Jason Muhs

Board Director

Jason started his career in Westpac, working through several commercial and M&A roles in the banking and finance sector. He is currently the Strategy Director of Eclipx (listed financial services company) where he recently led the purchase of Fleetplus and the IPO of the combined business under the Eclipx brand.

Given his strong M&A and investment and retail banking background, Jason plays a lead role in effective capital deployment and the growth strategies of Adviser Ratings.

Paul Hunyor

Board Director

Experienced venture capital investor, a successful entrepreneur and the current regional head of BCG Digital Ventures Asia. 

Strong investment background spanning late stage private equity, as an investment manager for a $5B fund at Archer Capital, through to early stage venture capital as founder of Breakthrough Lab a VC fund specialising in seed stage technology investment. Investor and adviser to a portfolio of start-ups with a current combined enterprise value of over $150M.

Over 8 years in early stage entrepreneurship. Co-founded One Big Switch, an Australian switching platform for household bills. As CEO helped grow the startup in less than 2 years to over 400,000 members, greater than $10m in revenue, and an early exit to News Corporation. 

Significant private company board experience for both large private equity backed businesses and several technology start-ups, including: Rebel Sport, Coco Republic, Adviser Ratings and Expense Check.

Currently, as Partner and regional head of BCGDV Asia, leading teams of digital business builders across Sydney, Tokyo and Shanghai to incubate game-changing businesses with the world’s most important corporates.

Graduated from Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School.

Professor Jerry Parwada

Chair of Ratings Committee

Dr. Jerry Parwada is a Professor of Finance at UNSW Business School, Sydney, Australia. He joined UNSW in 2003 and served as Head of School - Banking and Finance from 2011-2017. Jerry's research specializes in investment management and financial markets. His works have been published in internationally renowned finance journals, including Journal of Accounting Research, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and Financial Management. He has three years’ investment banking experience and is an active consultant to industry on issues relating to managed funds and valuation. He has served, since 2012, on the Credit Suisse Endowment Advisory Council. He is on the FINSIA Industry Council for Institutional Markets and the Australian Lenders'​ Index Expert Panel. Jerry is a regular speaker at local and international finance conferences. He holds PhD and MBA degrees from Edith Cowan University, an MPhil from UNSW Australia, a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from NUST (Zimbabwe) and studied leadership at the Wharton School's Aresty Institute of Executive Education.

Dr Michelle Cull

Advisor to the Ratings Committee

Dr Michelle Cull is currently the Director of Academic Program (Accounting and Financial Planning) in the School of Business at Western Sydney University. Michelle has lectured in accounting and financial planning at Western Sydney University since 1999 and has taught in face-to-face, blended and fully online modes across undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Michelle has completed a PhD on the role of trust in personal financial planning and she has published a range of academic papers and textbooks in financial planning.

Her current research projects include the career development of financial planners, ethics education in financial planning, academic mentoring programs and a cost analysis of sports participation. 

Michelle currently supervises seven PhD students and is currently working on new and exciting research projects in financial planning and financial literacy.

Prior to becoming a full-time academic, Michelle worked for fifteen years in various financial and management accounting positions in ASX100 companies where she worked in budgeting, change management,  corporate reporting, costing, systems redesign, tender preparation and acquisition. Michelle has also worked as a consultant and volunteered on not-for-profit boards.

Michelle provides her expertise to a number of advisory boards and currently sits on the Macarthur Business Committee of Wests Tigers Rugby League Football Pty Ltd.

Angus Woods

Managing Director

My 20 year working career has been in financial services and consumer businesses. I was previously an executive of Macquarie Bank and CFO of Virgin Money. I’m passionate about helping consumers in spaces they find difficult to navigate. I initially turned my attention to the financial planning industry on the back of the GFC, which brought to light the bad financial advice that had been given in previous years.  We hope this long awaited ratings and review service will not only help consumers find a qualified financial planner, but recognise and reward those in the industry that have been unfairly tarnished by a few rogue, poorly qualified planners.

Mark Hoven

CEO Wealth

Duc Tran

Chief Technology Officer

I am a technology consultant with over 10 years of experience in the IT industry. I've worked in digital agencies in several roles spanning from Developer, Lead Developer, and IT Director - gathering experience from many companies in a wide number of industries. Through Tipping Point Pty Ltd (digital agency), I have worked with BT Financial Group/Westpac and Suncorp within the financial planning area working on several web applications for financial planners/advisers such as adviser tool kits, super rollover applications/online applications and event registration and communications.

I am currently running my own development agency working with other agencies such as Republic Of Everyone who work with many large corporates and some Not for Profits such as Visy, Mobile Muster, Nature Conservation Council, Cancer Council NSW, Lend Lease, Garage Sale Tail, Amnesty International, Horticulture Australia to name a few.

My team and I specialise in Umbraco deployments (large and small), iOS and Android apps, custom web development in .Net and PHP, Email and Project management of any technical project, requirements and project scoping and strategy. We enjoy working with large corporates, through to established small and medium business and also up-and-coming entrepreneurs and pride ourselves in helping our clients find and scope the right solution, doing it cost effectively and bringing excellent outcomes and return on investment.

Claire Virtue

Head of Operations

Claire joined the Adviser Ratings team in November 2018 and brings over 15 years operations management experience to the team. Working in Asia-Pacific for the past 7 years in senior regional roles for multi-national data driven businesses, Claire brings strong project management, quality assurance, operations and client management experience to Adviser Ratings. 

Christopher Zinn

Adviser Ratings Communications Director

I’ve been involved in journalism and consumer affairs for all of my career with an increasing focus on financial services because of the enormous scope there is to improve outcomes for ordinary people. I run an initiative called determinedconsumer.com.au aimed at fostering greater consumer empowerment in markets through the application of new technologies and encouraging us all to take a little effort to get better returns. For much of 2014 I also grew a campaign called 'Save Our FOFA' aimed at spreading awareness and support for the Future of Financial Advice legislation. I worked with Angus at One Big Switch where I was campaigns and communications director and helped explain and grow projects such as the Big Electricity Switch. Previously I learned the ropes of the consumer movement as the media spokesman and campaigns chief for CHOICE where I first came to grips with the challenges and conflicts inherent in the structure of financial planning in Australia. I have worked as a television and radio reporter with the ABC in current affairs and documentary series as well as a reporter and producer at Channel Nine for shows such as Today and Sunday. I have worked for several newspapers in Australia and overseas including The Guardian.

David Koch

Media Advisor

With a 27-year career as one of Australia's leading finance journalists and commentators, David's knowledge of money and business is extensive. In fact, in a survey conducted by Money Management, David was voted by his peers as one of the ten most influential people of all time in the Australian financial services industry.

While now best known as the co-host of popular Seven Network breakfast program Sunrise, "Kochie" has several finance-related career highlights including; founding Personal Investment magazine, launching Money magazine in the United Kingdom, founding industry trade mag Money Management and founding Australia's biggest-selling small business magazine "My Business". Prior to Sunrise, he was the Seven Network's Finance Editor, and hosted the daily Sky Business Report on Sky News Australia. 

Inji Allahverdiyeva

Senior Data Engineer

Lara Pickering

Data Integrity Lead & Audience Management

Lara started working in the Finance Industry in 1993 when the Future Exchange still had a live trading floor! She has watched the processes change dramatically over her career but the goal to achieve financial success for the end client remains the same. Her experience has included everything from back office settlements in equities, fixed interest and options, to bookings and assisting advisers in caring for their clients with reporting, trading and any issues which arised. Lara has worked in both Australia and the United Kingdom in varying roles.

Robert Murray

Chief Designer

Rob brings a decade of design and digital creative experience to Adviser Ratings, and was an establishing member of the team. Rob's work is held in high esteem by many businesses across Australia, who have had the fortune to work with him and benefit from his outstanding designs.

Rob's creative services include wire-faming/IA, scope research, production and overseeing of development output, digital design and print design, where applicable. His work also includes art direction and front-end design, UX strategy, creative direction and design strategy, copywriting and brand development.

Rodney Lester

Consumer & Adviser Services Director

Rodney has 10 years of experience in Small Business Management, with a great deal of experience in team management and client relations. Rodney is a decorated member of our team with two degrees, a Masters in Development Studies (Anthropology/Macro-Economics) and BA in Political Science and Geography, and he brings this interest to a passion for global sustainability in corporate and financial services practice.

Rodney: "Running my own business exposed me to the full gamut of challenges and responsibilities associated with running an SME in a time of great industry change and disruption. Once I learned of the philosophy and vision behind Adviser Ratings, I wanted to be involved in a business that is helping an industry to face the challenges of disruption by providing new opportunities for consumers, advisers and licensees to deal with rapid change." 

Jason Shepherd

Business Advisor

Advising companies on finance, capital raising/structuring, strategy and M&A.

I am a rounded finance practitioner with in excess of 24 years' experience in M&A, fund raising, corporate and project finance, structured finance and capital markets. I have immersed myself in technology and startup businesses for the last 3 years drawing on previous sector experience ranging from natural resources and utilities/infrastructure to financial institutions/wealth. 

Currently I enjoy the pace and challenges associated with early stage and growth businesses and supporting these businesses through not only M&A/capital raising but on commercial and product or market strategies. 

I have recently advised two businesses listing on ASX, one while acting as CFO. I have most recently assisted in the recapitalisation of a high-growth FMCG business and advised on an acquisition for a growing SME-focussed media business.

Paul Coughlin

Ratings Committee

Paul has had a 25 year distinguished career at Standard Poor's. As Global CEO, Paul was responsible for all analytical units at Standard & Poors Ratings services, including Corporate Ratings, Financial Services Ratings, Public Finance & Sovereign Ratings as well as Structured Finance Ratings.

Prior to that, Paul was responsible for the global management of Corporate & Government Ratings, one of the two ratings groups at Standard & Poor's. With a staff of around 1100 the group provided credit ratings on Corporations, Banks, Insurers, Governments, Project Financings and Money market Funds. The position encompasses overall responsibility for the business including P&L, product quality and Strategic Direction.

Paul is currently a teaching associate at Monash University Business School and Chair of the Audit Committee for Ambulance Victoria

Janice Sengupta

Ratings Committee

Janice is a senior executive in the superannuation and social financial engineering community. Janice's most recent experience was Chief Investment Officer for Aon Asia Pacific, where she re-shaped and re-focused Aon Australia’s $3 billion superannuation fund for sustainable success, achieving recognition as “Retail Super Fund of the Year” by the Australian Financial Review’s SmartInvestor magazine for three consecutive years. As Partner and CIO Aon Asia Pacific she provided key strategic and executive leadership to drive the successful implementation of a major transformation program. Her team maintained a top quartile engagement score of 81% throughout this transition period and continued to meet commercial performance targets.

Janice is well versed in the financial planning space and the responsibilities licensees undertake to become trusted licensee holders, from both an adviser and consumer perspective. Janice holds a PhD in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics.