Superannuation leader wins big at Women in Wealth Awards
The winners of the Women in Wealth Awards 2024 were announced at a gala dinner last night in Sydney, with Linda Elkins, National Sector Leader, Asset and Wealth Management at KPMG, taking out the top prize of 2024 Woman of the Year.
Elkins was also the winner of the Superannuation Professional of the Year award, and was recognised for her more-than-20-years-long career in the superannuation sector and for her efforts in improving the outcomes of female super members, as well as being one of many industry leaders advocating to the government to pay super on Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave (PPL).
Michelle Stone, Principal Owner and Lead Financial Adviser at Feel Good Financial Planning, was also recognised as the Highly Commended Woman of the Year 2024, after earning two other award nods for Financial Planner of the Year – NSW, ACT and Financial Planner of the Year – Overall.
The award recipients celebrated last night were selected by the 2024 judging panel after a rigorous process with several judging rounds: Annick Donat, CEO of Clime Investment Management; Anne-Marie Esler, co-CEO and co-Founder of Padua Solutions; Judith Fox, CEO of the Stockbrokers and Investment Advisers Association; Jaime Johns, Non-Executive Director at Mason Stevens; Maria Lykouras, CEO of JBWere Australia; Keely O’Brien, General Manager, Corporate Affairs and Strategy at the Council of Australian Life Insurers; and Marianne Perkovic, Non-Executive Director at Insignia Financial.
The event, sponsored by Padua Solutions (Industry Partner), Striver (Category Sponsor – Graduate of the Year) and SS&C Technologies (Industry Supporter) also awarded Natalie McHugh, a provisional financial adviser at Queensland-based practice JEM Wealth, with the Graduate of the Year prize.
The finalists, highly commended and winners honoured on the night were:
Financial Planner of the Year – NSW, ACT
- Roxanne Gorman, Partner, Perpetual
- WINNER: Michelle Stone, Principal Adviser, Feel Good Financial Planning
- Jane Ridder, Financial Adviser, Infocus
- Nicky Boustred, Financial Planner, Stanford Brown
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Tanya Carlson, Financial Adviser, Amplify Wealth Management
- Tabitha Tworek, Director and Financial Planner, Insight Wealth Planning
- Melinda Brown, Senior Private Client Adviser, UniSuper
- Trish Gregory, Financial Adviser, Fox & Hare
Financial Planner of the Year – QLD
- Jo Tuck, Financial Adviser, MTP Financial
- WINNER: Nicole Gardner, Founder and Principal Financial Adviser, Stellar Wealth
- Jayde Jenkins, Financial Adviser, Blossom Wealth
- Cara Williams, Financial Adviser, Verse Wealth
- Jennifer Goldsworthy, Director and Financial Planner, Goldsworthy Private Wealth
- Naomi Alletson, Financial Planner, Achieveit Financial Planning
- Philippa Baker, Senior Financial Adviser, Toro Wealth
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Michal Lancemore, Hudson Financial Planning
Financial Planner of the Year – VIC
- Melinda Planken, Managing Director, Muirfield Financial Services
- WINNER: Carolyn O’Reilly, Partner, Perpetual
- Jodi Brady, Adviser, Alphington Wealth
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Nicola Beswick, Senior Financial Advisor, FMD Financial
Financial Planner of the Year – SA, WA, NT, TAS
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Kelly King, Director and Senior Wealth Advisor, Iconic Wealth
- WINNER: Kathryn Creasy, Head of Advice, Principal, Capital Partners Private Wealth Advisors
- Julia Schortinghuis, Director, Lighthouse Capital
- Dawn Partridge, Financial Planner, Euroz Hartleys
- Renee Zimmermann, Private Client Adviser, UniSuper
Financial Planner of the Year – Overall
- Kathryn Creasy, Head of Advice, Principal, Capital Partners Private Wealth Advisors
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Carolyn O’Reilly, Partner, Perpetual
- Nicole Gardner, Founder and Principal Financial Adviser, Stellar Wealth
- WINNER: Michelle Stone, Principal Adviser, Feel Good Financial Planning
Investment Adviser of the Year
- WINNER: Jettie Fan, Investment Adviser, Morgans Financial Limited
- Angela Holstein, Senior Private Wealth Adviser, Shaw and Partners
- Kylie Harding, Principal/Investment Adviser, Morgans Financial Limited
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Dianne Colledge, Senior Investment Adviser, Morgans Financial Limited
- Jahanne Nagle, Senior Investment Adviser, Morgans Financial Limited
- Clare Rixon, Senior Investment Adviser, Morgans Financial Limited
Investment Professional of the Year
- Jacqueline Fernley, Chief Investment Officer, Mason Stevens
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Amy Pham, Portfolio Manager, Pengana Capital
- Jessica Leung, Portfolio Manager, Global X ETFs
- WINNER: Nikki Thomas, Portfolio Manager, Magellan Financial Group
- Kylie-Ann Richards, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Fortlake Asset Management
- Bianca Ogden, Portfolio Manager, Platinum Asset Management
- Amanda MacDonald, Head of Sustainable Investment, LGT Crestone
- Shani Jayamanne, Senior Investment Specialist, Morningstar
- Deana Mitchell, Portfolio Manager, Australian Ethical
- Maryanne Drewe, Head of Proprietary Research, Perpetual
Superannuation Professional of the Year
- Kelly Power, CEO Superannuation, Colonial First State
- WINNER: Linda Elkins, National Sector Leader for Asset and Wealth Management, KPMG
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Renae Anderson, Manager, Select Advice, UniSuper
- Susan O’Connor, Principal Accountant and Adviser, Susan O’Connor Accounting
- Jettie Fan, Financial Advisor, Morgans Financial
- Mei-Ling Cheong Nepia, Head of Service and Operations, Australian Ethical
- Marcia Senn, Head of Financial Planning – Brisbane, Morgans Financial
- Jodie Cowburn, Manager ABD Technical Services & Support, Morgans Financial
Life/Risk Insurance Professional of the Year
- WINNER: Sandhya Maini, Head of Zurich Assure, Zurich Australia
- Leanne Farrelly, General Manager, Customer Service & Operations, Individual Life, TAL
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Wendy Tse, Chief of Staff, Strategy and External Affairs, MetLife Australia
- Trish Gregory, Financial Adviser, Fox & Hare
- Kristy Mitchell, Practice Manager / Senior Financial Adviser, Regional Financial Planning
Female BDM of the Year
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Maggie Mills, Head of Distribution, Blackwattle Investment Partners
- Racheal Collogan, Distribution Manager, Netwealth
- Renee Manzi, BDM, TAL
- Rachel Bushara, BDM, TAL
- WINNER: Tara Walder, Business Development Manager, Aware Super
- Jade Custance, BDM, TAL
- Jodie Saw, Head of Retail and Wholesale Sales, Bennelong Funds Management
- Stacey Mitchell, Business Development Manager Advice, CareSuper
Marketing/ Communications Professional of the Year
- Melanie Nguyen, Marketing and Community Lead, Striver
- Sarah Lowe, Head of Brand and Marketing, MLC Insurance
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Ky Wilson, Head of Marketing and Membership, Institute of Financial Professionals Australia
- Lisa Greensill, Marketing Advisor, Brandover
- Jacqueline Howe, Manager, Corporate Marketing, Yarra Capital Management
- Natalie Jollow, Head of Marketing, Global X ETFs
- WINNER: Charlotte Dunstone, Brand and Advertising Lead, BT Financial Group
- Emma Milsted, Marketing and Communications Lead, BT Financial Group
Tech Innovator of the Year
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jenny Nguyen, General Manager Digital Experience, Group Life & Retirement, TAL
- Sonya Choi La Rosa, GM Operations & Technology, Diverger
- WINNER: Anita Mead, Head of High Net Worth Investment Platforms, NAB Private Wealth
- Dina Evans, Co-founder and Director, BLV Solutions
- Belinda Johnstone, Integration/Application Developer, Morgans Financial
- Rachel Brown, Manager, Mackay Goodwin
- Mary Payne, Director of Product APAC, SS&C Technologies
Platforms Professional of the Year
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Rachel Lim, Director, CFS Wrap Products, Colonial First State
- Michelle Tate, Lead Product Development Manager, Platforms and Investments, Colonial First State
- WINNER: Kim Broom, Head of Product Development and Digital Experience, Insignia Financial
- Kathryn Cosentino, Head of Platforms and Product Management, BT Financial
- Katrina Marshall, Executive Director, Sales, Strategy and Engagement, Colonial First State
- Racheal Collogan, Distribution Manager, Netwealth
Paraplanner of the Year
- Kiah Forster, Paraplanner/Client Service Officer, Finlinx Wealth
- Minna Baker, Paraplanner, Evolution Financial
- Kristy Howard, Senior Paraplanner, Collins SBA
- Alicia Aidulis, Quality Assurance Manager, Padua Solutions
- WINNER: Veronica Mizzi, Paraplanner, UniSuper
- Helen Roelofsen, Quality Assurance Manager, Padua Solutions
- Nikayla Tolhopf, Team Leader, Padua Solutions
- Kate Spence, Senior Paraplanner, Much more than money
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Laura Smillie, Senior Paraplanner, Euroz Hartleys
- Joanne Chin, Paraplanner, Padua Solutions
- Christine Beavis, Quality Assurance Manager, Padua Solutions
- Melissa Wells, Paraplanner, Padua Solutions
- Paula Price, Senior Paraplanner, Toro Wealth
- Kim Mooney, Practice Manager, Hunter Wealth Management
Mentor of the Year
- WINNER: Whitney Wilson, National Recruitment Lead, Striver
- Julie Matheson, Licensing and Operations Manager, Visia Financial Services
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Amanda Boyce, Executive Director, Head of Advice, Euroz Hartleys
- Mariam Shelbourne, Head of People, Risk and Compliance, Wilsons Advisory
- Chemere Brown, Lead Partner, Perpetual
- Erin Egan, Head of Transition Management, Padua Solutions
- Melanie Bylsma, Client Service Manager, Morgans Financial Limited
- Leah Malaxos, Manager Implementation and Client Services, Much more than money
- Suzie Georgiou, Dealer Assistant, Shaw and Partners Limited
Employer of the Year
- Australian Ethical
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Much more than money
- Morgans Financial Limited
- WINNER: Euroz Hartleys
- Lighthouse Capital
Pro Bono of the Year
- WINNER: Louise Wegner-Parker, Head of Specialist Advice, Morgans Financial
- Scarlett Dorney, Director, MSCI
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Nicola Beswick, Chair, Pro Bono Financial Advice Network
- Alexandra Kalceff, Investment Adviser, Wilsons Advisory
- Kylie Harding, Principal/Investment Adviser, Morgans Financial
- Joanne Faglioni, Chair: Group Executive, Operations ALUCA; Clearview
- Anne McDonnell, Head of Group Marketing and Communications HUB24
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Natalie Kleibert, Head of Marketing, Ignition Advice / Deputy Chair, Pro Bono Financial Advice Network
- Katia Tachjian, Client Services Officer, Much more than money
2024 Graduate of the Year (2 years or less in industry)
- WINNER: Natalie McHugh, Associate Financial Advisor, JEM Wealth
- Christina Fan, Financial Adviser, Morgans Financial Limited
- Jess Langer, Associate Adviser, Euroz Hartleys
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Zara Edgar, Associate Adviser, Euroz Hartleys
- Ramina Ahmed, Senior Analyst, Mackay Goodwin
2024 Rising Star (8 years or less in industry)
- WINNER: Nicole Gardner, Founder & Principal Financial Adviser, Stellar Wealth
- Dawn Partridge, Financial Planner, Euroz Harleys
- Emily Monk, Advice Specialist, UniSuper
- Trish Gregory, Financial Adviser, Fox & Hare
- Rachael Ooi, Principal Adviser, Your Wealth Creation
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Tegan Del Moro, Financial Planner, Insight Wealth Planning
- Kayla Murray, Financial Adviser, Jade Financial Group
- Whitnie Jeeves, Associate, Perpetual Private
- Aishwarya Joshi, Financial Adviser, Much more than money
- Smriti Pahuja, Quality Assurance Manager, Padua Solutions
- Laura Coneliano, Adviser, Kennedy Partners Wealth
- Yasmin Weston, Head of Operations, Capital Partners Private Wealth Advisers
2024 Woman of the Year
- Jettie Fan, Morgans Financial Limited
- Nikki Thomas, Magellan Financial Group
- WINNER: Linda Elkins, KPMG
- Sandhya Mainim, Zurich Assure
- Charlotte Dunstone, BT Financial Group
- Anita Mead, NAB Private Wealth
- Kim Broom, Insignia Financial
- Whitney Wilson, Striver
- Louise Wegner-Parker, Morgans Financial
- Veronica Mizzi, UniSuper
- HIGHLY COMMENDED: Michelle Stone, Feel Good Financial Planning
And the ruminative structure simply makes it un - profitable
@ Anon You're Absolutely correct ! Insurance was always been bought on the needs of consumers and the benefits the…
How ridiculous is it, that it is impractical for a generalist adviser to give personal risk protection advice. Doesn't serve…
What is the Dearth you speak of. It is mentioned several times??
Also the issue of life company price gouging and pathetic service standards makes risk advice barely worth writing.