Immediate past President, current Treasurer and Interim CEO of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA), Brad Fox, has been appointed to succeed Richard Klipin as CEO of the 66 year old adviser association.
Making the announcement today, AFA President, Michael Nowak, said Mr Fox has played a pivotal role in helping to shape the AFA over the past five years and will continue to build on the association’s success.
“Brad has represented the AFA with distinction in a number of key capacities,” Mr Nowak said. “He has been a member of the Board since 2007 and became the inaugural chair of the AFA’s GenXt initiative, leading and inspiring new entrants to the profession. Brad was also a winner of the AFA Rising Star Award in 2008.”
Mr Nowak said that as President, Mr Fox was part of the team that represented advisers and their clients in Canberra right throughout the FOFA reform process and, having been an adviser himself, has an up close and personal insight into the needs and concerns of the advice community.
“Brad’s experience means he genuinely understands the challenges facing financial advice business owners and how that impacts on consumers,” Mr Nowak said. “To date he has played a significant role in the advice industry. He is the right person to lead the AFA into the future and the AFA Board and staff are extremely excited to be working with him.”
Before becoming an adviser Mr Fox was the Victorian General Manager of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football Club.
“This was a role that required a similar skill set to that of AFA CEO in that it was about representing members, providing industry leading events, working with corporate partners and liaising with media and other key stakeholders,” Mr Nowak said.
Mr Fox is also a former professional AFL player for the Essendon and Richmond Football Clubs.
Mr Fox expressed his excitement in accepting the key industry leadership position. “I have been very fortunate to work with great leaders throughout my life and I look forward to applying my skills for and on behalf of the advice industry,” he said. “I am passionate about the need for more Australians to receive life changing financial advice. Leading the AFA is a great opportunity to help the advice profession influence, educate and change consumer behaviours around building, managing and protecting wealth.”
Mr Fox will formally take up the position of CEO on 14th January 2013.