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
Advisers lean on AQF7 to meet education standards: Rainmaker
A new report indicates that Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) 7 qualifications are the most common forms of qualification among financial advisers, held by 85% of the population.
Labor commits to compulsory super for under-18 workers
Labor has unanimously supported extending superannuation to under-18 Australian workers.
Trump slugs Australia with new 'forced-labour' tariffs
US President Donald Trump will slug trading partners, including Australia, with new tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on the premise of pressuring foreign governments to strengthen bans on "the importation of goods produced with forced labour."
Centuria quashes governance allegations amid fund downgrades
Centuria Capital Group has swiftly provided a response to media reports suggesting that its exposure to the Bathla Group, a Sydney-based property constructor and developer, raised questions over its governance, following a downgrade of one of its private credit funds this week.
Videos
Brought to you by ![]()
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
Hugh Killen
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY LIMITED
AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY LIMITED
For Hugh Killen, several life lessons came from spending time on pastoral properties stretching across northern New South Wales and South-West Queensland.
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.