Otivo appoints chief advice officer
Online financial advice platform Otivo has made an internal promotion to chief advice officer to ensure the firm’s advisers are providing suitable and compliant advice.
Philippa Billings, who was previously the head of advice and compliance, has been promoted to chief advice officer.
Within this expanded role, she will ensure the firm’s advisers are providing compliant advice that meets the needs of clients.
She has been working at Otivo since 2015, having previously worked as a technical manager at online financial planning services firm Strategy Steps. She is also a qualified financial adviser.
Paul Feeney, chief executive of Otivo, said: “Philippa will be providing our users with the certainty and security that all the advice they receive is in their best interest and interact with our advisers to ensure they are providing advice in a suitable manner.
“This appointment reflects the demand and engagement we are seeing from superannuation funds, advice practices and consumers.
“Advice practices, in particular, are increasingly using Otivo to complement their teams and service more clients.”
Last month, Otivo announced a tailored digital financial advice offering with Colonial First State specifically for CFS FirstChoice superannuation members.
At a cost of $88 per annum deducted from their super account, members will be able to access advice in relation to their super investment options, contribution strategy and insurance arrangements.
CFS and Otivo’s new offering follows the Quality of Advice Review’s push for super funds to expand the advice services they offer to members, with the ultimate goal of improving the accessibility of advice in Australia.
Meanwhile, in two technology appointments, Rubens Peculis has been promoted from head of engineering to chief technology officer, and Nathan Isterling has been promoted from chief technology officer to chief information officer. Both Peculis and Isterling joined Otivo in 2018.
Ross Barnwell, Otivo’s executive director, added: “At its core, Otivo is both a cutting-edge technology provider and a licensed provider of compliant advice, and these appointments reflect this focus. With a strong, stable and experienced leadership team in place, Otivo is able to concentrate on what matters most – helping Australians be better off.”
AUTHOR
Laura Dew
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