The Congress, being held in Melbourne from 24 to 26 November, will have the theme ‘Explore’, reflecting the FAAA’s commitment to equipping financial advisers with practical strategies, technical expertise, and fresh thinking to navigate an evolving profession.

Currently, FAAA member tickets are $1,305 and non-member tickets are $2,695. Once early bird registration closes full price members are $1,650 and non-member tickets are $2,995.

The Congress features an impressive keynote line-up, with internationally recognised investor and engineer Dr Jordan Nguyen opening the event to explore how curiosity, innovation, and emerging technologies are reshaping what’s possible. The Congress will close with Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne in conversation with Emmy Award-winning journalist Sara James, sharing lessons in resilience, leadership, and achieving success against the odds.

FAAA chair David Sharpe says Congress is the highlight of the FAAA’s calendar and the place where Australia’s advice profession comes together.

“The early pricing represents a significant saving, and I strongly encourage those planning to attend to purchase their tickets before 30 September,” Sharpe says.

“This year’s program has been carefully curated to cover the issues shaping the future of financial advice. From regulation and compliance through to business growth and practice innovation, every session is designed to provide practical insights advisers can take back into their business.”

Sharpe says the Congress provides more than just education.

“Advisers will hear from industry leaders on developments in the profession, have their thinking challenged, and learn from their peers. There are excellent networking opportunities throughout the three days, including the CPD-accredited sessions and technical workshops, as well as the FAAA Awards Gala Dinner on the final evening where we celebrate excellence in the profession.”

The program features keynote speakers, specialist workshops, and more than 20 technical breakout sessions across four learning streams, Develop, Strategies, Navigate, and Expand, ensuring there’s something for every adviser, regardless of their experience level or focus area.

Read more details and how to register for the FAAA Congress 2026.

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Emanuel Datt

The government released the Intergenerational Report 2026 offering the outlook for the Australian economy and the budget to 2065–66.

Emanuel Datt, chief investment officer of Datt Capital says “A 40-year forecast is a list of guesses. The task is to sort them by the strength of the evidence. Demographics come first. Everyone who will be over 85 in 2066 is already alive. Their number is set to triple to 1.9 million. Demand for aged care and health services is as close to certain as forecasts allow. The supply of beds, staff and well placed sites is tight and slow to grow. Owners of scarce assets tend to benefit.

“Population maths is simple. Fertility has stayed below the replacement rate of 2.1 for over 50 years. It is set to fall from 1.48 to 1.34. By the 2060s, deaths will outnumber births. From then on, migration will drive all growth. The question is who should come. The answer is young, skilled workers. The median migrant is 26, compared with 38 for the rest of the country. Skilled arrivals in their twenties add to the workforce and tax base for forty years. They lift output per person and the total headcount. Choosing migrants by skills and age is the clearest way to shape both population and GDP. It only works if housing and infrastructure keep up. That is a supply problem to fix, not a reason to cut numbers.

“The AI forecasts need more scepticism. The better debt outlook relies on long-term productivity growth of 1.2 per cent a year, with AI expected to deliver much of it. That may happen, but Australia’s recent record does not support it. What we see now is that AI uses large amounts of energy, data-centre space and key minerals. Australia supplies all three.

“We would also be cautious about expecting tax cuts. The report still shows budget deficits for the next 40 years. Many companies most exposed to these trends are small caps on the ASX. They now trade at the widest gap relative to large caps in 20 years.”

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Minh Tran

AMP has appointed Minh Tran as General Manager, Business Development, strengthening its focus on employer growth, strategic partnerships and institutional relationships across the Australian superannuation market.

Mr Tran will report to Richard Millington, Director, Employer and Adviser Partnerships at AMP, and will lead AMP Super’s business development strategy, focused on winning new employer mandates, deepening consultant and partner relationships, and supporting better outcomes for members.

Mr Tran brings extensive experience across corporate superannuation, workplace growth, institutional relationships and distribution leadership.

Most recently, he was Head of Workplace Growth at Rest, where he led the organisation’s multi-channel growth strategy and served as a Responsible Manager under Rest’s Australian Financial Services Licence. He was instrumental in the development of Rest’s Employer Value Proposition and managed strategic relationships with research houses and tender consultants.

Prior to Rest, Mr Tran was Strategic Partnerships Lead at AIA Australia and spent more than 17 years with MLC Australia across MasterKey Business Super and Plum. In those roles, he led business development and relationship management teams, working with major institutional clients and strategic partners.

AMP Director, Employer and Adviser Partnerships, Richard Millington, said Mr Tran’s appointment would strengthen AMP’s ability to compete for new employer mandates and expand its strategic partner network.
“Minh brings deep superannuation expertise, strong market presence and a proven track record in workplace super and institutional partnerships,” Mr Millington said.

“His experience across the superannuation value chain, including distribution, employer growth, consultant engagement and strategic relationship management, will support AMP Super’s ability to convert new opportunities while continuing to deliver strong outcomes for members and partners.”

Mr Tran will commence in the role on 9 November 2026.

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Misha Schubert

The Super Members Council says yesterday’s Intergenerational Report confirms super is helping more Australians fund their retirement and reducing the burden on taxpayers to support an ageing population – highlighting why policies that treat super like an ATM would make Australians poorer.

The report projects spending on the Age Pension will fall from 2.3 per cent of GDP today to 1.8 per cent by 2066, while the proportion of people above pension age relying on government income support is projected to fall from 66 per cent to 52 per cent.

Compellingly, these projections come even as the number of Australians above Age Pension age is expected to double to around nine million.

By comparison, the GDP pension burden in other OECD economies is estimated to be 10 per cent in the United Kingdom, 8 per cent in Canada, 7 per cent in New Zealand, and 6 per cent in the United States.

“Australia is getting older, but thanks to super, our Age Pension costs are projected to fall rather than rise. That’s an extraordinary achievement and something very few countries can match,” says the Council’s CEO Misha Schubert.

Since the last Intergenerational Report in 2023, the Super Guarantee has risen from 11% to 12%. The Council’s modelling shows the 0.5 percentage point increase last year alone could see a typical 30‑year-old retire with $22,000 more in super. Taken together with the full increase from 9% to 12% over the past decade, it could add up to $132,000 in extra superannuation savings by retirement.

The report should also serve as a warning against any policy proposals that weaken super by allowing Australians to withdraw their retirement savings early and lose decades of compound returns.

The Council’s modelling shows One Nation’s proposal to allow workers to divert one quarter of their employer’s compulsory super contributions into current spending would leave a median full-time worker around $25,000 worse off in retirement after just three years, while forcing taxpayers to fund an additional $14,000 in Age Pension costs over the lifetime of a median worker who used the proposal.

“Any policies that allow Australians to raid their super will make Australians poorer and fuel inflation, quickly wiping out the value of any super you withdraw. It will also leave taxpayers on the hook for up to double the amount of super that’s taken out,” add Ms. Schubert.

“It’s a double whammy – stoking inflation with early super withdrawals would make cost-of-living pressures even worse for battling Australians – and the bigger bill to taxpayers would mean less money to fund services battling households rely on – hospitals, medicines, schools, roads, and drought and flood relief.”

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Jacqui Fernley

Hamilton Wealth Partners, a specialist family wealth advisory firm, has appointed arcpoint OCIO as its outsourced chief investment office, with arcpoint founding partner Jacqui Fernley taking the role of chief investment officer for the firm.

The appointment follows the firm’s 2026 strategy review, which assessed what growing families now need from their adviser and what Hamilton Wealth Partners should be building to meet it.

Will Hamilton, chief executive and founder of Hamilton Wealth Partners, said: “Investment expertise is what gets an advice firm in the door, it is not what holds a family for thirty years.

“What holds them is the depth of the advice relationship, across structures, succession planning, the family business and the next generation, and as our clients’ affairs have grown that relationship has asked more of all of us.

“This appointment adds to what our advisers do rather than taking anything away from them.”

Fernley is supported at arcpoint OCIO by her wider investment team and research partnerships. Most recently, she was chief investment officer at Mason Stevens, leading the asset management function and overseeing approximately $9 billion in client capital. Her career has also included senior investment roles at Wilson HTM, Magellan Financial Group, JBWere and Colonial First State Global Asset Management.

Fernley said: “This is a partnership built around the firm’s existing team. As an advice practice grows, investment management quietly stops being a portfolio question and becomes a process one, and Hamilton Wealth Partners reached that point and was clear about what it wanted done.

“Our team at arcpoint OCIO sits alongside the firm’s advisers, bringing institutional grade governance and disciplined implementation across both public and private markets, while the client relationship stays where it should, with the adviser.”

Hamilton Wealth Partners has formalised how investment decisions are made and deepened the analysis behind them. Oversight remains with the firm’s Investment Policy Board, which continues under independent chairmanship and reports to the Advisory Board, and each client’s adviser keeps the suitability decision.

Hamilton added: “arcpoint OCIO works inside our team rather than at arm’s length from it, so our clients keep the relationship they have always had and gain an investment process built to an institutional standard.

“Our clients do not need more products, they need better decisions made on their behalf and explained properly, and this is the most important appointment we have made.”

Fernley will feature across the firm’s investment publications, client events and presentations, including its monthly Investor Insights, and will be introduced to clients at dinners in Melbourne and Sydney in November.

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Founded in 2014, Engage Squared helps enterprise and government organisations adopt artificial intelligence, strengthen cybersecurity and improve employee productivity and collaboration through Microsoft technologies. The company serves customers across Australia, New Zealand and the broader Asia-Pacific region and has 170 employees, across 8 offices.

The investment gives Engage Squared capital and operational support to accelerate growth, deepen its AI and agent capabilities and broaden its service offering. It also marks a return by Alceon into the managed IT services sector following the successful divestment of its position in efex. Alceon invested in efex in 2021 and championed the businesses’ ‘buy and build’ strategy, supplementing its rapid growth across Australia before the sale of its investment in late 2025.

Alceon’s Private Equity Access Fund offers access to Alceon’s lower mid-market private equity strategy, targeting founder-led Australian and New Zealand businesses with strong cashflow generation, attractive growth prospects, and clear value creation opportunities. This acquisition of Engage Squared reflects this focus, and Alceon’s aspiration to invest in strong management teams and scalable business models that provide several pathways for value creation.

Zac Midalia, Managing Director and Head of Private Equity at Alceon, said: “Engage Squared sits at the intersection of two themes where we have strong conviction: the Australian lower mid-market and enterprise adoption of AI. The business has established a commanding position within the Microsoft ecosystem, building an impressive reputation for helping organisations translate AI ambition into practical business outcomes. There is a significant opportunity to invest behind that growth story, both organically and through targeted acquisitions.”

“More broadly, Alceon continues to see compelling opportunities to partner with exceptional founders and management teams operating in sectors benefiting from long-term structural growth. Engage Squared is a best-in-class example of that strategy in action, and we are excited to partner with Alastair and the team to strengthen its position in the market,” said Mr Midalia.

Group CEO Alastair Cashen at Engage Squared said: “Engage Squared is in the strongest position we’ve ever been in. Every day we help some of APAC’s leading organisations to turn AI ambition into real business outcomes, moving beyond experimentation to enterprise-scale adoption and transformation.”

“This investment is about accelerating that momentum. Alceon’s track record of partnering with high-growth businesses, combined with our deep Microsoft expertise and market leadership, gives us the opportunity to invest further in our people, capabilities and customers.”

“We believe AI represents the most significant technology shift of our generation. As demand continues to grow, this partnership positions Engage Squared to expand our impact, help more organisations realise value from AI, and continue building the market-leading Microsoft practice in our region.”

Group CEO Alastair Cashen will continue to lead Engage Squared alongside the existing management team, which will retain a substantial ownership position alongside Alceon. As part of the transaction, co-founder Stephen Monk will depart the business.

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In this newly created role, Mr Lidbury will lead the Australia-based investment team, overseeing managed account portfolio construction, asset allocation, and adviser investment communications.

PPS brings PAM’s established investment capabilities and technology to the Australian market through managed account solutions tailored for local financial advisers and their clients. PAM, including PPS, is wholly owned by Pinnacle Investment Management Group (“Pinnacle”) and runs a single integrated investment team across its Sydney and London offices.

Formerly the Chief Investment Officer of Perpetual’s wealth management business, Mr Lidbury has more than two decades of financial services experience spanning investment research and portfolio management. He holds a Bachelor of Accounting from the University of Technology Sydney and is a CFA and CAIA charterholder.

“It’s exciting to be working with the teams across the UK and here in Australia. Pacific combines specialist investment expertise with modern technology, enabling us to implement investment decisions and adjust portfolio positioning with a level of efficiency and flexibility I have not previously seen in the Australian market,” Mr Lidbury said.

Pacific Asset Management CEO, Matt Lamb, commented on the appointment: “We’re bringing something distinctive to Australian managed accounts with PAM’s proven multi-asset process and implementation technology. We’re delighted to have Kyle leading the Australia investment team as we build on our success in the UK market.

“Being part of the broader Pinnacle Group uniquely positions the team to draw on the breadth of expertise across the Group’s high-quality affiliated fund managers and the strength of its institutional infrastructure.”

Pinnacle’s Head of Managed Accounts, David Wright, also commented on the appointment: “Kyle brings deep investment expertise and a strong understanding of the needs of financial advisers. He combines his portfolio construction and asset allocation experience with an ability to explain investment decisions clearly and communicate what they mean for client portfolios.”

The initial PPS offering will include the Pinnacle SMA Range (comprising Moderate, Balanced, Income, Growth, High Growth, and Listed Growth portfolios), providing portfolio solutions built exclusively from Pinnacle Affiliates’ actively managed strategies.

In the coming months, PPS will also introduce the Pacific Core Range – Pacific Asset Management’s flagship UK model portfolio offering – to Australia through managed account solutions tailored for the local wealth market.

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Katrina Shanks

ANZIIF has launched the Executives Guide to General Insurance Workshop, a new Business School program designed to equip current and emerging insurance leaders with the commercial insight and capability to create value in an increasingly complex general insurance market.

Developed with Finity Consulting, the intensive one-day workshop is designed for senior managers stepping into executive roles, leading strategic change, planning for an AFSL, or seeking a stronger understanding of how to work strategically with general insurers.

Rather than examining performance drivers in isolation, the workshop demonstrates how executive decisions across measures including revenue, operational costs, governance and risk combine to create sustainable value. This equips participants to navigate priorities and lead through volatility and change.

ANZIIF CEO Katrina Shanks says investing in leadership capability is critical to building a strong and sustainable insurance industry.

“Great insurance leaders need to understand how every part of the business contributes to value,” Shanks said. “This program gives current and emerging executives the necessary perspective and practical insight to make better decisions and lead with confidence.”

The program will be led by Raj Kanhai, Principal at Finity Consulting, who brings 30 years’ leadership experience across general and life insurance, alongside Mike Hooton, an executive with more than 38 years’ experience in Australia and the UK, who leads an interactive business simulation where teams navigate a simulated 10-year insurance cycle.

Raj Kanhai, Principal at Finity Consulting, says the partnership reflects a shared commitment to building industry capability.

“Developing strong, commercially minded leaders is critical to the future of the insurance industry, and this collaboration brings together practical experience, industry insight and contemporary thinking to help insurance professionals create lasting value for their organisations, customers and communities.

“We’re proud to share ANZIIF’s commitment to capability-building across the industry and look forward to contributing to the conversation.”

The workshop runs on 28 October 2026 in Sydney and participants earn 6.5 CIP points. Early-bird registration is open until 18 September.

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Led by Léa Dunand-Chatellet, who became Chief Executive Officer on 1 July 2026, the new Executive Committee brings together complementary expertise across investments, business development, sustainable finance, strategy, transformation and corporate functions.

The new Executive Committee comprises:

• Léa Dunand-Chatellet, Chief Executive Officer
• Candice Brenet, Deputy CEO, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer
• Laurence Willig, Deputy CEO, Chief Finance and Governance Officer
• Raphaël Lance, Chief Investment Officer, Private Assets
• Karen Kharmandarian, Chief Investment Officer, Listed Assets
• Alix Boisaubert, Chief Business Development Officer
• Mathilde Dufour, Chief Sustainability and Talent Officer

This strengthened governance structure is designed to sharpen execution, reinforce Mirova’s leadership and equip the firm for the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of sustainable finance. It builds on Mirova’s recognised expertise and the commitment of its highly experienced teams, which remain a key strength of the firm.

Alongside a leadership team deeply rooted in Mirova’s culture, investment conviction and expertise, Candice Brenet joined Mirova last week as Deputy CEO, bringing a complementary external perspective to the Executive Committee. Her extensive experience at leading financial institutions combines strategic and transformation expertise with deep knowledge of private markets.

ollowing the merger with Thematics Asset Management in January 2026, Karen Kharmandarian has been appointed Chief Investment Officer for Listed Assets. His appointment provides continuity of leadership across Mirova’s listed assets platform, while his extensive investment experience and deep knowledge of the firm’s thematic capabilities position him well to support its next stage of development. Hervé Guez will remain with Mirova until 30 September to ensure a smooth handover.

Together, Candice and Karen bring a complementary blend of strategic, transformational, and investment expertise that will further strengthen Mirova’s capabilities as the firm enters this new chapter.

“Mirova has built a unique position in sustainable finance by combining investment expertise with strong sustainability convictions, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Hervé Guez for his instrumental contribution to Mirova’s creation and development. As our industry enters a new phase, our ambition is to build on these foundations while further strengthening our capabilities, our client focus and our ability to execute,” said Léa Dunand-Chatellet, Chief Executive Officer of Mirova.

“Sustainable finance is maturing rapidly, bringing new expectations from investors, new market dynamics and new opportunities to deliver impact at scale. By drawing on the depth of our internal talent and complementing it with new expertise where needed, we are positioning Mirova for its next stage of growth. Our ambition is clear: to reinforce Mirova’s role as a global leader in sustainable finance, leveraging the strength of our sustainability DNA and our complementary capabilities across both listed and private assets”, she added.

Leveraging its distinctive sustainability DNA and complementary capabilities across listed and private assets, Mirova remains fully committed to its mission, investment convictions, and long-term vision — and to its ambition of reinforcing its position as a global leader in sustainable finance, delivering investment solutions that support both long-term value creation and the transition to a more sustainable economy.

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Melina Morrison

BCCM says DRM sector grows despite stiff competition from insurers The Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM) today said the latest Discretionary Risk Mutuals Pulse Check report showed that membership and contributions continue to grow despite a more competitive insurance market.

BCCM Chief Executive Melina Morrison said the second annual report showed that 57 per cent of mutuals delivered a surplus in FY25 (the latest year with full results provided in this sector) with combined contributions increasing by 10 per cent to $416 million. Surpluses are being retained, invested in risk management programs for members, or returned to members by way of rebates or other mechanisms, with a notable shift this year towards building retained earnings and bolstering member balance sheets.

Ms Morrison said 93 per cent of reporting mutuals experienced membership growth but noted that achieving sufficient scale remains a challenge for some emerging industry-based mutuals.

She said DRMs play an important role in the provision of risk management to communities and businesses. The latest report, commissioned by the BCCM in conjunction with law firm Hamilton Locke, provides an ongoing snapshot of Australia’s discretionary risk mutual sector.

Unlike traditional insurance products, DRMs are owned by their members, who pool resources to fund their own coverage. They are usually set up by a group of organisations or individuals with a common purpose, risk profile and similar protection needs, where traditional sources of insurance are either unavailable or too costly. As mutuals, they are required to put the interests of their members first.

In a DRM, members have a right to have their claim considered but, unlike insurance, do not have a contractual right to indemnity. Claims are considered at the discretion, usually of the DRM board or management, but there is no legal right to indemnity.

According to the report, there are 150,000 Australian businesses, organisations and individuals using DRMs to manage their risk. The biggest DRMs include Capricorn Mutual, Unimutual, CivicRisk Mutual, Peninsula Mutual and Our Ark Mutual.

Among the biggest users of DRMs in Australia are small businesses, local governments, educational institutions, pilots, faith-based organisations and social care service providers.

“In a softening insurance market with improved affordability across corporate property, professional lines and general liability for the first time in 21 years, discretionary mutuals continue to be an important solution for those who are underserved or unserved by the traditional insurance market,” Charmian Holmes, Hamilton Locke’s head of funds and financial services said.

Ms Holmes noted that there are “headwinds in some emerging underserved sectors”.

“Last year’s theme of innovation continues for underserved segments for example, gig workers, such as rideshare, taxi, food delivery and courier drivers but it is not always clear sailing to form a viable mutual. There are some groups that may face challenges in terms of reaching the necessary scale for long-term growth and success,” she said.

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