As a professional Association we are formally governed through our Constitution, elected Board and Executive Team
SMSF Association Constitution and corporate governance statement
The SMSF Association Ltd is governed formally through the SMSF Association Constitution. We follow the AICD Not-For-Profit Governance Principles promoting good governance for Not-for-Profit Organisations.
Our Board
Andrew Hamilton
Chair
Andrew Hamilton
Andrew Hamilton brings to the SMSF Association a wealth of knowledge and experience, gained from more than 30 years of working within the self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) industry. Andrew was Chair from February 2012 to February 2014 and has since been re-elected as Chair from February 2020.
Andrew’s involvement within the SMSF industry commenced in 1992 with the establishment of Cavendish Superannuation Pty Ltd. It was here that Andrew took a small start-up business to an establishment employing over 120 people and managing in excess of 5000 self-managed superannuation funds.
Cavendish quickly developed a reputation as being “Australia’s leading SMSF provider”. In June 2012, AMP acquired Cavendish’s SMSF Administration and Investment Portfolio Administration operations and Andrew was appointed the role of Managing Director AMP SMSF Administration, which he maintained until mid-2014.
It is Andrew’s broad knowledge of all aspects of superannuation, his experience in running a business, understanding the SMSF Association’s membership, as well as his ability to think strategically that position him to offer invaluable insights and advice to the SMSF Association.
Robyn FitzRoy
Director
Robyn FitzRoy
Robyn joined the SMSF Association Board in June 2017. She is also a non-executive director of Gateway Credit Union, Diversa Trustees Limited and Football Federation Australia. She has over twenty years’ experience in the financial services industry and is a former Executive Director of Macquarie Bank. Robyn is a management consultant specialising in governance and has held non-executive director positions on the boards of CUSCAL, MLC School Burwood, Habitat for Humanity Australia and WealthPortal Pty Ltd.
Robyn has a BA from Macquarie University and an MA from the University of Technology, Sydney. She is a Master Coach, International Coaching Federation, USA; has a Diploma in Information Technology Business Application from Harvard University USA and a Diploma in Marketing Management from Macquarie University. She is an accredited facilitator and course author for the Australian Institute of Company Directors where she is also a Fellow.
Hon. Bernie Ripoll
Director
Hon Bernie Ripoll
Bernie Ripoll is an entrepreneur in business development who plays a leading role in the financial services sector following a long career as a federal member of parliament from 1998 till retiring in 2016.
In Government, Bernie was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer leading the portfolios of Corporations & Financial Services, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and other agencies in the Treasury portfolio.
Along with his role as CEO of Smart Capital Group and the Ethical Development Fund Australia, Bernie serves on the boards of Allianz Australia Life Insurance, the Financial and Energy Exchange, the Self Managed Super Fund Association, FinTech platform MapMyPlan, Bioenergy developer Utilitas Group, and has previously served on not-for-profit boards Inala Primary Care and Crohns and Colitis Australia.
Bernie is passionate about adding value and improving outcomes for the enterprises he represents through his leadership and investment roles. Bernie also maintains a consumer lens on the financial services sector and focus on improving access to affordable housing, disability housing, and health services delivery. Along with regular speaking engagements on the conference circuit, Bernie strongly believes in supporting people and organisations that take risk and create value.
Scott Hay-Bartlem
Director
Scott Hay-Bartlem
Scott is a partner in Brisbane law firm Cooper Grace Ward.
He and his team specialise in assisting clients and their other advisers including accountants and financial planners with tax and superannuation (particularly SMSFs) advice; estate planning, administration and disputes; family businesses, business structuring; business succession arrangements; asset protection and restructuring. Scott has a particular interest in how these areas intersect with self-managed superannuation funds and the impact of and on these structures.
He is a director of the SMSF Association and a SMSF Specialist Advisor™ with the SMSF Association, a Chartered Tax Adviser, a member of the Society of Trust and Estate practitioners.
Scott been selected by his peers for inclusion in the Eleventh Edition of Best Lawyers in Australia in the practice areas of: Superannuation Law, Trusts and Estates and Wealth Management / Succession Planning Practice. He was named the 2016 Brisbane Wealth Management/Succession Planning practice ‘Lawyer of the Year’ and the 2019 Superannuation ‘Lawyer of the Year’.
Scott has been listed in Doyle’s Guide for Queensland:
- Tax lawyers as a recommended practitioner; and
- Estate Planning lawyers as a leading practitioner.
He has a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Business (Accy) from the Queensland University of Technology. Scott also has also completed the Certificate of Superannuation Management and the Diploma of Superannuation Management run through ASFA and Macquarie University, and the Foundation Diploma of Financial Planning.
Michael Houlihan
Vice Chair
Michael Houlihan
Michael’s professional experience includes more than 30 years of senior leadership in superannuation and financial services and has a great passion for the financial services industry. What drives Michael in his business relationships are the deep personalised services which are vital for a continued trusted relationship and this is critical in the financial planning world.
He has held roles including Head of Product and Technical Services at both JBWere Investment Management and Vanguard Investments Australia, Senior Consultant and Administration Manager at Buck Consultants and Senior Administrator at Australian Eagle Insurance.
Michael other interests outside of Strategic Wealth Services include being the CEO of Mainstream Group subsidiary Mainstream Superannuation Services since 2010. This role also incorporates the role of CEO of Combined Super – an industry fund for independent schools. Michael is also the Victorian Community Chair of the SMSF Association.
Michael is also a Non-Executive Director of Evergreen Consultants – a boutique asset consulting business and the Chair of Eltham College.
Michael holds a Diploma of Superannuation Management from Macquarie University and a Graduate Certificate of Business Administration from the University of Southern Queensland and is a Justice of the Peace.
Liam Shorte
Director
Liam Shorte
Liam Shorte is an SMSF Specialist Advisor™ and Financial Planner and with his firm Verante Financial Planning. He provides strategic advice on superannuation, retirement, estate planning, investment and tax strategies with clients and their families
He enjoys working with Self Managed Super Funds and Family Trusts but offers a holistic financial advice service, canvasing a wide range of solutions for his clients. He writes a blog, The SMSF Coach, to help break down the strategies and industry jargon in to plain English for SMSF Trustees so they can take back control of their wealth.
Liam advises clients via Sydney offices in Castle Hill & Windsor and throughout NSW, QLD and Victoria on regular client trips.
With 27 years’ experience in Financial Services, Liam has worked in Ireland, UK and the Middle East before moving to Australia in 2001. His experience and knowledge comes from working in banking, insurance, accounting and financial planning firms before starting his own business in 2006.
He writes for a number of industry and public websites and magazines and presents at various seminars and conferences on SMSF, Retirement and planning for Incapacity.
Liam has been the Chair of the SMSF Association NSW Local Community since 2015 and is currently a Member of the Magnitude Advisory Committee.
In 2017 Liam was included in the Barron’s Top 50 Financial Advisers in Australia and is a member of the Financial Standard’s FSPower50 – The Most Influential Financial Advisers in Australia.
In the SMSF Adviser & Accounting Awards 2017 he was awarded:
1. Winner – SMSF Adviser and Accounting Professional (NSW) 2017
2. The best of the best SMSF Adviser Excellence Award NSW
In February 2018, Liam proudly received the CEO’s Award at the SMSF Association National Conference.
Liam has a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting & Economics, Advanced Diploma Financial Services (Financial Planning), ASX Accredited Listed Products Adviser (ALPA) and is an SMSF Specialist Advisor™.
With his day to day interaction with trustees and other SMSF Association members while running his advice business, Liam brings the practitioners perspective and insights to the SMSF Association Board.
Dr Deborah Ralston
Director
Dr Deborah Ralston
Dr Deborah Ralston has more than 25 years of board-level experience across commercial and public sectors, with experience in education, banking, superannuation and fintech sectors.
She is currently a member of the Reserve Bank of Australia Payments System Board and is a non-executive director with Kaplan Business School, Kaplan Higher Education and SuperEd. In 2019 Deborah was appointed by the Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to the 3-member panel for the Retirement Income Review.
Deborah is a Professorial Fellow at Monash University and is a member of the Steering Committee for the Mercer CPA Global Pension Index. She was previously Chair of the SMSFA Association, and a non-executive director of Mortgage Choice and Heritage Bank. She has held senior executive roles in Australian universities, most recently as Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Financial Studies and as a Professor of Finance with the Monash University Business School. Dr Ralston was the Principal Investigator of the CSIRO-Monash Superannuation Research Cluster, and inaugural Chair of ASIC’s Digital Finance Advisory Committee. In 2018, Dr Ralston was appointed to the Comprehensive Income Products for Retirement Framework Advisory Committee.
Dr Ralston holds a Master of Economics, a Doctor of Philosophy in financial regulation and is a Fellow of CPA Australia (FCPA), and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD).
Bryan Ashenden
Director
Bryan Ashenden
Bryan Ashenden leads the BT Tech Services team at BT – a group of professionals committed to supporting the adviser community with technical, regulatory, and policy support.
Bryan has many years’ experience in leading and delivery comprehensive technical solutions to advisers and their clients, the last 20 spent with BT and Asgard. Prior to that, he spent six years with KPMG in their taxation consulting division.
Bryan has qualifications in Law, Commerce and Financial Planning, and is a SMSF Association Specialist Adviser. Bryan is a frequent presenter and facilitator at many industry events, lectures in financial planning subjects and regularly contributes to trade and consumer publications.
Our Executive Team
Chief Executive Officer
John Maroney
John Maroney was appointed as the CEO of the SMSF Association in May 2017 and is thrilled to have the opportunity to boost the Association’s reputation as the peak body in the SMSF Sector and its representation of more than one million SMSF trustees. Since his appointment, John has continued the Association’s efforts to improve the quality of advisors, the knowledge of trustees and the credibility and health of a vibrant SMSF community. John has developed strong connections with the SMSF sector’s regulators, ATO, ASIC & FASEA, provided substantial input into official inquiries, Producivity Commission, Franking Credits & Royal Commission, and represented the sector extensively to the Government and media.
John is passionate about helping all Australians be better prepared for a secure and dignified retirement, especially those who have chosen to utilise self-managed superannuation funds as the main component of their retirement saving.
John’s experience includes extensive senior management, Board and consulting roles in superannuation, insurance, Australian and international financial regulation, actuarial and risk management plus managing professional and industry associations. He has been employed by large and small employers and consultants, within the private and public sectors, within Australia and internationally and he also was self-employed for several years while he developed a successful consulting firm. Key roles include CEO of the Actuaries Institute, Australian Government Actuary and Head of Capital and Solvency at the International Association of Insurance Supervisors, which is hosted by the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland.
John’s approved media image can be downloaded here.
Deputy CEO / Director of Policy & Education
Peter Burgess
Peter Burgess is the SMSF Association’s Deputy CEO / Director of Policy & Education. Peter is a previous Association Board member and worked at the Association as Technical Director for three years prior to joining the SMSF administrator SuperConcepts in 2013 as General Manager, Technical Services & Education.
With over 20 years of industry experience Peter is recognised as an authority in SMSF technical matters and Government policy design. He is a widely published author and media commentator on SMSFs and is regularly sought for comment on the latest technical and policy sector developments. He is passionate about SMSFs and the role they can play in providing a dignified retirement, in the right circumstances, for those who seek greater engagement and control over their retirement savings. Through his contribution to the development of SMSF education standards, his Government advocacy work and his commitment to professionalism and thought leadership, Peter has dedicated much of his career to improving SMSF advice competency standards and the vibrancy and credibility of the SMSF sector.
Peter holds an MBA from the University of Adelaide an Economics degree and postgraduate qualifications in finance. In 2016, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the SMSF sector, Peter was awarded the SMSF Association’s Chairman’s Award. In June 2021, Peter achieved Fellow Member status with the SMSF Association, recognising his significant commitment, leadership and contribution to both the Association and the SMSF sector.
Peter’s approved media image can be downloaded here.
Committees
The SMSF Association has a number of Board and Association Committees which support the management and administration of the Association. We appreciate the contribution and assistance of committee members to achieve our objectives.
Board Committees
Finance, Risk and Audit Committee
Michael Houlihan – Chair
Andrew Hamilton
Brett Kenny
John Maroney
Peter Burgess
Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee
Robyn FitzRoy – Chair
Scott Hay-Bartlem
Dr Deborah Ralston
Bryan Ashenden
John Maroney
Public Policy Committee
Dr Deborah Ralston – Chair
Hon. Bernie Ripoll
Robin Bowerman
Jeremy Cooper
John Maroney
Peter Burgess
Tracey Scotchbrook
Association and Advisory Committees
National Membership Committee
Liam Shorte – Chair
Michael Houlihan
Megan Kelly
Con Gotsis
Doug McBirnie
Katrina Hancock
Julie Steed
Brooke Hepburn-Rogers
Leonie DiLorenzo
John Maroney
National Conference Program Committee
Peter Burgess – Chair
Aaron Dunn
Mark Ellem
Jemma Sanderson
Peter Crump
Adam Goldstein
Belinda Aisbett
Shelley Barton
Leigh Mansell
Craig Day
Scott Hay-Bartlem
Mary Simmons
Professional Standards Committee
Tracey Scotchbrook – Chair
David Saul
Fiona Hinrichsen
Nathan Baker
Education Committee
Peter Burgess – Chair
Belinda Aisbett
Julie Taylor
Louise Biti
Neal Dallas
About Us
The SMSF Association is the independent, professional body representing Australia’s self-managed super fund sector.
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We are actively involved in discussions with key members of Government and Opposition, sector stakeholders, regulators and policy makers.
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