Michelle Veitch

Michelle Veitch CFP® has been appointed as chair-elect at the Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) and will become chair of the FAAA Board following the 2026 Annual General Meeting in November 2026, succeeding current chair David Sharpe CFP® whose term ends at the AGM.

Veitch has served as deputy chair of the FAAA Board since the formation of the association in April 2023 and was vice president of the AFA prior to the merger between the AFA and the FPA. She has over 25 years of experience in financial advice and was one of the founding principals, and managing director, of her South Australian based practice, Mybluesky.  After finalising a significant business transaction in early 2025, Veitch now holds the position of general manager advice (SA) for PSK Private Wealth while also continuing to work directly with clients as a senior financial adviser.

Welcoming Veitch to the role, FAAA chief executive officer Sarah Abood said: “Michelle brings deep experience, excellent judgement and a strong connection to the profession through her ongoing work with clients. She has played an important leadership role within the Association and the broader financial advice profession for many years.

“I look forward to working closely with her as we continue to grow the profession, advocate for better outcomes for members and consumers, and ensure more Australians can access great financial advice.”

Veitch said she was optimistic about the future of the profession and the role the FAAA can play in supporting members.

“I am passionate about helping our profession thrive. I want to see an exciting new era for financial advice – one where advisers feel secure about the future, businesses can grow with confidence, talented people are eager to join our profession, and more Australians can access the advice they need.

“When I assume the role of chair in November, my focus will be on continuing to deliver the FAAA’s strategic priorities to 2030, keeping the Association relevant in a rapidly changing environment, and bringing stakeholders together to build a stronger future for our members and the profession.”

Abood also thanked Sharpe for his enormous contribution to the Association and profession to date.

“David has led the FAAA through a formative period in its history and has been a passionate advocate for members and the profession. In addition to the last three years as chair of the FAAA, David served seven years on the FPA Board, including as the FPA chair from May 2022, and will have reached the end of his maximum 10-year tenure as a director by the AGM in November.

“On behalf of the Board, management and our members, I would like to thank him for his leadership, commitment and tireless work on behalf of financial advisers and their clients across Australia.”

Reflecting on his time as chair, Sharpe said he is proud of the progress made since the formation of the FAAA over three years ago.

“I am most proud of how quickly and seamlessly the FAAA has formed its own identity and unified the membership. Our members are clear that their FAAA is here to represent their interests,” he said.

Sharpe said significant work remained, particularly in relation to the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (CSLR) and supporting the growth of the profession.

“The job isn’t complete. We are well aware of the challenge CSLR still poses. In my remaining time as chair of the FAAA, CSLR, along with the initial steps of regrowing numbers in our profession, remain the core focus and those challenges will continue to drive me over the next four months.”

Sharpe expressed confidence in the future leadership of the Association.

“Whilst I am under no illusions about what can be achieved by November, I am thankful that the custody of FAAA’s chair role will pass to Michelle who I know is both passionate and eminently qualified to continue representing FAAA members and to take on these challenges and more.”

He also thanked the Association’s members for their support.

“Lastly, I want to thank the almost 11,000 FAAA members for the work they do every day helping Australians build a better financial future. I am grateful for the countless messages of personal support I have received from many members over my four years as chair.”

The appointment follows a Board election process that confirmed Veitch as chair-elect. She will continue to serve as deputy chair until the 2026 AGM and then assume the role of chair through to the 2028 AGM.

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David Sharpe

The Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) and the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) have achieved legal completion of their merger to form the Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA), and have confirmed the board directors of the new association.  

From 3 April 2023, FPA and AFA staff come together as a single team in one office, and activity will begin to be undertaken under the FAAA name.  

The FAAA has also unveiled its new logo, created following extensive member consultation. The logo and new branding will be rolled out during April. Central to the new logo design are the three “a”s of the name represented as three speech bubbles, to symbolise its voice in dialogue with key stakeholders.

While FPA members will start to see a transition to the new FAAA branding over coming weeks, the AFA will continue to operate under its own brand until 30 June, when those members who renew will move to the FAAA.  

David Sharpe will be the chair of the FAAA and Michelle Veitch has been appointed as deputy chair.  

The FPA directors who will serve on the FAAA board are:  

• David Sharpe – chair 
• Diana D’Ambra
• Kearsten James
• William Johns
• Jade Khao
•  Julie Matheson 
• Angela Martyn
•  Julian Place  

The nominated AFA directors who will serve on the FAAA board are:  

• Michelle Veitch – deputy chair 
• Katherine Hayes
• Patricia Garcia
• Shaun McDonagh  

AFA national president Sam Perera, who will not be joining the new board, said he is proud to have played a part in bringing together the two associations.

“I have decided to refocus my time toward my family, staff and practice who have been patient with my absence whilst I served on the AFA board. I will remain an active member of the FAAA and continue to contribute in the areas of policy and advocacy,” Mr Perera said. 

Mr Perera will remain the president of the AFA and an AFA Board member until the AFA is wound up.  

FAAA chair David Sharpe paid tribute to Mr Perera’s three and a half years on the AFA board and his tireless dedication to the profession over many more years.  

“I would like to thank Sam for his work as the AFA national president, and his deep commitment to bringing our two associations together.  I also thank the other AFA directors who have worked so hard to make this merger a reality,” Mr Sharpe said.

“I would also like to acknowledge and thank Marisa Broome who, as immediate past chair of the FPA, was deeply involved in the early stages of talks and integral to the ultimate success of our merger.  

“On behalf of the board of the FAAA, I would also like to extend our gratitude to all staff who have worked so hard to get us to this point.”  

Mr Sharpe added that the new board represents a unified voice for the financial advice profession.  

“We had already taken steps to bring the board members together to start discussions following the merger, and the AFA nominated directors participated as guests at the last FPA board meeting and strategy day.  

“We are now in a strong position to start our work as a merged association, advocating on behalf of members,” he said.  

FAAA deputy chair, Michelle Veitch, said the formation of the FAAA represents a new chapter in the financial advice profession.

“I urge all members to renew with the new association. The FAAA will speak with one strong voice for the vast majority of financial advisers in the Australian market, as we work towards ensuring better outcomes for advice practices and their clients,” she said.  

FPA and AFA membership renewals will kick off in May, with all branding, website and membership activity due to be fully transitioned to the FAAA branding by 30 June. 

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Sam Perera

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) today announced Sam Perera has been appointed the AFA’s National President.

Mr Perera’s appointment follows a decision by National President Michael Nowak to resign after many years of contribution to the AFA Board as a board member and President.

AFA Treasurer, Matthew Hawkins, also announced his resignation after seven years on the Board.

“I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to Mike and Matt who have been long-serving members of the AFA Board,” Mr Perera said. “Mike has served for nine years, three of those as President, and Matt for seven years, a year as Treasurer.”

Mr Perera said the past few years have seen enormous pressures placed on advisers and the AFA, which represents them and advocates on their behalf.

“Mike has been an outstanding President of the AFA, tireless in his advocacy on behalf of the AFA as the Royal Commission reforms have continued unabated and the COVID-19 pandemic created major operational challenges for the AFA and our members,” he said.

“As Vice President, I had a unique insight into how the passion and absolute commitment Mike has for the AFA translated into a huge workload as President on top of his family and business commitments.

“The AFA Board fully supports Mike’s decision to share the load and allow somebody else to take on the presidential responsibilities.”

Mr Perera also acknowledged the contribution made by Matthew Hawkins.

“Matt also has significant work and family commitments and it’s time for somebody else to take on this significant role to allow him to focus on his other commitments,” he said.

Mr Perera said that at a Board meeting following the AGM, the other appointments made were:

• Michelle Veitch, Vice President
• Samantha Robinson, Treasurer

The AFA’s new president has been a member of the AFA Board for two years, one as Treasurer and one as Vice President.

All appointments are effective immediately.

The appointment of Sam Perera as President, Michelle Veitch as Vice President and Samantha Robinson as Treasurer are decisions of the Board to fill casual vacancies until the next AGM in 2022.

The AFA Board is now:

• President – Sam Perera
• Vice President – Michelle Veitch
• Treasurer – Samantha Robinson
• NSW/ACT – Katherine Hayes
• VIC – Vacant
• QLD – Patricia Garcia
• SA/NT – Jawad Ahmad
• WA – Stephen Knight
• TAS – Vacant
• Shaun McDonagh (Independent Director)

AFA CEO Helen Morgan-Banda thanked Mike and Matt on behalf of the AFA’s HQ team.

“Mike has been an inspirational leader for the AFA, and I want to thank him and Matt for supporting me and my team during a period of challenge and change,” she said.

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