The ifa Show

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by the general manager of consulting at Elixir, Sue Viskovic, to discuss her recent business merger, the evolving landscape of financial advice, and the role of technology in shaping the industry's future. Ms Viskovic explains the strategic decision to merge with Vital Business Partners (VBP), which brings greater access to capital, the ability to scale more rapidly, and ultimately, provide better and more efficient services to advice firms. Listen as they discuss:

• What changes with a move into a new role, and what doesn't.
• The potential of AI in the financial advice sector, particularly around automating business processes and improving efficiency.
• The government's first Quality of Advice Review draft legislation.

Following the Women in Finance Summit and Awards 2023, we're catching up with some of the leading women in the financial services space.

In this episode, we chat to Suzanne Wood, state general manager residential broker Victoria/Tasmania at Westpac Group (and state chair of the Women of Westpac employee advocacy group), about how she climbed the career ladder in banking and the power of having strong female role models.

Tune in to find out:

• How she learnt the art of having difficult conversations.
• The perils of unconscious bias and how to tackle them.
• How Westpac is supporting women through the Women of Westpac employee advocacy group.

And much more!

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by journalist Keith Ford to take a look at the first tranche of legislation for the government's Delivering Better Financial Outcomes package of reforms. The pair discuss what is included in the draft legislation announced by Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones – and what isn't. They also break down the minister's comments and how advisers have reacted to the news.

Listen as they discuss:

• The notable omission of measures relating to statements of advice and the removal of safe harbour provisions.
• The response from industry bodies and advice associations.
• What's next for the Quality of Advice Review reforms.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Steve Prendeville, founder and director of Forte Asset Solutions, to examine what the future landscape of the advice profession will look like. Mr Prendeville explains why we are on the verge of a golden age of advice, spurred on by what he sees as an imminent period of legislative stability when the Quality of Advice Review changes are eventually implemented. Listen as they discuss:

• How mergers and acquisitions within the advice space will lead to "super boutiques".
• The rise of multidisciplinary firms working under a single umbrella.
• What the financial advice environment will look like over the next decade.

Ahead of the Women in Finance Summit and Awards 2023, we're catching up with some of the leading women in the financial services space. In this episode, we chat to Anjali Crossette, manager of motor operations at non-bank lender Liberty, about breaking barriers and misconceptions about car finance and why she believes the industry needs to showcase gender diversity across every rung of the career ladder. Tune in to find out:

• Why the finance industry is an attractive industry to work in for women.

• The progress being made in gender diversity in car finance.

• How Liberty is leading the way by example.

And much more!

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Adam Holster, professional services banking executive at NAB, to discuss the optimistic outlook for growth among advice practices. Mr Holster explains the findings of recent NAB research that the majority of advice firms expect strong growth over the next 12 months, how this is enabling them to attract their ideal clients, and why advice is all about people. Listen as they discuss:

• The impact of regulation on advisers and how the Quality of Advice Review will play out.
• How younger advisers can enter the industry with banks no longer a pipeline.
• How an increase in mergers and acquisitions will impact the industry.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Conaill Keniry, the founder of The Adviser Games, to discuss what exactly the games entail. Mr Keniry explains what prompted the idea to reshape and energise the professional development day format into a series of games that are more fun and interesting than the standard fair advisers are used to. Listen as they discuss: • How the first Amazing Race-style event was received by attendees and partners. • The plans for future The Adviser Games events in different cities. • A sense of optimism around the profession heading into 2024 as legislative changes begin to clear up.

Ahead of the Women in Finance Summit and Awards 2023, we're catching up with some of the leading women in the financial services space. Deslie Taylor, principal at Mortgage Choice Ormeau in Queensland, is one of the top brokers in the country, having settled over $1 billion in loans in her 16-year career and taken home numerous awards including Mortgage Broker of the Year at the Women in Finance Awards multiple years in a row. In this episode, we chat to Ms Taylor about how she runs her award-winning brokerage and find out from Aaron Slater, general manager of distribution at Mortgage Choice (principal partner of the Women in Finance Summit and Awards 2023), how we can help support and create more inclusive workplaces. Tune in to find out:

• The power of being an empathetic leader.
• The art of practising continuous improvement.
• How Mortgage Choice's Aspire program is supporting women in finance.

And much more!

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Olympian and financial adviser at HLB Mann Judd Sarah Carli, to discuss how she made her way from the track to financial advice.

Ms Carli, who competed in the 400-metre hurdles at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, explains how she found her way to financial advice and the valuable skills she has learnt as an adviser that have positively impacted her athletic career, as well as how she balances being a professional athlete with working full time. Listen as they discuss:

• The importance of a supportive work environment.
• How she balances her professional and athletic commitments.
• How there are more transferable skills between athletics and advice than many might expect.
• Her goals beyond the Paris Olympics for both her career as an athlete and an adviser.

Ahead of the Women in Finance Summit and Awards 2023, we're catching up with some of the leading women in the financial services space. Joanna James is an advocate for constant reinvention and resilience, having adapted to change over her career in the finance space herself. Having worked in the lending space for more than 20 years – including as the general manager of non-bank lender Mortgage Ezy – she now helps support women in building successful businesses through Artemis Space, a women's community group delivered by the Finance Brokers Association of Australia. In this episode, Annie Kane sits down with Joanna James to find out:

• Why success is subjective.

• The power of visualisation, emotionalisation and manifestation.

• Why she believes the finance industry is a great industry for women.

And much more!