In welcoming Peter Burke to the FFSFP team, Cameron Forbes said, “We are thrilled to have Peter join us.  His professionalism, experience, and genuine care for clients align perfectly with our values and commitment to delivering the highest standards of financial, lifestyle advice and ongoing service.

“Peter brings nearly three decades of experience in financial planning having successfully operated his own advice business for over two decades and throughout his career, helped countless Australians improve their financial and lifestyle wellbeing through sound advice, practical strategies, and personalised coaching”.

Peter is also an expert in Department of Veterans Affairs compensation matters, and has developed a deep understanding of their needs and circumstances.  He is only one of a handful of advisers with this unique skill set and expertise.

FFSFP operates from three locations – Geelong, Keilor East and Bundoora.  The group currently comprises a team of 20 with eight financial planners providing advice to clients.

In his new role, Peter will work across all three FFSFP’s offices and provide financial advice and support to clients across the group’s network.  His extensive experience, community focus, and ‘client-first’ approach make him an outstanding addition to the FFSFP team.

Commenting further on the appointment, Cameron said, “Peter will further strengthen our long-term strategic objectives and growth aspirations by enhancing FFSFP’s capacity. 

“Peter’s extensive industry knowledge, business expertise, coaching and mentoring skills will also be utilised to assist new industry entrants that join FFSFP to achieve their financial planning career aspirations”.

Highly regarded within the Geelong and Surf Coast communities, Peter has long been involved in a variety of charitable organisations and community initiatives.

He is also well known in the local football community, where he has established himself as both a respected player and coach.

Cameron also mentioned that the ‘connection” with Peter goes back much further than their respective financial services careers as ‘Mr Burke’ was his high school teacher in the 90’s.  

Cameron had the good fortune of working for Peter in his advice practice when he began his career in financial planning in 2004 – a connection that has now gone full circle with Peter joining FFSFP.

Peter Burke responded, “I’ve long admired Cameron for this passion and dedication to all his professional, sporting and personal undertakings – especially his commitment to financial services and the benefits the industry provides to all Australians. 

“I’m looking forward with much excitement to working with Cameron and the FFSFP team – and together building a future focused advice business to meet the career aspirations of new planners – as well as the wealth creation, retirement and lifestyle protection of clients in a rapidly changing and complex economy”.

Cameron concluded, “The addition of Peter to the FFSFP team reaffirms and demonstrates our collective commitment to strategic, planned growth (not growth for growths sake) and the ongoing provision of the highest standards of professional financial advice and service”.  

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Gus Smarrini

The financial planning community came together last month in support of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research and care at an event organised by Forbes Fava Saville Financial Planning (FFSFP).

The venue was the Barwon River Golf Club in Geelong and around 75 guests, many of them colleagues and peers from across the financial planning industry came together and successfully raised more than $10,000 for MND Victoria.

MND Victoria was established in 1981 (initially as the Motor Neurone Society of Victoria) and now provides support to people with MND, their families, community workers and health professionals.

The initiative was inspired by Neil Dyson, a respected former financial adviser and corporate executive who was diagnosed with MND 18 months ago. Determined to give back to the organisation that has supported him and his family, Neil collaborated with his former colleague Gus Smarrini, General Manager at FFSFP, to organise and promote the event.

Neil and wife Maree delivered a heartfelt address, sharing their personal journey and highlighting the profound impact MND has on not only those living with the disease but also their loved ones and carers.

They expressed deep gratitude to MND Victoria for the essential support it provides, helping families manage day-to-day challenges that many take for granted.

Among those in attendance were several of Neil’s former MLC colleagues, now working across a range of financial institutions, who travelled to Geelong to show their support.

Together with clients, friends, and staff from Forbes Fava Saville FP, the event demonstrated the power of community and compassion in action.

Guests also enjoyed a lively pre-AFL Footy Panel featuring respected football figures Stan Alves and Andrew Bews, who shared stories, insights, and light-hearted banter that set a positive and engaging tone for the gathering.

The funds raised went directly to MND Victoria, helping the organisation continue its vital work supporting individuals and families affected by Motor Neurone Disease.

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Located in the suburb of Bundoora, Financial Planit was founded by Anthony Buckley in 2004 as a boutique wealth management business to provide financial advice in retirement, superannuation, SMSF, risk insurance and estate planning.

The planning business will be rebranded FFSP and continue to operate from its premises in Bundoora.

As the result of the latest acquisition, FFSP will operate across three locations: Grovedale, East Keilor and Bundoora.

Commenting further Cameron Forbes said “We are excited to welcome Anthony, staff and clients to the FFSP team.  This acquisition represents another key step in our long-term strategic objective to expand the group’s presence in the Victorian marketplace”.

“Financial Planit is an outstanding business with an identical philosophy and culture to us, which made them a natural fit.

“An immediate benefit for the firm will be access to FFSP’s adviser driven operational framework that is dedicated to delivering the highest standards of advice, service, capability and capacity, training / professional development, as well as driving efficiencies and growth opportunities.”

Anthony started his working life as an accountant before deciding to transition to Financial Planning in 2000 as he felt he could better assist clients to navigate their financial journeys and achieve their wealth creation, retirement, business / personal insurance protection and lifestyle goals.  In 2004 he established Financial Planit.

Anthony Buckley said the key factors in the decision to become part of FFSP was the long-term personal and professional relationship with FFSP General Manager Gus Smarrini and the aligned values and philosophy between the two firms that facilitated a natural and strategic fit.

“Additional strategic drivers to joining FFSP was the need to find the right business partner in order to ensure continuity of service for our clients as well as the need for a succession / exit solution to be in place well before the need to retire is considered”, affirmed Anthony Buckley.

“An immediate benefit of the new structure has been the freedom to focus on the key areas I’m good at and where I can add the most value, which is assisting and working with my clients to achieve their long-term financial objectives.”

Cameron Forbes added, “The acquisition of Financial Planit has been the catalyst for a steady stream of enquiries from financial planning practices.  This is understandable considering the ongoing industry changes and the benefits of FFSP’s marketplace offer, structure, administrative framework, flexibility and scale”.

“We are not obsessed with growth and remain committed to ‘managed’ growth in order to continue being an intimate organisation that delivers professional financial advice, service and support on a personal and local level.  Looking to the future, I’m confident the FFSP will strengthen its footprint in the Victorian marketplace.

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Commenting further on the appointment, Cameron Forbes said, when developing FFSFP’s strategic plan, the role of GM Operations was identified as the crucial keystone link between the provision of professional advice / service and the growth of the business.

“Gus’s depth of financial services experience, understanding of advice businesses – and hands on ability to pro-actively support advisory practices to deliver the highest standards of client advice and operational excellence, made him the obvious choice,” affirmed Forbes.

In this newly created role, Smarrini, a former Practice Development Manager, will be responsible for strategic planning, business growth, client communication and engagement, M&As, recruitment of talent, marketing / PR, compliance and events.

Prior to joining FFSFP Gus held senior Practice Development Manager roles with MLC/Insignia Financia (15 years) and ING Licensees (8 years) and prior to this had experience as an adviser and practice manager.

“This is an exciting time to join FFSFP”, said Gus Smarrini. “Our commitment to managed growth and a personalised boutique approach to the provision of professional financial advice, aligns perfectly with my own values”

“I am eager to leverage my experience and background with the collective knowledge, expertise of the entire FFSFP team (including our alliance partners) to support the delivery of professional advice, solutions and service that address the evolving needs of our valued clients”.

Commenting on the future of financial services, Cameron said the industry – and in particular, the advice sector – continues to face significant headwinds.

He also noted that many advisory practices were failing to capitalise on their potential as they seem to have a list build issue (in AFL football terms) i.e. some new entrants alongside very mature practitioners but with a large gap in between.

No one is really investing in professional development, coaching and training in a structured manner that dovetails into a strategic, long-term objective and outcome.

“Our goal is to implement an internal framework that nurtures and encourages a team-based approach to tackle and address the issues of today and tomorrow – hence the importance of Gus’s appointment as GM Operations”, said Cameron Forbes.

“One of Gus’s key undertakings has been to bring new entrants and seasoned veterans together and develop an FFSFP pathway that provides career opportunities for advisers and administrative staff to flourish – including opportunities for financial advisory business owners to consider an alliance or succession solution with our group”.

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Commenting further Cameron Forbes said the benefits have been immediate with a higher profile and marketing presence as well as increased productivity and access to new business, growth and alliance opportunities.  

Craig Saville, who will continue with the firm as a senior planner, said “All clients of the new practice have been the first to benefit with access to a broader team of financial advice professionals and range of specialist financial services”.  

Cameron Forbes added, “Most importantly, our commitment to a boutique personalised approach to the provision of professional financial advice, service and support delivered a local and accessible level has been strengthened as we now have a presence in both Geelong and Melbourne.”

Forbes confirmed that the merger and higher profile / presence has been the catalyst for a steady stream of alliance and succession planning enquiries (from experienced business owners) and financial planners expressing interest in potential business / growth opportunities.

“This is understandable considering the ongoing industry changes and the benefits of Forbes Fava Saville Financial Planning’s industry knowledge, structure, administrative framework, flexibility and scale”, said Senior Financial Planner Michael Fava, who merged his operation with the organisation back in 2021.

However, a key commitment of Forbes Fava Saville is to manage growth carefully in order to continue being an intimate organisation that delivers personalised professional financial advice, service and support on a personal and local level. 

“We are not obsessed with growth for growths sake!” affirmed Cameron Forbes.

Cameron Forbes and fellow Senior Financial Planners Michael Fava and Craig Saville also confirmed that the depth and wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise contained within the financial planning team will be utilised to support and mentor new members that join the group who are looking for a career as financial advisers. 

With respect to the future, Cameron Forbes is adamant that the need for growth via alliances and recruitment of financial planners is an imperative in order to have scale and associated resources to implement technological advances, administrative processes, compliance requirements, and training programs to continually upskill their advisers and staff.

JVs and alliances with professional advisory businesses is a key area of interest for Forbes Fava Saville and Cameron Forbes is confident that the group’s higher presence and profile will attract these businesses in the future.

“I firmly believe that partnering via JVs or alliances with accounting groups, legal firms, finance providers and fellow financial planning practices will be a significant growth opportunity with the benefits measured in a more comprehensive range of services for clients”, said Cameron Forbes.

Looking to the future, Cameron Forbes is confident the Forbes Fava Saville growth trajectory will be positive with the group and its network of financial planning practitioners going from strength to strength on the growing demand for professional financial advice, services and support. 

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