included controversial mining company BHP and investment fund provider Fidelity  International. Investor Conference 2022. The annual ASA Investor Conference will be held on Monday 23 May and Tuesday 24 May 2022 at the Sofitel, Melbourne. This year, the theme is: Future proofing your investments, which focuses on how investors could enhance and develop portfolios in a sustainable approach following the COVID-19 lockdown. The past two years have shown investors the speed at which a black swan event can impact portfolios - from the fastest market decline to the fastest recovery and reaching new heights. The pandemic has also highlighted the speed at which technology can be adopted and disrupt old world  companies. Investing is a future facing endeavour, and so what should we do? Future Proof Your Portfolio Topics include and are not limited to: The Conference is suitable for "all levels" of everyday investors: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Register your ticket to the 2-day event and listen to Australia's leading Chairs, CEOs, investors and market commentators. Thank you to our sponsors and partners for supporting the Conference 2022: BHP, Morningstar, Perpetual, Magellan, AltX, Ipartners, Sharesight, Fidelity, Charter Hall, BetaShares, SMS Trustee News. Industry groups and committees. The ASA represents shareholder and member interests on the following industry groups  and committees: Achievements. ASA claims the following achievements, among others: Membership. As of the end of 2020, ASA had 5,001 members, up slightly from the end of 2019. Leadership. ASA is led by CEO Rachel Waterhouse, and is overseen by a board of directors. Board of directors. The board of directors is composed of: