Lonsdale creates new executive roles

Lonsdale Financial(Lonsdale) has appointed its first chief executive and operating officers with general manager Mario Modica set to head-up the Melbourne-based group and subsidiary firm general manager Michael Hodgins assuming the chief operations role.

As head of the group Modica will focus on stakeholder management, with a responsibility for seeking out new strategic opportunities for the dealer group, new revenue channels for its advisers, and in addition will liaise more frequently with advisers to assist them in growing their businesses and how best they can fit into the Lonsdale business model.

Modica says the creation of the new roles are “a better reflection of where the business is heading” and a recognition by the board of the growth it is seeking to achieve over the next two to three years.

Meanwhile as chief operating officer Hodgins, who was previously Lonsdale accountant business support services subsidiary executive, will primarily focus on working with Lonsdale’s new senior business manager, Phil Brooker, in delivering its practice development program, Lonsdale Business Blueprint.

“We're committed to enhancing our financial planning approach in what's becoming an increasingly cluttered, compliance-intensive market, and this requires a dynamic approach to how we do things,” Hodgins says.

“We're already on the path to significantly improving our business and it makes for an exciting journey for everyone that's on board.”

Lonsdale, which is just under 80 per cent owned byZurich Australia, has offices nationwide.