The Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA) has appointed three new members to its board.
Felicity Cooper, Deborah Kent, and Sheila Gutierrez-Cabacungan will join the board on 20 November 2023 at the association’s annual general meeting for a term of three years each.
Felicity Cooper has been the director and authorised representative of her self-licenced AFSL, Cooper Wealth Management, for over six years on the Gold Coast. Her more than 20 years of experience also includes roles as an investment adviser at Goldman Sachs JBWere and Macquarie Bank. She is the recipient of the AFA Adviser of the Year in 2022 and a previous winner of the FPA Financial Planner AFP of the Year in 2018.
Sydney-based Deborah Kent, the co-founder of boutique advice business Integra Financial Services, brings over three decades of experience to the board. Her achievements include tenures as president of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) and AFA NSW Director and AFA national treasurer. She was also president of the Western Sydney Business connection and FASEA board director.
Also based in Sydney, Sheila Gutierrez-Cabacungan CFP is the principal financial planner and owner of self-licensed practice Wealth Forum and a SMSF specialist adviser. She is the chair of the new Sydney Metro Community as well as having been a member of the Sydney Chapter since 2010.
The three appointments follow the expiry of the terms for board members Kearsten James CFP, Julie Matheson CFP and Julian Place CFP in November 2023.
FAAA chair, David Sharpe, thanked the departing directors for their service.
“Julie has been on the board for over 10 years. During this time she has continued to be a staunch advocate for the CFP program and committed to promoting the highest professional standards in the profession,” Sharpe said.
“During Kearsten’s term she has been instrumental in bringing the AFA and FPA communities together, and worked tirelessly to ensure the highest quality of governance to the Board and the organisation.
“Julian has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the FAAA Board, always focusing on members as a priority and working towards the highest education standards.
“Kearsten and Julian have also contributed enormously to the development of the hugely successful Masterclass series.”
Sharpe added: “On a personal note, it has been a delight to have worked with Julie, Kearsten and Julian on the board and their insight will be missed.”
The association, formed in February 2023, has over 9,525 members and is the largest association representing financial advisers in Australia.
A ex FASEA board member elected…good grief..what were people thinking. How did that FASEA thing work out for you hey, and what….advisers thought hell yes, let’s go for round two.