The appointments of Eima Alkheder and Ben Donald, bring extensive experience from across the financial services and advice industries.

Ms Alkheder previously served as an Executive Director and Head of Operations, overseeing operations across highly regulated environments including superannuation, insurance and pensions. Mr Donald is a Life Insurance Specialist at Life Advice Partners, with active industry involvement through insurer advisory boards, and the FAAA Life Insurance Committee.

Their appointments support PFAN’s continued focus on strengthening partnerships, expanding adviser participation and delivering high‑quality pro bono advice to Australians in need.

According to PFAN’s Chair Nicola Beswick, since its inception in 2014, participation from advisers, practices and partners has become more coordinated.

“Firms are embedding pro bono advice into their culture as part of professional advice, not as an exception to it. This has changed what’s possible for PFAN in terms of our outlook for growth and the people we support. Eima and Ben both bring hands-on experience across operations, insurance and advice, which will help us keep building momentum and reach more people.”

Today, PFAN works with more than 170 financial advisers, delivering over 850 hours of pro bono financial advice. Since it was established, PFAN has connected Australians living with serious illness or disability to qualified financial advisers willing to provide pro bono advice.

Working closely with referral partners such as the Multiple Sclerosis and MND networks across Australia, PFAN matches individuals in financial hardship with locally based advisers who can support them through complex financial decisions. These initiatives have been supported by PFAN’s corporate partners over several years, reflecting the collective focus on delivering financial advice to more Australians.

Parachute Cover Founder and PFAN Adviser, Natalie Lackner said her involvement with the network allows her to support people she wouldn’t typically encounter in her day-to-day work.

“It creates a pathway for advisers to use their expertise where it can have the greatest impact, helping people navigate complex financial decisions at an incredibly difficult time.”

The new appointments join existing Board members Nicola Beswick, Natalie Kleibert, Stephen Knight, Anne McDonnell, Niall McConville, Paul Harding‑Davis and Aleks Vickovich.

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Nicola Beswick

The Pro Bono Financial Advice Network (PFAN) is pleased to announce the appointment of existing Board members, Nicola Beswick as Chair, and Natalie Kleibert as Deputy Chair.

Ms Beswick and Ms Kleibert will be responsible for leading PFAN into the next phase of its purpose – improving the financial wellbeing of Australians living with serious illness and/or disability by providing pro bono financial advice. Western Australian financial adviser, Stephen Knight, has also joined the Board.

“I am privileged to take on the role of Chair of PFAN,” Ms Beswick said. “As a financial adviser I understand the many small, yet powerful actions that people can take to change their financial future, and by their very nature, the course of their lives.”

Established in 2014, PFAN is a trusted network of industry professionals who are focused on providing pro bono financial advice to those in need. Advisers connected to PFAN provide trusted, quality financial advice that improves the sense of security for these clients.

In 2016, PFAN partnered with MS Queensland to provide pro bono financial advice to people with MS who had identified financial advice as one of their most needed services. PFAN has also formed a partnership with MS Limited, who provide services to those located in Victoria, NSW, ACT and Tasmania.

Ms Beswick succeeds Nick Hakes, who has stepped down as PFAN Chair after four years of service, but remains on as Treasurer. Tim Meggitt has stepped down as a director after seven years.

“I’d like to thank Tim for his contribution and many years of service. I’d also like to extend a special thank you to Nick for leading the Board with passion and enthusiasm during his time as Chair,” Ms Beswick said. “I am looking forward to working with him and the rest of the Board in continuing to grow the PFAN network and promoting the value and the positive difference that our PFAN advisers are delivering to individuals living with multiple sclerosis.”

Ms Beswick, a financial adviser, based in Melbourne, Victoria, said supporting people, particularly when they are experiencing a health crisis, highlights the importance of the work of advisers.

“I have a deep personal understanding of this as my dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis many years ago,” she said. “An income protection policy changed his financial future. This is why I am passionate about leading PFAN and the work we do to support the MS community.”

Ms Beswick also thanked TAL and the Association of Financial Advisers, who provide support with PFAN’s administration and operations.

During the pandemic this year, 17 clients have been connected with a PFAN adviser.

“It is pleasing to see we are connecting individuals who are living with multiple sclerosis, who cannot otherwise afford or access financial advice, with a PFAN adviser,” Ms Beswick said. “We have much more to do, to continue to promote the significant difference that financial advice can make, and to inspire other partners and advisers to join us on our important mission.”

Ms Beswick encouraged more advisers to make themselves available to support a pro bono advice case. “I welcome any adviser who wants to help someone in need to get in touch with us and find out how little of their own time it can take to support just one more person. They will be giving that person vital financial advice at a time when they need it. It’s often a small contribution that makes a massive difference.”

Other board members include Paul Harding-Davis, Brad Fox, Kate Humphries and Niall McConville.

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Recipients of the 2019 round receive professional development packages, which include a 2019 AFA Conference registration, attendance at AFA events including Masterclasses and ongoing events, along with networking and support from MetLife Australia.

Amongst the winners is Cassandra Scoble, who applied for the grant because she recognised the opportunity to expand her skills in financial advice, along with other accomplished women in the finance industry. Commenting on the opportunity, Ms Scoble said: “I’m thrilled to receive this professional development grant from MetLife and AFA – I know it will be a great way for me to further my career and do the best I can for my clients. The client landscape for financial advice is changing and we need to keep pace with that. This is a great way to make sure women, who are still outnumbered by men in the industry, have the development opportunities they need to succeed. I’m really grateful for that.”

MetLife Progress was created to advocate for greater diversity in the industry by helping women in financial advice achieve their career goals.

AFA CEO, Philip Kewin said of the winners, “The AFA is proud to support the professional development of emerging female advisers and paraplanners with this grant. We are very impressed by the high standard of the grant applications we received and we are confident that both the profession as a whole and the recipients themselves will reap the rewards of this initiative.”

MetLife’s Head of Retail Sales, Matt Lippiatt said, “I want to congratulate the inaugural MetLife Progress recipients. They are a high calibre group of women who are each blazing trails in their own way within the profession. We are delighted to be able to partner with the AFA to bring this initiative to life. Not only will these advisers benefit from this opportunity, but so too will their clients.”

The other MetLife Progress grant recipients are Rhianne Rees, Rochelle Leese, Emma Fowler, Ewelina Barilka, Samantha Henry, Amanda Montesin, Indee Herath, Rebecca Maher, Errin McDowall, Angela Reade, Cara Williams, Melissa Robin and Katherine Hope.

The judging panel was made up of  Rachel Towell (MetLife), Jeff Thurecht (Evalesco Financial Services), and Natalie Kleibert (AFA).

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