Appointments - 8th July 1999

Rod Smith is to take over from inaugural Financial Services Complaints Resolu-tion Scheme (FSCRS) council chairperson Moira Rayner as the FSCRS moves to ex-pand membership to its scheme.

Rod Smith is to take over from inaugural Financial Services Complaints Resolu-tion Scheme (FSCRS) council chairperson Moira Rayner as the FSCRS moves to ex-pand membership to its scheme.

As part of the expansion, the FSCRS has flagged plans to throw open its member-ship requirements to include "responsible entities of managed investment schemes" now required by ASIC to join an external complaints scheme by November.

Smith, a former president of the Law Institute of Victoria, also is on the na-tional board of mediation group LEADR (Lawyers Engaged in Alternative Dispute Resolution).

The nomination for Smith to take on the top role was proposed by the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and has now been endorsed by the Minister for Finan-cial Services and Regulation, Joe Hockey.

The FSCRS has increased it membership base from 370 to 550 in the past year and a spokesperson for the group says it has resolved all but one of the 244 com-plaints submitted for mediation during this time.

John Ntatsopoulos is to take on the role of head of funds marketing with INVESCO Asset Management.

He will co-ordinate sales of Australian-based pooled funds to financial planners and direct clients, and through master trusts.

Ntatsopoulous has been in the financial services industry for the past 12 years, with stints at Bank Brussel Lambert and Colonial.

INVESCO Asset Management manages $440 billion in funds worldwide, including about $1 billion in Australia.

High profile BT Australia chief economist Chris Caton is to take on this role exclusively with BT Funds Management (BTFM).

Caton, although chief economist for BT Australia, was employed previously as part of BT Investment Bank. He will now work at BTFM, reporting directly to chief investment officer Andre Morony.

Caton joined BT in 1991. He also has worked with Federal Treasury and the De-partment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Working alongside Caton will be Dr Adrian Blundell-Wignall, who is to take on the role of BTFM's head of quantitative and economic strategy group. Blundell-Wignall replaces Dirk Morris, who has resigned from the position to take up a funds management post in the US.

Meanwhile, in the Tower Trust camp, Peter Davies has been appointed WA state manager.

Davies has been with Tower Trust for the past 16 years, most recently holding down the post of manager for marketing services. Davies spent four years in the marketing division of the group, after working at Tower Trust in the areas of taxation and trusts.

Replacing Davies in the marketing services role will be Adam Hughes, also an in-ternal appointment. He has spent the past two years working as a marketing offi-cer at the group.

An expected increase in business at broking services provider Australian Finance Group (AFG) has seen Jo Parkinson being appointed NSW director with the organi-sation.

Parkinson, who has been involved with AFG since 1995, was instrumental in set-ting up the group's NSW office. Previously, he was state manager with the group.

Parkinson says that due to an increase of borrowers on the eastern seaboard of Australia to the tune of about 15 per cent in the past three years, the group expects to write more than $3 billion in loans in the next financial year.

Former AM Corporation staffer James McCowan is set to join Merrill Lynch Mercury in the newly created role of state retail manager for Western Australia.

As well as time spent with AM Corporation, McCowan's 15 year stint in financial services includes time at Prudential and MLC.

Dale Leiner and Ferdie Comito are set to join Australian Clearing Services.

Leiner joins ACS in the newly created role as manager of settlement operations. He has 16 years of experience in the industry and had been with ANZ Securities.

Comito will take on the position of manager for product development after a num-ber of years with Banque Nationale De Paris, Prudential Bache Securities and Mo-com Systems in Australia and the UK.

Ends more

HLB Mann Judd Sydney has promoted Matthew Gardiner to the position of partner in its personal investment and superannuation planning service division.

Gardiner has been with the accountant and business advisory group since 1990.