Farewell Michael HarrisonBY JAMIE WILLIAMSON | MONDAY, 22 MAY 2023 11:27AM Tributes are flowing for the life insurance industry stalwart following his passing over the weekend. Related News |
Editor's Choice
The 'blind spot' costing advisers nearly $10bn: Research
Research from Elemnta indicates financial advisers do not realise they are expending nearly twice as much effort on non-advised operations, highlighting a perception gap and challenges related to data collection and access, which cost 6000 practices about $9.36 billion in "destroyed enterprise value".
Canadian pension giant takes 20% stake in La Trobe
Canadian public pension fund OMERS has taken a minority stake of nearly 20% in La Trobe Financial from Brookfield.
ASIC issues another stop order for private credit fund
ASIC has issued an interim stop order on the Murdoch Clarke Mortgage Fund, issued by Murdoch Clarke Mortgage Management, prohibiting it from offering, issuing, selling or transferring interests in the fund.
Inheritors struggle to act on financial advice: Survey
Australia's wealthy inheritors are making major financial decisions before they feel ready, with new research highlighting a gap between receiving professional advice and having the confidence to act on it.
Further Reading
Products
Expert Feed
When geopolitics becomes a portfolio risk
Geopolitics is back - again - and Australian investors can no longer treat it as distant background noise.
Does association membership still matter?
With all the changes the advice sector has experienced in recent years, such as regulatory reform and increased education and professional standards ...
Digital assets and where they stand in 2026
So far in 2026 digital assets have captured the headlines largely for the wrong reasons, but that doesn't tell the full story.
Rethinking default design in a changing market environment
The evolution underway in the US DC system highlights the value of periodically reassessing default design assumptions.
Featured Profile
David Sharpe
CHAIRMAN
FINANCIAL ADVICE ASSOCIATION AUSTRALIA
FINANCIAL ADVICE ASSOCIATION AUSTRALIA
A family man, business owner, cricket fanatic and financial adviser, David Sharpe has many facets. One of his biggest legacies, as he steps down as chair of the Financial Advice Association Australia, is leaving the profession stronger than he found it.
The Financial Standard podcast Tune in each week as we discuss the latest developments in Australia's wealth management industry. |  |
I recall the first time I came across Michael, in about 1994 when I was a much younger and much more enthusiastic life adviser. He was indeed one of the greats. He was inspirational, a true leader and simply a great guy with whom to sit down and have a chat - he always pepped you up and taught you something! I can remember the first time very clearly, when he was giving a talk to our dealer group at a PD day. It was about how the INTERNET would change our industry and indeed the world. The one particular thing he said that I recall vividly was "the internet is mightier than the sword OR the pen". I think I'm paraphrasing there but it was a twist on the old saying the pen is mightier than the sword. Not everyone agreed with him but in retrospect he was prescient and ahead of his time as usual. Now, after 37 years looking back on my time in our once-great profession I can truly say he was indeed ONE OF THE GREATS. Thank you Michael!
He came and sat next to me one day at morning tea at a Business Development Day.
My mother had recently passed away. I appreciated the time he spent with me. He was aware of my hurt.
Michael introduced me to Synchron and later to the AFA as he sought to build their profiles with media and the adviser world. He was a visionary before the advice industry knew it needed vision to truly become a profession.
He will be greatly missed.