knowIT Group makes three appointments to redevelop the relevance and reach of Desk Caddie

knowIT Group has created three new roles to enhance its technical expertise and content production and management capabilities following the acquisition of Strategy Steps in October. It brings the team to seven.

Tony Negline has been appointed technical editor, Kevin Conlon has been appointed to head the CPD program and Jacquie Hayes has been appointed to manage content.

Mr Negline is principal at Financial & Technical Solutions and is also head of superannuation at the Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand.

He has almost 30 years experience in financial services in a range of senior roles including national technical services manager at ING Funds and Technical Manager at AM Corporation and Aviva Australia.

He has written the weekly superannuation and financial services column in The Australian newspaper for almost 13 years. He is also the author of The Essential SMSF Guide 2016/17 published by Thomson Reuters and endorsed by Chartered Accountants, Australia & New Zealand.

Mr Conlon is managing partner at ACTIVE Knowledge and was most recently chief executive of the peak equity release body, SEQUAL.

He has over 30 years experience in financial services both as a practitioner and as an educator. His previous roles include chief executive of the Council of Mortgage Lenders Australia, head of education with the MFAA and national manager – training and development – with RESI Mortgage.

He is a long-standing contributor to the Financial Planning Academic Forum, FPAF and ASIC’s Financial Literacy Community of Practice.

Ms Hayes has over 20 years experience in financial journalism and media relations, most recently as a columnist for Fairfax Media. She was personal finance editor at The Australian newspaper and prior to this she was a personal finance writer with the Australian Financial Review. She also spent time as media relations manager at Social Ventures Australia.

“The appointment of these senior technical, content and professional development executives brings a high level of expertise to knowIT Group and its Desk Caddie online tool offering,” says Wayne Wilson, CEO of knowIT Group.

“Desk Caddie already provides practical support to more than 4000 advisers, to help develop financial planning strategies for clients. With the addition of the new executive team, knowIT Group is maintaining the experience, knowledge and ability needed to provide the high levels of strategic analysis Desk Caddie clients have come to expect.

“Tony’s ability to deliver sophisticated legislative and technical information, knowledge and research, combined with Jacquie’s expertise in financial writing and Kevin’s capabilities in developing CPD programs, are part of the ongoing strategy to redevelop the relevance and reach of Desk Caddie,” Mr Wilson said.