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June 19, 2012

Launch of Russell iQ Investments gives advisers & SMSFs easier, cost-effective access to multi-asset solutions

• Russell iQ Series to be one stop shop for investments and super

SYDNEY, 19 June 2012 – Russell Investments today launched a new online investment account, providing advisers and SMSFs easier access to Russell's range of actively managed, multi-asset solutions.

Russell iQ Investments has been developed in close consultation with advisers important to them at a price point usually reserved for wholesale investors.

Managing director of individual customers, Geoff Peck said: "Advisers are increasingly looking for easy to access, cost-efficient, diversified investment options to help protect portfolios in volatile markets. These solutions should allow advisers to spend less time on administration yet still offer greater choice to clients. Russell iQ Investments brings a new range of institutional quality, actively managed investments including commodities, infrastructure and emerging markets to advisers and their clients, without additional layers of fees."

Unlike many other investment accounts currently on the market, Russell iQ Investments charges no additional administration or platform fees for accounts exceeding the minimum investment amount of $20,000. The removal of these additional fees means investors in Russell iQ Investments only pay investment management fees, which for Russell's Balanced Fund sees investors pay 85bps in total.

Through Russell iQ Investments, individual investors and SMSFs have full access to a range of online features such as tax parcel management, consolidated reporting, same day switching and communications history. Financial advisers can offer Russell iQ Investments to their clients as a low cost solution without compromising on the quality of investments or active management.

Online access to international shares and alternatives meets SMSFs' desire for control

For Australia's largest and fastest growing superannuation segment, SMSFs, Russell iQ Investments provides access to less familiar asset classes such as international shares and alternatives, for wholesale prices.

"Our annual SMSF research, tells us trustees are looking for transparency and control of their investments, however a quarter of their funds are invested in cash, meaning their portfolios are severely, under diversified.

"Russell iQ Investments provides SMSFs with direct, online access to a range of diversified funds to assist in equipping portfolios for volatile markets. These are the same Russell funds used by some of Australia, and indeed the world's largest investors, but at a cost that is highly competitive," Mr Peck said.

Russell launches Russell iQ Series – a one stop shop for investments and super

Russell iQ Investments represents the first in a series of products under the iQ banner. In addition to Russell iQ Investments, Russell is also currently working on adding Russell iQ Super and Russell iQ Pension to the suite.

The iQ Series has been built on Russell's next generation administration technology, utilising Sonata, Bravura Solutions wealth management application. Russell was the first fund manager to adopt the technology in Australia in 2011 in response to increased demand from advisers for web functionality and real-time access to their clients' accounts.

"The new range of products and services available to advisers under the Russell iQ suite will be tightly aligned with addressing the challenges advisers face in the current and future advice environments. In this new era of advice, advisers won't tolerate products that don't meet their criteria of value for money, high quality investments and ease of administration – and we believe Russell iQ will tick all those boxes," concluded Mr Peck.

For more information and access to Russell iQ Investments visit www.russell.com.au/iq

About Russell Investments
Russell Investments (Russell) is a global asset manager and one of only a few firms that offers actively managed, multi-asset portfolios and services that include advice, investments and implementation. Working with institutional investors, financial advisors and individuals, Russell's core capabilities extend across capital markets insights, manager research, Indexes, portfolio implementation and portfolio construction.

Russell has approximately $155 billion in assets under management (as of 3/31/2012) and works with 2,400 institutional clients, more than 580 independent distribution partners and advisors, and individual investors globally. As a consultant to some of the largest pools of capital in the world, Russell has $2.4 trillion in assets under advisement (as of 12/31/11). It has four decades of experience researching and selecting investment managers and meets annually with more than 2,200 managers around the world. Russell traded more than $1.5 trillion in 2011 through its implementation services business. Russell calculates more than 80,000 benchmarks daily covering 98 percent of the investable market globally, 85 countries and more than 10,000 securities. Approximately $3.9 trillion in assets are benchmarked to the Russell Indexes.

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, USA, Russell and has offices in around the world including Amsterdam, Auckland, Beijing, Chicago, Dubai, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, London, Melbourne, Milan, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. For more information about how Russell helps to improve financial security for people, visit www.russell.com/au or follow us @RussellInvestAU.

Issued by Russell Investment Management Ltd ABN 53 068 338 974, AFS Licence 247185 ("RIM"). This document provides general information only and has not been prepared having regard to your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision, you need to consider whether this information is appropriate to your objectives, financial situation and needs. This information has been compiled from sources considered to be reliable, but is not guaranteed. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Any potential investor should consider the latest Product Disclosure Statement ("PDS") in deciding whether to acquire, or to continue to hold, an investment in any Russell product. The PDS can be obtained by visiting www.russell.com.au or by phoning (02) 9229 5111. RIM is part of Russell Investments ("Russell"). Russell or its associates, officers or employees may have interests in the financial products referred to in this information by acting in various roles including broker or adviser, and may receive fees, brokerage or commissions for acting in these capacities. In addition, Russell or its associates, officers or employees may buy or sell the financial products as principal or agent.

© Copyright 2012 Russell Investments. All rights reserved.

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