SA winner: Georgia Mavriodis
One doesn’t often hear of financial services professions giving Financial Services Reform a ringing endorsement, and in that respect Adelaide paraplanner Georgia Mavriodis is no different.
She readily acknowledges the legislation has its imperfections, notably in generating excessively long disclosures in SOAs, but nevertheless welcomes it as being in the best interest of clients and planners.
“We know the legislation is working in our favour from the growth in the client referral rate we have been experiencing since its promulgation,” she said.
“When people can see the value in the advice that we have provided, they invariably tell their relatives and friends about it. Good news travels fast!”
She believes FSR has also helped improve public awareness of the key role of planners, although there is “definitely room for improvement in the way the industry markets itself to the public”.
“Raising the awareness of how planners can assist the public is critical to continuing to improve the growing esteem with which planners are held by the public.”
An assistant financial adviser at Mercer WealthSolutions for the past two years, Mavrioidis has spent a total of five years in the sector since deciding on a career in financial planning.
Her decision came while she was studying for a bachelor of applied finance, and so strong was her conviction that she reverted to part-time study, working for a boutique planning firm until she finished her degree and PS 146.
Her plans for the immediate future are to continue in her current role and gain more client exposure.
“In the longer term I would definitely like to remain in the financial services sector, either as a paraplanner or in a financial adviser capacity.”
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