Top 10 most influential, 2004: Ones to watch
Rob Coombe: All eyes will be on Coombe as he steps into David Clarke’s shoes as head of BT. His rise through the ranks of BT, and its parent Westpac Bank, has been without peer and now there are whispers the group is looking to boost its presence in the financial planning market over the next year.
Kathryn Greiner: The new chair of the Financial Planning Association brings an independent, consumer-oriented viewpoint to the industry association — with a background very different to outgoing chair and AMP director of advice-based distribution Steve Helmich.
Ahmed Fahour: The former Citigroup chief executive has taken on the role of National Australia Bank chief executive officer Australia as part of a major senior executive reshuffle, and has already begun converging the bank’s core financial services operations. Expect ramifications.
Mercer Investment Consulting : This up-and-coming research house is the prime candidate to poach van Eyk Research’s ruling title in the retail investment management market, having so far built a strong name and team — more than one of whom have come from van Eyk’s own ranks.
Robbie Bennetts: Bennetts will find himself in the limelight if stakeholders vote to either sell or listed the massive Professional Investment Services group — currently the second largest dealer in the country.
Recommended for you
With an advice M&A deal taking around six months to enact, two experts have shared their tips on how buyers and sellers can avoid “deal fatigue” and prevent potential deals from collapsing.
Several financial advisers have been shortlisted in the ninth annual Women in Finance Awards 2025, to be held on 14 November.
Digital advice tools are on the rise, but licensees will need to ensure they still meet adviser obligations or potentially risk a class action if clients lose money from a rogue algorithm.
Shaw and Partners has merged with Sydney wealth manager Kennedy Partners Wealth, while Ord Minnett has hired a private wealth adviser from Morgan Stanley.
