People

After witnessing the horror of the GFC, a young Leesa Swain decided to help mitigate the ‘ripple effect’ of bad financial management and start a journey in financial planning that has led her to a new, digitally led solution provider.

“We’re all humans trying to make a fist of it,” says Muirfield Financial Services adviser Matt Torney. “And sure, finances matter, but people and relationships matter more.”

Sick of being locked out of large scale private equity investments, the group put together their own project in 2013. Forty projects and some outsized returns later, they’ve only recorded one that didn’t reach its targeted internal rate of return.

It was a long and winding road that took Mark Folpp from accounting to broking, funds management and ultimately financial advice. He still gets to channel his “inner fund manager”, but the context is a whole lot different this time.

After witnessing the evolution of the US advice market, David Leon knew his Australian clients would want product and advice to be separate. It’s why the Adelaide adviser was so surprised the Hayne Royal Commission took so long to come about.

Rob da Silva didn’t plan a career in research, but a confluence of events led to an early career switch away from pure funds management. The research sector has its challenges, which the now-veteran researcher calls “frustrating”, but it also holds real pockets of opportunity for new players to add value for advisers.

Over his 28 years as an adviser, Growden has learned a lot about investing: his mantra now is “stick to what you know”. His best investment, he says, was buying equity in what became Shadforth 25 years ago, while his worst came from moving outside rule number one.

The decision to build an academy for advisers wasn’t taken lightly, says Link Wealth founder Steve Sloane. But the strategy is paying dividends, with some of the best young advice talent in the country coming through its ranks.

You can’t judge a book by its cover in the far north of Australia, says adviser Anthony Menico. Sometimes it’s the most unassuming clients that have the most complex financial advice needs.

The emerging markets pioneer turned a $100 million fund into a $60 billion behemoth over 30 years. And even now, well past 80, Mark Mobius still spends 250 days of the year on the road researching companies.

Handling emotionally charged phone calls as a Lifeline counsellor taught Jon Moses the patience required to conduct forensic searches for lost shares and dividends belonging to deceased estates.

A visit to an adviser at a young age gave Paul Nicol pause for thought. Instead of just investing with the help of a financial planner, why not put in the hard work and become one?