Advisers Big Day Out - Regional | Financial Standard

ADVISERS BIG DAY OUT (ABDO) - REGIONAL ROADSHOW 2025

Agenda is subject to change.

8:30am

Registrations open
Barista coffee is on us

8:55am

Welcome from Financial Standard

9:00am

Three body problem: How to realign client behaviour, advice and portfolios in an uncertain world

Advice frameworks rely on logic - but clients often respond with emotion, especially under pressure
Human emotion, noise and uncertainty collide to undermine event the best-laid plans
This session shows how to engineer resilience into your portfolios and client experience

Rafio Khan
Deputy portfolio manager and senior investment analyst, Innova Asset Management

John Li
Business development manager, Innova Asset Management

Find out more about Rafio and John

Rafio Khan's experience spans across multiple asset classes with over a decade of experience in funds management and research. Rafio specialises in fund manager analysis, macroeconomic and financial market research, with prior roles at managed fund ratings firms and asset consultants. He holds a Bachelor of Economics and is a key contributor to Innova's proprietary multi-factor risk management framework.

John Li partners with financial advisers to implement Innova's award-winning managed account solutions and goal-based advice solutions. With 9 years of experience in financial services, business and OTC derivatives, John brings a client-centric focus to helping advice practices align investment portfolios with better decision-making.

9:40am

CRE debt: What's really behind the yield

Overview of Private Debt
Why are investors diversifying into Private Debt
Not all debt is created equal - finding the right manager

Craig Bannister (Wollongong, Newcastle)
Executive director - distribution, Pallas Capital

Reuban Sivarajasingam (Geelong, Frankston)
Senior distribution partner - wealth, Pallas Capital

Paul Van Suylen (Hobart)
Partner - distribution, Pallas Capital

Barrie Webb (Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Canberra, Central Coast)
Partner - wealth, Pallas Capital

Find out more about Craig, Reuban, Paul and Barrie

Craig is an Executive Director for Distribution, responsible for managing our investor base of high-net-worth individuals, family offices and wealth planners. Working extensively across Asian financial markets while based in Singapore for over 20 years, he's held a variety of strategic roles with major international financial services firms. Having built high-end relationships with senior managers and traders at key trading banks across the Asia Pacific region, Craig brings formidable financial expertise to Pallas Capital and its clients.

Can provide expert opinion on:

Commercial real estate debt as an asset class
Investments in high yielding mortgages
Alternative investments in real estate (debt and equity)

Reuban is a Senior Distribution Partner of Wealth, responsible for the distribution of Pallas Capital investment opportunities within the intermediary and wealth markets. Reuban has over 13 years of experience in financial services in the areas of platforms, asset management and distribution in the intermediary & family office market.
Prior to Pallas Capital, Reuban led the advised distribution strategy for Qualitas, specifically the Qualitas Real Estate Income Fund. Reuban has had roles as a Product & Sales manager for Macquarie Bank as well as distribution roles at Certitude Global Investments, Ironbark Asset management and Evans & Partners. Reuban was also an initial co-founder of, as well as the Head of Distribution for, a fintech start-up called Stropro Technologies.

Paul is a Partner of Distribution in Victoria, responsible for growing our investor base of Financial Planners and high-net-worth individuals. Paul has over 25 years of experience in the wealth and superannuation industries, which has included coaching and supporting MLC-aligned financial advisers to grow their businesses. Prior to joining Pallas, Paul was Head of Investment for a private lending and investment firm, leading a team responsible for growing funds under management and providing service excellence to the existing client base.

Barrie is a Partner of Distribution, responsible for overseeing relations with high-net worth investors, family offices, and institutional investors seeking risk-adjusted high returns. With 30+ years of experience in software and telecommunication markets, Barrie excelled as Chief Strategy Officer for a global smart home software platform and as Head of Sales Europe for a workforce optimisation software vendor. Barrie holds a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canberra.

10:20am

The active vs passive debate: Where active management can contribute to investment portfolios

Where investment portfolios should tilt towards active vs passive management
Analysing the parts of the Australian stockmarket that deliver the best returns and individual stocks to get enthusiastic about

Will Mumford (Hobart, Geelong, Frankston, Newcastle, Central Coast)
Deputy portfolio manager, Auscap Asset Management

Lauren Murphy (Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Canberra, Wollongong)
Head of distribution, Auscap Asset Management

Find out more about Will and Lauren

Will has 10 years' experience in the financial services industry. He joined Auscap in 2018 as an Investment Analyst and moved to his current role of Deputy Portfolio Manager in 2023. From 2016 to 2018 Will was an Investment Banking Analyst at Macquarie Capital, with experience across both Equity Capital Markets and the Financial Institutions Group. Will has a Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op) from the University of New South Wales, majoring in Accounting and Finance.

Lauren has 20 years' experience in the financial services industry and joined Auscap in 2014. From 2012 to 2014 Lauren was Vice President at CIMB Securities Australia (previously RBS) responsible for Institutional Sales to equity markets clients. Between 2009 and 2012 Lauren was at Merrill Lynch as an Associate in the Research team covering Consumer stocks and then Corporate Access covering key ASX listed corporate and institutional clients. Prior to this Lauren worked as a Senior Equity Analyst at the Royal Bank of Scotland (previously ABN AMRO) covering Banks & Diversified Financials. Lauren has a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) and a Bachelor of Science (Statistics) from the University of Queensland.

11:00am

Morning Tea

11:30am

Trump 2.0 - How Trump's policy agenda has created the best opportunity since his first term

Alignment with the structural changes in the global economy has been a consistent source of alpha over the past two decades. But geopolitical challenges and Trump's policy agenda have disrupted the transition, creating uncertainty and impacting investment and equity prices. In this presentation Nanuk's CIO will discuss these effects and the outlook for transition aligned industries and the opportunity that has created.

Tom King (Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Central Coast, Wollongong)
Chief investment officer, Nanuk Asset Management

Peter Wilmshurst (Hobart, Frankston, Geelong, Canberra)
Portfolio manager, Nanuk Asset Management

Find out more about Tom and Peter

Tom joined Nanuk in 2009 and is a director of the firm, the firm's chief investment officer and one of the firm's portfolio managers with approximately 20 years' investment industry experience in equity funds management, investment banking and private equity. He was previously an investment manager at Consolidated Press Holdings Limited, an Associate Director with NM Rothschild & Sons (Australia) Ltd and worked as an investment analyst with Australian equities fund manager Herschel Asset Management Ltd. Tom holds a first class honours degree in Engineering from the University of Melbourne.

Peter Wilmshurst - Nanuk Asset Management

Peter joined Nanuk in 2021 and is one of the firm's portfolio managers with over 25 years' experience in global equities. Peter spent more than 20 years with the Templeton Global Equity Group in various senior analytical and portfolio management roles in the Bahamas, Fort Lauderdale and more recently Melbourne. Peter has a Master of Economics degree from Macquarie University, qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia and holds the CFA designation, having also been a past president of the CFA Society of Melbourne.

12:10pm

The five myths of value investing and seeking alpha where others fear to tread

With heightened tariff fears, economic volatility and US markets at levels of concentration seldom seen, it's essential investors maintain a broad exposure across their portfolios.
Pzena will explore how previous periods of significant market dislocation and concentration have provided a fertile backdrop for unearthing unloved good companies.
Additionally, we'll highlight and address some common misperceptions associated with a classic value approach

Paul Whymper-Williams (Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Canberra, Wollongong, Newcastle, Central Coast)
Principal and director of business development and client services, Pzena

Jeremy Bernardi (Hobart, Geelong, Frankston, Cairns)
Director of business development and client services, Pzena

Find out more about Paul and Jeremy

Mr. Whymper-Williams is based in Sydney and covers business development and client relationship management in the Australian and New Zealand institutional markets. Mr. Whymper-Williams became a member of the firm in 2016. Prior to joining Pzena Investment Management, Mr. Whymper-Williams worked at GFI Group in various roles, most recently as Head of UK Gas and Global LNG having previously established and run GFI's Australian Property derivative business and co-managed their Australian FX Options business. He earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Kingston and an M.A. in Finance and Investment from the University of Exeter.

Mr. Bernardi is based in Melbourne and covers business development and client relationship management in the Australian and New Zealand institutional markets. Mr. Bernardi became a member of the firm in 2024. Prior to joining Pzena Investment Management, Mr. Bernardi worked at Northern Trust Asset Management, where he worked as Head of Wholesale Distribution (AU & NZ). He previously worked at BT Financial Group, and AIA Australia and possesses extensive expertise in the finance industry and advice best practices, garnered from his accomplished career guiding advisory firms towards achieving strategic goals and driving continuous improvement.

12:50pm

Matching new era retirement income solutions to different client segments

In today's evolving landscape, innovative retirement income solutions offer advisers the tools to deliver enhanced certainty and confidence to their clients. However, these solutions vary widely in their design, operation and intended target audience.
Join us for an insightful session where we explore real life case studies to help you understand the characteristics of these new age solutions, and address specific client challenges they aim to resolve.
You'll gain a practical framework for aligning retirement strategies and product solutions with the distinct needs and goals of various client segments, empowering you to tailor your approach effectively.

Olivia McLoughlin (Hobart, Geelong)
Business development manager, Allianz Retire+

Natalie Philips (Newcastle)
State manager NSW, Allianz Retire+

Ryan Harbin (Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast)
State manager QLD, Allianz Retire+

Marcus Cleary (Frankston)
State manager VIC/TAS, Allianz Retire+

Chris Borg (Canberra, Wollongong, Central Coast)
Business development manager NSW/ACT, Allianz Retire+

Find out more about Olivia, Natalie, Ryan, Marcus and Chris

Olivia joined Allianz Retire+ as the Business Development Manager for Victoria and Tasmania in December 2023. Olivia has 8 years' experience in the Financial Services Industry, of which a large portion of this time was in the life risk sector, with Zurich Financial Services and AIA.

Natalie is our NSW State Manager for Allianz Retire+, joining the team in 2023. The distribution team is integral in supporting financial advisers, so they have the information and strategies they need to give their clients the best advice.

From Sydney, Natalie has an Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning and started her career supporting Advisers from an advice perspective. She has spent over 15 years in Advice across the Wealth Management Business, specialising in retirement income solutions, strategies, and Aged Care.

Ryan has over 19 years' experience in the financial services industry and is a passionate advocate of the advice profession and the value of quality advice. Ryan started his career as a financial adviser specialising in pre and post-retirement planning and understands the complex needs of retirees. More recently, he has held lead distribution roles working across superannuation, retirement income, aged care and investment products, bringing a high level of technical expertise when supporting advisers with retirement strategies.

Marcus is the Victorian/Tasmanian State Manager for Allianz Retire+, joining the team in August 2023.

Marcus has over 24 years of experience in the Financial Services Industry, commencing his career as an Associate Adviser with the Garrisons firm. Marcus' previous role was the Head of Wholesale Client Coverage at UBS Asset Management Australia, where he was responsible for leading the Distribution and Administration Teams. He was also responsible for managing the Research and Consultancy relationships across Australia.

Chris joined Allianz Retire+ as the Business Development Manager for NSW/ACT in June 2024, bringing a decade of experience in the financial services industry. His career began in boutique wealth management practices, where he developed and maintained strategies to help clients achieve their financial goals. In more recent times, Chris has held distribution roles, supporting, and educating financial advisers and providing insights into superannuation, retirement income, and aged care strategies.

1:30pm

Lunch

2:10pm

Empower your clients for a brighter retirement

In this strategy-led session, we explore the evolving needs of retirees, recognising that retirement planning is not just a financial decision, but an emotional journey.

We'll examine how having a holistic retirement solution can support your clients by giving them greater confidence and the flexibility they need to meet their ever-changing goals throughout their retirement journey. We'll delve into how your clients can harness the power of the market to deliver more income and ultimately a brighter retirement. Join us to discover innovative ways to enhance your clients' retirement outcomes, giving them the clarity and certainty to retire with confidence.

Sandro Alleri (Hobart, Geelong)
Distribution manager, Generation Life

Maree Cridland (Frankston)
Distribution manager, Generation Life

Laura Salsbury (Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast)
Senior distribution manager, Generation Life

Harry Page (Canberra)
Distribution manager, Generation Life

Jeff Rodgers (Newcastle)
Distribution manager, Generation Life

Michael Jaeger (Wollongong, Central Coast)
Distribution manager, Generation Life

Find out more about Sandro, Maree, Laura, Harry, Jeff and Michael

Sandro has been working in the Financial Services industry for more than 15 years and has a wealth of experience across superannuation, investment platforms, asset management and practice management.

He is passionate about advice and developing an intimate knowledge of his adviser practices. Sandro provides support through ongoing education, training and exploring practical solutions utilising our contemporary product range.

Sandro holds a Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance) and an Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning.

Maree commenced her career in financial services at Austock Life in March 2015 in an administration role before progressing to Business Development Associate 18 months later. An integral member supporting the sales team saw Maree promoted to Business Development Manager in December 2017 and has managed and nurtured relationships with advisers across Victoria and Tasmania ever since. Maree won the Money Management BDM of the Year award in 2019 and has been instrumental in creating growth for the company.

Laura Salsbury has extensive experience in the areas of Aged Care, Centrelink and Retirement Income Streams having spent many years at Challenger as a Senior Distribution Manager and the 'go to' for the more technical case studies and presentations. She has also run her own aged care business and helped many retirees with maximising Centrelink outcomes. In the UK she worked in the Guaranteed Investment Bond and Variable Annuity space for many years as well as a starting her career as a financial planner for one of the Royal Bank of Scotland in London. Laura holds a BA (honours) in Business, Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning and Cert IV in Practice Management.

Harry has over 8 years' experience in financial services across Australia, previously from Columbia Threadneedle Investments, where he was a Business Development Manager. At Threadneedle, Harry was responsible for new business within the financial advisory channel. Previously, Harry held positions at La Trobe Financial, and Rainmaker Information.

Jeff is motivated to provide quality support to financial advisers (and their aligned referring accountants and solicitors) through the development and delivery of effective client strategies to complement the tax planning, estate planning, retirement planning, and aged care planning advice they are providing their clients. During his 20+ years in the financial services industry, Jeff has held senior roles in both the funds management and financial planning sectors.

Michael has been working in the financial services industry for more than 25 years and has a wealth of experience across superannuation, investment platforms, annuities, and practice management. Michael works closely with advisers to position investment bonds as an additional tool to their existing strategy development. Using client case studies, the key areas of focus include complementing super savings, tax planning, estate planning and managing distributable income of trusts. Michael is passionate about supporting advisers through education, training and exploring practical solutions utilising our contemporary product range. Generation Life and its unique investment bond products can deliver tax-effective outcomes and support the building of intergenerational wealth for clients.

2:50pm

Maximising value through property investment: Strategy, structure, and sector insights

Not all property is the same: From residential and industrial to commercial and emerging alternative sectors, we dissect how different property types respond to economic cycles, demographic trends and interest rates. This section will identify the key sectors within the property market and discover which sectors are positioned to outperform based on current economic trends, demographic shifts, and investor demand.
Why property deserves a place in a diversified portfolio: Property investments have historically provided a compelling mix of stable income and capital growth, often with lower volatility than equities. We compare property to other major asset classes to illustrate its role as a stabiliser during periods of market stress, offering both risk mitigation and long-term value creation.
Structures through which investors can access property: Property can be accessed via direct ownership, managed funds, listed property trusts (REITs), and syndicates. This section also highlights tailored approaches for different investor profiles - particularly those approaching retirement - by showcasing tax-advantaged strategies that generate sustainable income while preserving capital.

Chris Langford (Geelong, Canberra)
Co-founder and managing director, Newmark

Ed Cruickshank (Cairns)
Fund manager, Newmark

Damian Diamantopoulos (Hobart, Frankston, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Wollongong, Newcastle, Central Coast)
Fund manager, Newmark

Find out more about Chris, Ed and Damian

Holding senior roles across commercial property investment, development and management for more than 30 years, Chris brings expert problem solving skills and idea generation to Newmark. His incisive, strategic thinking and quiet ability to solve problems is informed by 13 years with Lend Lease where he managed construction projects from the ground up, five years with Mirvac and over 10 years spent growing Newmark.

Drawing on an in-depth and big picture understanding of the industry, Chris has a keen eye on the market and ensuring investors interests are protected, while maintaining equanimity in business negotiations. His command of investor, governance and risk issues allows him to create innovative solutions.

Chris has a Melbourne University Bachelor of Architecture degree. He believes the built solution is only a small part of an asset story. His analytical approach is reflected in his grounded understanding of local commercial market drivers.

Chris was a member of the AFL Commission from 1999 - 2016, and has several company direct relationships prior to founding Newmark Capital.

Tom holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of South Australia, a postgraduate Master's degree in Science & Technology Commercialization from the University of Adelaide, a Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Management from NSW TAFE, and a Certificate IV in Financial Services from Swinburne University

Ed is an experienced real estate professional skilled in due diligence, transaction advisory, project feasibility studies, lease analysis and negotiation, market research, property portfolio optimisation and financial modelling for real estate investments. Before joining Newmark, Ed was a Director within PwC's Real Estate Advisory team where he consulted to a range of real estate owners and occupiers to solve a range of complex problems. At Newmark, Ed is responsible for working with the broader team to set and execute the investment strategy of Newmark's property trusts.Ed holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance) from Monash University, Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and a Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting.

With over 20 years of experience in investment management and research of listed and unlisted property securities and direct property, Damian is the Fund Manager of the Property Income Fund.

Before joining Newmark, Damian managed various unlisted property and property securities funds at Australian Unity, Karara Capital and 360 Capital Group. He also has experience managing several Australian REIT and direct property funds during a twelve-year career at APN Property Group.

Damian holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University, has completed the FINSIA Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment, and holds a Diploma in Property Investment and Finance from the Property Council of Australia.

3:30pm

End of event. Join us for post networking drinks.

Advisers Big Day Out - Geelong

Advisers Big Day Out - Mornington

Advisers Big Day Out - Cairns

Advisers Big Day Out - Sunshine Coast

Advisers Big Day Out - Gold Coast

Advisers Big Day Out - Regional