Mark Stubbings

Financial Services Industry stalwart Mark Stubbings has been promoted to Head of Alliances at iExtend, a newly created role to facilitate Industry and Association collaboration and pioneer connection pathways for a unique life insurance option.

Mark is well-known and respected across the industry, previously working as iExtend’s Queensland (QLD) Distribution Manager. Given his work promoting the collaborative nature of iExtend across Licensees and Advice Practices, Mark’s role has expanded beyond state borders.

In July, Mark worked with a number of industry identities and organisations to run the inaugural joint FPA, AFA, SMSFA, MDRT and XY Adviser Roadshow, which toured Northern Queensland. This success of the Roadshow and two earlier combined events have led to a similar Roadshow being planned for Tasmania. Mark’s new role will see him facilitate other industry collaborations while continuing to build momentum for iExtend.

Mark has specialised in financial services across Australia and New Zealand, working in a number of Licensee, Financial Advice and Product Provider roles. He worked at Sunsuper for five years and 12 months at Aware Super, where he designed, launched and further developed their respective offers to the IFA market.

Mark is an accountant by profession and holds an MBA and a number of financial planning qualifications. He is also State Secretary for the AFA in QLD.

Commenting on his promotion, iExtend CEO David Sarkis noted, “Mark is an insurance professional and his capacity to engage and bring the industry together on key issues has no boundaries. We look forward to expanding on these strengths in his new role and building on the collaborative nature of our offering.”

iExtend was launched in March this year and allows policyholders to co-own a life policy with iExtend so they can retain a partial interest in the original policy and eliminate future premium payments on the co-owned policy that was to be cancelled. The purpose and vision for iExtend is to help Australians who have determined to cancel or reduce their Life insurance retain an interest on the co-owned portion at no extra cost.

“We take a collaborative approach with our offer and work with all the stakeholders in a life insurance policy, including the policyholder, the adviser and the insurer,” said Sarkis. “We believe our service and attention to detail create a winning experience for all three and one which extends the life of life insurance which otherwise would have been cancelled.”

To date, iExtend has attended the AIOFP, Synchron, NextGen and Futuro conferences. Later this month, iExtend will be attending the AFA National Conference in Queensland and the FPA Congress in Sydney in November.

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Eleanor Dartnall

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) has introduced new categories in its community awards, recognising three levels of exceptional service to the association.

The three categories include the existing AFA Appreciation Awards, plus the new AFA Recognition Awards and the AFA Thought Leader Award.

AFA Appreciation Awards were extended to:

• Karen Walmsley, Powe Financial Advice
• Amanda Cassar, Wealth Planning Partners
• Jawad Ahmed, Mackenzie Strategic Wealth

AFA Recognition Awards were extended to:

• Mark Stubbings, Sunsuper
• Niall McConville, TAL Life
• Olivia Sarah-Le Lacheur, CommInsure

AFA Thought Leader Award

The AFA awarded the inaugural AFA Thought Leader Award, which represents the pinnacle of the community awards, to Eleanor Dartnall, Focus Wealth Advisers.

AFA CEO, Philip Kewin said, “The AFA community awards are extended to people within our community who demonstrate ongoing and outstanding commitment to the advice profession. It is our way of saying thank-you to those people who believe in and are passionate about our cause, which is delivering great advice to more Australians.”

The Awards were presented at the AFA National Adviser Conference on the Gold Coast last night.

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