Richard Howes

Richard Howes is the former CEO of Challenger, a leading platform in Australia for both annuities and investment management, with $70bn of assets under management. Challenger has a market capitalization of ~$3 billion and employs ~800 people. Richard joined Challenger in 2003 and retired on December 2021 from his role as CEO after 19 years with the firm.
Over the 15 years prior to becoming Challenger’s CEO in October 2018, Richard held several prior roles including Chief Executive, Distribution, Product and Marketing (DPM); Chief Executive of Challenger Life - the annuities business, and Chief Investment Officer
As Chief Investment Officer, Richard had overall responsibility for Life's $16.5bn investment portfolio which includes an allocation to real assets of several billion dollars and which grew more than 5-fold during Richard's time at Challenger
Prior to joining Challenger, Richard held senior roles at Zurich Capital Markets, Macquarie Bank and Bankers Trust where his primary responsibility was running the interest rate and commodity derivatives businesses
Richard holds a Bachelor of Commerce with First Class Honours and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Queensland where he also now teaches as an Industry Professor.