Morningstar appoints head of research

Morningstarhas finally appointed a head of research for its Australian business after nine months of searching for an appropriate candidate following the sacking of former head Daisy Chee.

The research house today announced that a former asset consultant atTowers Perrin, Justin Walsh, would fill the role.

At Towers Perrin, Walsh was responsible for delivering asset consulting services and investment research. Prior to that role he was national research manager and an associate director with Macquarie Financial Services.

In his Macquarie role, his responsibilities included research and management of managed fund recommended lists for financial advisers and investment committee membership.

Morningstar chief executive Scott Cooley says Walsh’s background in the Australian financial services industry, particularly his experience in providing research to financial advisers, made him the right person for the role.

“Justin will play a leading role in our provision of cutting-edge research products and services to help advisers with Australian investors’ wealth management,” Cooley says.

“We also warmly welcome the contributions he’ll make to the senior management team at Morningstar,” he says.

Apart from previously mentioned positions, Walsh has also worked in senior investment taxation and accounting roles withKPMGand Gould Ralph & Company.

The head of research role at Morningstar was made vacant after the departure of Chee in November last year, which came a year after the removal of its previous managing director, Graham Rich.

Since then Morningstar has appointed a new chief executive in Cooley and former associate director atAssirt, Anthony Serhan, as head of consulting, ex-IOOFnational account manager Geof Marsh as national account executive and head of technical services at Assirt, John Lozano, as the head of technology.