Independent thinking
We never compromise on quality or objectiveness to deliver trusted, high conviction insights
How we help our clients
We connect financial advisers, fund managers, super funds and individuals with the tools, data and insights to make better investment decisions, grow their funds, engage better with members, and meet their best interest obligations.
Client focus
We build real relationships with our clients to help them be better at what they do
Award winning research
Our investment research and tools are recognised as the best in the market
Experienced team
Our insights are backed by our team’s depth of knowledge and wealth of industry experience
Real insights
We provide high-conviction, actionable insights that add real value to our clients’ investment decisions.
Our values
Our values are an essential part of who we are, and inform our vision as a business as well as how we work with our clients and each other. We believe strongly in responsible action, supporting the integrity of the financial services industry, and maintaining the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct.
Integrity
We stand behind our promises and always do the right thing by our people and client
Client focus
Our culture puts the client at the core and focuses on helping then achieve their goals
Innovation
We anticipate market needs and opportunities and develop contemporary solutions
Collaboration
We build great relationships and work in partnership with our clients and colleagues
Hear from our CEO
At a time when the financial services industry is going through so much change, it is incredibly exciting to join a company like Lonsec. Notwithstanding the significant growth that Lonsec has experienced in the recent past, along with the great team here, we see a huge opportunity to further assist participants and investors with insights and solutions to help them navigate the challenges that many of them share in common.
Lonsec Milestones
$2bn+
funds under management by Lonsec Investment Solutions
5,000
funds and equities rated by Lonsec Research
500+
products rated by SuperRatings
*as at 29 July 2021
Our Board Members
Mark Spiers | Chairman & Non-Executive Director
Mark has over 30 years extensive Executive and General Management experience at strategic and operational levels in building and developing Wealth Management capability.
Through deep customer knowledge and advocacy, Mark has transformed and grown wealth businesses at AMP, ING and BT Financial Group.
Following his successful career at BT where for 10 years he was General Manager Advice, Mark now acts in Non-Executive Director and Advisory roles.
Mark has been a significant contributor to the Wealth industry having served previously as a Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair of the Financial Planning Association, Non- Executive Director of FINSIA, and an Advice Board Member of the Financial Services Council.
Mark holds numerous qualifications including industry qualifications such as Certified Financial Planner, Certified Insurance Professional, and Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Drew Vaughan | Non-Executive Director, Chair of Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee & Chair of Remuneration Committee
Drew has more than 30 years of experience advising institutional investors in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. His experience covers Government, Industry and retail superannuation funds and fund management organisations, including issues associated with investment, risk and compliance, governance and administration of investment portfolios.
Drew has previously worked with Schroders’ funds management division in Australia as well as its credit lending unit in London; with State Street where he managed the trustee business unit with assets under trusteeship of over $11 billion; and he was a Principal of Mercer Investment Consulting responsible for custody and investment administration consulting services.
Since 2005, Drew has been a Principal of Dymond, Foulds & Vaughan and advises industry and government superannuation Boards. Drew is also the Chair of the Trustee Board and Chair of the Investment Committee for the Fiducian Superannuation Fund, a $2 billion retail superannuation fund as well as serving on a number of audit and compliance committees.
Drew holds a Bachelor of Business and Master of Business (Applied Finance) from University of Technology Sydney. He is also a CPA, a fellow of FINSIA and a J.P.
Christine Christian | Non-Executive Director & Member of Remuneration Committee
Christine Christian is a company director, investor and entrepreneur with a 35-year career that spans financial services, investment, private equity, credit risk, Government and media.
Christine is Chair of Auctus Investment Group Limited and Tanarra Credit Partners and currently holds non-executive director roles with Humm Group Limited (previously FlexiGroup), Credit Clear Limited and MaxCap Group. She is President, Library Board of Victoria and Council member of La Trobe University.
Previously, Christine held a range of senior executive roles with Dun & Bradstreet, including as CEO of its Australia and New Zealand business from 1997 to 2011. In 2006, she was appointed to the additional roles of Chair of D&B Consumer Credit Services (JV between Dun & Bradstreet and Macquarie Bank), the D&B Worldwide Board, and in 2010 was appointed Executive Director of Dun & Bradstreet India.
Previous directorships include as Chairman of Kirwood Capital and non-executive Director of ME Bank, the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA), Scottish Pacific Business Finance and the ASIC Business Advisory Council. She was co-founder and Director of New York–based Powerlinx Inc., an innovator in the emerging partner economy and was Founding Chair of the Business Information Industry Association – Hong Kong and Middle East, and Director until 2012.
Christine is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Strategic Management Society and member and past-president of Chief Executive Women.
In June 2020, Ms Christian was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of her distinguished service to the financial and investment sectors, to women in business, and through support for emerging entrepreneurs.
Mark Carnegie | Non-Executive Director
Mark has more than 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, investor and corporate advisor in New York, London and Sydney. From 1990 to 2000 Mark was the Australian and Asian representative of Hellman & Friedman following his training on Wall Street with James D. Wolfensohn and, in London, at Hudson Conway with Lloyd Williams.
In 2000 Mark co-founded leading Australian boutique corporate advisory and private equity firm Carnegie, Wylie & Co Pty Limited with John Wylie. Carnegie Wylie was acquired by leading Wall Street bank, Lazard Inc in 2007, and following the sale, Mark was appointed the CEO of Lazard Australia Private Equity.
Throughout his career, Mark has been involved in a range of diverse Australian and Asian investments and has participated in groups that have acquired major stakes in the Courage Pub Estate, John Fairfax Holdings, Hoyts Cinemas, Formula One Holdings, SCTV, Macquarie Radio Network, Lonely Planet Publications and London Sumatra Plantations. As a corporate advisor, Mark has advised Qantas and Coles Myer on general strategic matters, Westfield on its A$22 billion merger and Qantas on its JetStar Asia start-up in Singapore.
Mark holds a BA from Oxford University and a BSc (Hons) from Melbourne University. He is a former Treasurer of the Oxford Union.
Our Executive Team
Michael Wright | Chief Executive Officer, Lonsec
Michael joined Lonsec in July 2021 as CEO. He has over 25 years’ experience in leading businesses and teams within Financial Services, across financial advice, private banking, wealth management, superannuation and retail banking.
Michael joined Lonsec from Xplore Wealth, where as CEO he led the transformation of the Xplore, upgrading the business, which resulted a successful friendly takeover to Hub24. At BT and Westpac, most recently as General Manager, BT Financial Advice, Michael successfully lead large teams across the Banks key client segments, responsible for change, leadership and strategy. Michael also worked at ANZ as Head of Alternative Investments and Head of Distribution for Banking Products.
Throughout Michael’s career, he has used his leadership, communication skills and commitment to a client first ethos, to build values based cultures, inspire high performance teams whilst developing strong relationships with all key stakeholders.
Lorraine Robinson | Executive Director, Lonsec Research
Lorraine joined Lonsec in December 2019 to lead the Lonsec Research team. She has extensive experience in financial markets, across investment research, funds management and investor relations.
She joined Lonsec from Evans & Partners, where she was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of the Corporate and Institutional business. Her 10 year tenure included time as Head of Research and as a Senior Investment Analyst. Previously she developed her own investor relations and consulting practice, gaining experience across a number of different industries including financial services, media and communications and technology. She was a successful Research Analyst at JBWere and gained experience in both funds management and investment banking at Macquarie Bank.
Lukasz de Pourbaix | Executive Director & Chief Investment Officer, Lonsec Investment Solutions
BCom, CIMA
Lukasz leads the Lonsec Investment Solutions Pty Limited (LIS) business as Executive Director & Chief Investment Officer. LIS harnesses Lonsec’s broad investment research and portfolio construction expertise delivering effective and efficient portfolio solutions to financial advisers. Lukasz is also Chairman of Lonsec’s Asset Allocation Investment Committee and is a member of the Manager Selection and Direct Equities Investment Committees.
Prior this, Lukasz was Lonsec’s General Manger – Investment Consulting where he provided portfolio construction and manager selection advice to dealer groups, fund managers, super funds and private wealth institutions. Lukasz has over 19 years’ industry experience commencing his research career at ING Australia where he was Research Manager. Prior to ING, he worked for BT Investment Management. Lukasz holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and the CIMA designation.
Kirby Rappell | Executive Director, SuperRatings
BCom, CFA
Kirby was appointed Chief Executive Officer of SuperRatings in October 2017 and is responsible for setting SuperRatings strategy and ensuring we continue to provide the best possible Ratings, Research, Consulting and insights to our clients. He has worked to build a strong relationship with funds, service providers and key industry stakeholders to ensure we have a strong understanding of the market, and communicating back to the market where opportunities for uplift in value for super fund members exist. Kirby has been with SuperRatings since 2008. During his time at SuperRatings, Kirby has work as a Quantitative Analyst before becoming responsible for our Research team in 2011. Kirby has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Sydney (Finance and Accounting) and is a CFA Charterholder.
Rob Hardy | Executive Director, Sales & Marketing, Lonsec Group
BA (Hons)
Rob is responsible for the Sales, Marketing and Client Services functions at Lonsec. He strongly believes that effective integration of the 3 functions is must for both sourcing new clients and more importantly looking after those clients that the company already has. The effective use of systems as well as employing and retaining people with service mentality is key to this successful outcome. Rob joined Lonsec in late 2018, following 7 years with Clime Asset Management, where he was most recently Chief Operating Officer. Rob has over 30 years’ experience in sales and marketing, across a range of industries, including the entertainment business, where he previously ran the International Direct Marketing business for Time Warner, up to and through the purchase by private equity group Ripplewood Holdings. Rob is well known in the marketing community within Australia and has sat on the board of the Australian Direct Marketing Association. He was awarded the title of Australian Direct Marketer of the Year in 2004.
Amanda Smerdon | Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary, Lonsec Group
Amanda joined Lonsec in February 2019 and is responsible for both Finance and Operations. As CFO, Amanda is responsible for finance, legal, risk & compliance, human resources and office management. With experience working in a range of industries, Amanda’s focus, as a business partner, is on delivering value across both strategic and operational initiatives. Amanda has successfully overseen a number of finance transformations and strategic financial projects.
Prior to joining Lonsec, Amanda was CFO for Riversdale Group, a private-equity owned Pub Fund, where she oversaw the divestment of numerous assets. She started her career at PwC and has also worked at CIMIC Limited (formerly Leighton Holdings Ltd). Amanda holds a Master of Business Administration from Macquarie University, a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Accounting from the University of Technology Sydney and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand.
Kevin Brennan | Chief Information Officer, Lonsec Group
Testimonials
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