Chesne Stafford

Advice platform, AZ NGA has acquired national advisory firm, Intend Financial, adding ten financial advisers and four locations to the AZ NGA community and delivering capital, expertise and scale to fuel Intend Financial’s continued expansion.

Established in 2021 by the amalgamation of three mature financial planning firms, Intend Financial has offices in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania and is led by five principal advisers: John Moran, Zach McArthur, Jesse Nihill, Yihsing Koo and Ben Buchanan.

Over the past five years, the business has grown rapidly through M&A and organic activity.

Chesne Stafford, Chief Growth Officer at AZ NGA, said the formation and growth of Intend Financial demonstrated the power of a clear vision, unity and collaboration to build something extremely unique and valuable in a relatively short period of time.

“Advice businesses that want to grow need to scale in order to serve more clients and provide opportunities for employees, and the team at Intend Financial have done a brilliant job of expanding geographically and integrating businesses while continuing to deliver excellent service and advice to clients,” she said.

“This is a high-quality business with a loyal, growing clientbase that is supported by a group of experienced advisers and a knowledgeable team of support staff, making it an ideal business to join AZ NGA and support our rapid expansion strategy.”

Director and Principal, John Moran said: “Intend Financial’s strategic partnership with AZ NGA was the perfect next step for the business”.

“AZ NGA brings resources, expertise and fresh ideas to keep us growing and scaling.”

“Culturally, we are committed to looking after our clients and delivering excellent personal advice and service. AZ NGA shares our advice philosophy and commitment, which is why this is a strong fit.”

“This transaction will also deliver opportunities for our valued team members. We are all looking forward to the future.”

Intend Financial has 20 employees of which the majority are based in Victoria. The group provides advice on superannuation, retirement, investments, insurance and estate planning. In addition to individuals, families and business owners, the firm also works with philanthropic organisations and family offices.

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Chesne Stafford

Advice platform, AZ NGA, has accelerated its expansion into Tasmania, completing the full acquisition of Hobart-based financial advisory firm Foundation Wealth Advisers (FWA).

Founded in 1992, FWA specialises in strategic advice for retirees and pre-retirees across Hobart and surrounding regions. The firm has seven staff, including two advisers, and a deeply loyal client base.

The deal builds on AZ NGA’s existing minority stake, secured through its 2024 acquisition of AMP’s Equity Portfolio.

Chesne Stafford, AZ NGA Chief Growth Officer, said the acquisition marks a significant step in strengthening the group’s presence in Tasmania.

“Stuart and Mark have built a high-quality, client-focused business with strong, enduring relationships. We’re excited to deepen our partnership and accelerate our growth in Tasmania,” she said.

“Our shared values and cultural alignment position us well to build a market-leading advice business and broaden access to high-quality financial advice.”

FWA Principal and Private Client Adviser Mark Hudson said the transaction supported a smooth leadership transition while positioning the firm for future growth.

“We’re approaching the next stage of our careers and wanted a partner who would look after our team and clients while helping the business evolve,” he said.

“After considering our options, AZ NGA was the clear choice—particularly given the strength of our existing relationship.”

“They’ve been collaborative, flexible and highly professional throughout the process.”

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Chesne Stafford

Advice platform, AZ NGA, has continued expanding in regional New South Wales by partnering with integrated financial planning, accounting and mortgage broking firm, Back to Back Financial Planners (Back to Back) in Young.

Established in 1990, Back to Back is led by Justine Back and has 24 employees including four advisers.

The business has a loyal, geographically diverse clientbase and strong referral networks in Sydney and across the greater NSW region. It looks after retirees and pre-retirees, professionals, small business owners and farmers.

Chesne Stafford, AZ NGA Chief Growth Officer, said the partnership with Back to Back supported longer term plans to develop a financial advice hub in regional NSW to service key areas like Young, Wagga Wagga and Orange, where many individuals and families had complex advice and succession planning needs but were generally underserved.

“Back to Back is an exceptional business with a robust operating model, solid financial performance and consistently strong growth, and we are excited to partner with Justine and the team to continue delivering quality advice,” Stafford said.

“Over the past 35 years, the business has earned a reputation in their community, and beyond, for trusted advice. We see an opportunity to build on Back to Back’s reputation and infrastructure to establish a regional hub that connects with other key areas.”

Justine Back said the group’s motivation for partnering with AZ NGA was for growth and to support the development of the next generation of advisers in the practice.

“AZ NGA stood out because we like their people and philosophy, and share their views on where the financial advice profession is going,” she said.

“We’re setting the business up for its next phase of growth and creating an opportunity for future leaders to step up and assist us in continuing to expand the business.”

“I’m passionate about my work and taking care of my clients and this partnership allows our team to continue to grow well into the future.”

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Virginia Heyer

Professional services group, AZ NGA, has acquired Sydney-based financial planning firm, StrategyOne Advice Network (StrategyOne), continuing the group’s record of partnering with mature, high quality advisory businesses.

Established in 1984, StrategyOne is led by Managing Director, Virginia Heyer, and Senior Private Client Adviser, Duncan Derrington.

The firm specialises in wealth management, retirement planning and risk advice, and has four advisers, eight support staff and around 600 clients.

Alongside Heyer, StrategyOne has an impressive pedigree of founders including financial advice pioneers Venn O’Neil, Linda Hogan, and Linda’s husband Peter Hogan, formerly Head of Technical at the SMSF Association.

Chesne Stafford, AZ NGA Executive General Manager, said: “StrategyOne has a strong reputation for excellent service and advice, and a team of a dedicated, capable professionals”.

“When we do a deal, we don’t just look at individual businesses in isolation but rather how they fit into our broader community. We consider things like values, complementary services and potential opportunities to collaborate,” she said.

“We believe there are a lot of synergies with StrategyOne and we’re excited to work together.”

Heyer said the AZ NGA partnership secured the firm’s ongoing success by adding scale and enabling it to invest in the next generation.

“It is getting harder and more costly for advice SMEs to operate effectively so we sought a large, experienced partner to help future proof our business and ensure a sustainable future,” Heyer said.

“StrategyOne has been around for 40 years and we want to be around for another 40 years to take care of our people and clients. We had a good look around at our options and AZ NGA is the right fit. We’ve been thoroughly impressed by the team and we’re excited about the group’s proposition and plans for the future.”

AZ NGA’s latest acquisition follows the group’s recent strategic alliance with AMP and advice business services group, Entireti, to create a compelling offer for AMP’s financial advisers.

“We have the capacity, capability and capital to do transactions of all shapes and sizes and we’re able to innovate to satisfy the needs of different stakeholders,” Stafford said.

“While our recent focus has been on large deals, we’re always looking to partner with quality accounting and advisory SMEs to help grow their business, drive efficiencies and capture opportunities.”

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Currently in the role of Chief Growth Officer at HUB24, Stafford will report to AZ NGA Chief Executive Officer, Paul Barrett when she commences with AZ NGA in July 2024.

Stafford’s appointment follows a period of remarkable growth for AZ NGA and strengthens the group’s ability to continue attracting high quality accounting and advisory firms, delivering exceptional services and executing its Super Firm strategy.

“Chesne is a strong leader with a proven record of driving growth and delivering value to clients. We are excited to have her on board at this important time for AZ NGA, as we seek to accelerate our growth, develop a customer strategy, and cement our position as Australia’s leading professional advisory business,” Barrett said.

“AZ NGA is maturing and changing shape. We are on an exciting journey, as we seize the enormous opportunity in front of us to fill the void left by the institutional exit from personal advice. We want to partner with accounting and advisory firms to deliver quality advice to more Australians.”

Stafford has over 25 years’ financial services experience, spanning superannuation, wealth management, life insurance and advice.

She joined HUB24 in 2022, after seven years at MetLife in various senior roles including Chief Distribution Officer and Chief Customer and Marketing Officer.

Prior to that, she spent over 10 years at OnePath and MLC in sales strategy and advice roles.

“Financial advice is life changing and this role enables me to make a greater difference in helping more people get access through the growth and prosperity of high-quality wealth firms,” Stafford said.

“I’m inspired by what has been achieved so far and the opportunity ahead of us to continue to shape the Australian Wealth industry.”

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In the newly created role and reporting to HUB24’s CEO and Managing Director, Andrew Alcock, Ms. Stafford will lead the company’s distribution and marketing functions and work with the broader team to leverage the Group’s innovative product and technology solutions to deliver segmented customer propositions whilst also looking for new opportunities for growth.

Ms. Stafford joins HUB24 from MetLife where she was a member of the Executive team for the last 7 years as Chief Distribution Officer and then Chief Marketing and Customer Officer. With more than 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry across Superannuation, Wealth Management, Financial Advice and Insurance, Ms. Stafford has a strong track record of leading high performing teams to deliver growth and customer value.  Prior to Metlife, Ms. Stafford spent 10 years at OnePath and MLC in sales and financial advice strategy roles.

In February 2022, HUB24 reported that Platform Funds Under Administration (FUA) had grown to $50 billion whilst total FUA had reached $68.3 billion.  The HUB24 Group has also completed a series of acquisitions over the last two years including Xplore Wealth and more recently Class Limited, whilst also entering the non-custody Portfolio Administration and Reporting (PARS) segment.

The newly appointed CGO will leverage product and technology solutions available across the HUB24 platforms, PARS and HUBconnect to meet evolving customer needs and will leverage existing relationships with financial professionals, as well as develop new customer relationships and segments.

HUB24’s CEO and Managing Director Andrew Alcock welcomed the announcement, commenting

“I am delighted to welcome Chesne to the HUB24 Group, as we continue to invest in both our people and product development to enable further growth. Chesne’s strong track record of leadership, growth and delivering value to customers means she is well-placed to lead our distribution and marketing teams as we continue to look for opportunities to deliver value and innovative product solutions to empower better financial futures.”

Ms. Stafford will join HUB24 in July.

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MetLife created 360Health in 2018 in response to insights gathered from close to 30,000 consumers who were worried about the burden serious illness like cancer, dementia or heart disease would bring upon them and their families. With an expanding offering in China, Korea and Australia, 360Health is a unique, integrated offering that combines insurance products with health services to help customers prevent and manage serious illnesses through a simple and engaging experience.

MetLife 360 Health in Australia focuses on adding value to the life insurance offering, by delivering exclusive online tools, thought leadership and content that encourages people to actively maintain and improve their health and financial wellbeing, through access to exclusive health and wellbeing related services; mental health resources, diet support, health toolkits, health risk assessments, early detection services, specialist recovery plans, access to second opinions and specialised medical support services.

Chesne Stafford, MetLife Australia’s Chief Customer and Marketing Officer, said of 360Health in Australia: “There are many benefits to this program for our customers, as well as intermediaries like super funds and employers, by adopting a holistic approach to health. Customers benefit from support and access to specialised medical resources that can aid in preventing, detecting and treating serious illnesses. We’re really pleased to have been recognised for this work, along with our colleagues across MetLife in Asia.”

The MetLife 360Health solution in Asia has been co-developed with leading-edge health-tech startups to ensure an intuitive, simplified, yet personalized experience. For example, in Korea, a cardiovascular test app has been developed to accurately measure blood pressure through a smartphone camera lens, while in China, 360Health provides an easy access “One Click Call” through WeChat.

This is the second year in a row that 360Health has been recognized with a Gold Stevie®. In 2019, MetLife China won a Gold Stevie® in the “Best New Product or Service of the Year – Financial Services” category for its “Flexible with You” solution which allows customers to customize their health protection in line with their needs at different life stages. The solution was again recognized in this year’s awards with a Bronze Stevie® for “Innovation in Customer Service Management, Planning & Practice – Financial Services.”

“We’re excited that 360Health continues to gain international recognition for serving our customers’ evolving needs. Now more than ever, customers are prioritizing their health and wellbeing, and they are looking for a trusted partner and solutions that go beyond traditional insurance products to address their needs holistically,” said Sanjeev Kapur, Chief Marketing Officer, MetLife Asia.

“We are delighted that the seventh edition of the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards attracted so many impressive nominations,” said Stevie® Awards president Maggie Gallagher.  “This year’s winning nominations are testament to the resiliency and innovation of organizations in the region, many of which continue to succeed despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MetLife will accept its Gold Stevie® during a virtual awards ceremony on 22 September.

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Chesne Stafford

Consumers are looking to their financial service providers for reassurance during the COVID-19 outbreak, according to new research from life insurer MetLife Australia.

MetLife Australia’s COVID-19 Insights research, which looked into the behaviors of Australians to understand how the financial services sector can better support them at this time, shows that superannuation fund members and investment holders want reassurance that their funds are able to navigate this period of volatility.

While 50% of respondents said they had received COVID-19 related communications from financial providers, 26% of participants claim they have checked their superannuation balance. This increases if they have a financial advisor: 30% have checked their superannuation balance, and 11% have changed their investment strategy.

Chesne Stafford, Chief Customer and Marketing Officer at MetLife Australia said that superfunds and financial advisers have a significant role to play in helping ease the financial stress of their customers.

“According to our research, 58% of people surveyed claim that COVID-19 has already directly impacted their financial situation, and in the face of financial uncertainty and fluctuating markets, there is an important opportunity for financial providers to step up and help their customers,” Ms Stafford said.

The research found that transparent communications, including what options are available, reassurance that fund managers have experience in navigating through a financial downturn, and that they are doing as much as they can to manage the current situation, are top requirements from superfund members and investors alike.

Investors also want greater transparency with regards to investment returns and where funds are currently being invested; clear guidance with regards to their investment options, accessing funds early, rolling over funds, available tools and financial advice consultations; and easy options for contacting their fund managers via multiple channels.

“Providing regular communications across a variety of channel options, transparent information on COVID-19-related topics and the reassurance of a long-term investment view are all simple steps that financial providers can take to relieve their customers’ stress and support their overall wellbeing. Alleviating financial stress can be a crucial factor to reducing mental health related issues. By going the extra mile, financial providers can develop deeper relationships with their customer base that will last well beyond the crisis,” Ms Stafford said.

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With 20 years’ experience across customer experience and operations in the financial services and telco industries, Lina joins MetLife with a mandate to advocate for customers and continue to build the company’s credentials as a leader in CX. Her remit includes partnering with MetLife’s super funds and partners to optimise the experience for their members and help to realise the vision of delivering the easiest, fastest and most caring life insurance experience. Lina has previously consulted to major players in financial services including Macquarie and Allianz, and has worked for CommInsure, NBN and Telstra.

Commenting on the appointment, Chesne noted Lina’s depth of experience and how it will complement MetLife’s CX journey so far, “We’ve already come a long way in improving the experience people have with MetLife but this is an ongoing journey. Lina brings significant expertise in this space and will help us define what a better experience could be and then embed that in BAU, so that we’re always focused on delivering a great experience, helping us achieve our vision.

“It’s an exciting time at MetLife as we work hand in hand with our business partners, the industry and our customers to manage significant changes across the industry, while making sure the customer experience is positive. Ultimately, we want to be known as best in class for CX and I’m excited about what Lina’s appointment means for our customers.”

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Chesne Stafford

MetLife Australia has announced two leadership appointments designed to drive business growth and strengthen key capabilities in the business to deliver on the vision of being the fastest, easiest and most caring life insurer. Both appointments are effective from 1 July.

A new role – Chief Customer & Marketing Officer – has been created to expand MetLife’s customer centred approach and elevate the role of customer in the business, with the position being filled by Chesne Stafford. She brings to the role over 20 years experience in financial services and a passion for advocating for both clients and customers. Chesne is currently Chief Distribution Officer, a position she has held since early 2015, leading the growth in Group insurance over the last four years to become 3^rd in the market.

Stepping into the Chief Distribution Officer role will be Michael Mulholland. Michael has over 25 years experience in financial services in Group and Retail sales roles across the wealth management industry.  Michael was most recently the Executive General Manager, Growth, Advice & Marketing at Sunsuper, during which time the fund grew from $25bn and 1 million members to $66bn and 1.4 million members. Michael also has significant Retail sales experience, having been Head of Insurance Sales at MLC.

Commenting on the additions to his leadership team, MetLife Chief Executive Officer Richard Nunn said: “These appointments are a boost to our bench strength in customer and marketing, and sales and distribution. We plan to grow the business and to be able to do that we need the right capabilities at the most senior level. I see the need to push harder in both these areas as the way forward to making a real impact on the market and ultimately our customers.

“Chesne has built our distribution strategy and led the growth that’s resulted in MetLife being 3^rd in the Group market. This new role is an opportunity to apply her skills and experience in distribution with a customer lens. We need someone always championing our customers, and making sure we’re creating experiences that meet their needs and expectations.

“Michael has extensive experience in financial services and will bring strong capability to the future management of our distribution channels. At a time of unprecedented change in the market, we need to consolidate and maintain our strong position in established channels such as Group, while looking to find new areas for growth.”

The appointments come following Richard taking the reins at MetLife in May 2019 and quickly establishing a roadmap for the business going forward that focuses on a customer and growth agenda.

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