About Us
Our Team
Financial Review Professional Education is a provider of specialist technical education services to the Australian Financial Services industry. Our team of experienced industry professionals combines extensive technical expertise with practical financial planning experience to provide advice on, develop and deliver tailored education solutions to your needs.
Tim Wedd
B.Com. (Melb), Dip.FP (RMIT), Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training.
Head of Professional Education
Tim is widely recognised as a leading technical specialist and educator within financial services. He has over 24 years practical experience encompassing specialist technical, consulting, management and financial planning roles within the industry.
As a consultant, Tim designed and developed personal superannuation, pension and annuity products and personal investment portfolio management services. He also provided technical advice and support services to AFS Licensees as well as financial planning strategy and specific self managed superannuation advice directly to high-net worth individuals.
As an educator, Tim's unique background and extensive 'hands on' experience allows him to develop and deliver training programs that blend specialist technical knowledge with practical business applications.
Tim has designed and delivered a range of professional education programs for advisers over the last 18 years, including specialist 'applied' workshops for CFPs and sessions for the FPA National Conference. He has also been involved with the design and delivery of a range of non-advisory technical education programs, including tailored education programs for regulatory personnel.
Tim is a former Director and Chairman of the Australian Retirement Income Streams Association (ARISA); and a current active member of the Investment and Financial Services Association (IFSA) since the merger of the two associations. During this time, Tim has been involved in key industry policy work and representation to Government across areas such as the current policy and legislative framework for retirement incomes, the impact of business tax reform on retirement savings and the 1 July 2007 'Better Super' reforms.
Tim was formerly General Manager and Director of Financial Essentials (a specialist professional education business) which was acquired by Fairfax Business Media in 2008. Prior to 2009, he was also a Director of Multiport (a leading specialist SMSF and private client administration business) now owned by AXA Asia Pacific Holdings.
Sue Merriman
BA(Hons), MA, Dip.Ed., Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training.
Senior Technical Consultant
Sue has more than 20 years experience in the Financial Services Industry, having most recently been Head of Technical with the BT Financial Group, and previously in specialist technical roles with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (now Blackrock) and Norwich Union (now Aviva). Her technical roles have required her to implement legislative change in superannuation and retirement income stream products and provide support to financial planners on a range of technical issues. Sue is a highly regarded technical specialist and presenter at both industry and adviser forums.
She is a former Director and Chair of the Australian Retirement Income Streams Association (ARISA) and, is currently, within the Investment and Financial Services Association (IFSA), an active member of the Superannuation Working Group.
She regularly participates as an industry representative in consultations with Treasury and the ATO on legislative and regulatory issues, and participates in preparing submissions to Government on retirement incomes policy matters.
Sue has been a regular presenter at many adviser professional development days since 1994 and has presented at the FPA National Conference and pre-conference paraplanning workshops on several occasions.
Michelle Harrison
B.Sc. (Adel), Associate of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia, Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training
National Manager, Education Services
Michelle is widely recognised as leading technical education specialist within financial services. She is an Associate of the Institute of Actuaries and has over 15 years practical experience encompassing specialist consulting and technical roles within the industry.
Michelle has worked with large and small financial institutions, specialised (actuarial) consulting groups and the former peak financial services regulatory supervision body to APRA, the Insurance and Superannuation Commission. Michelle's experience includes technical management, compliance, audit management and consulting roles.
Michelle is a highly respected trainer and educator, having developed and delivered numerous programs for financial advisers, product administration and support staff within the financial services industry. Michelle's strong technical background, combined with her focus on education, provides a unique practical approach to financial services education.
Michelle has been actively involved also in a variety of industry forums. Previously she was the Deputy Chair of the Australian Retirement Income Streams Association (ARISA) Policy Committee and a member of the Small Independent Superannuation Funds Association (SISFA) education committee. Michelle has also presented at many industry seminars, workshops and professional development forums.
Sonia Currey
B Ec, Dip. Financial Planning, Cert IV Workplace Training and Assessment.
Senior Technical Consultant
Sonia joined Financial Review Professional Education in 2009. Sonia has over 17 years experience within financial services specialising in technical, management and education roles. She has provided technical services previously for both RetireInvest and Tower Life Australia and held the position of General Manager, Adviser Services at Investec Bank Australia to help establish a licensed securities dealer within the Australian market.
Sonia has also run her own technical consulting practice writing, delivering and assessing technical education programs for financial services professionals in Australia and overseas markets. This includes designing a new examination structure and supporting study materials for the Asset Management module for the Hong Kong Securities Institute (subsequently translated into Mandarin).
Sonia has considerable experience in identifying, researching, writing, delivering and assessing a range of learning services at certificate, diploma and advanced diploma level for financial planning and funds management professionals. This includes providing specialist education content for financial planning, funds management, superannuation, Centrelink and insurance education programs. Sonia has also provided consulting services to Kaplan Professional for both their public and tailored corporate education programs for advisers, non-adviser support staff and the regulator in financial services.
Sonia is widely recognised for her stand-out presentation style and ability to bring to life complex technical materials. In 2004 she was awarded Best Lecturer, Open Entry Courses, in recognition of the quality of her work with FinSia.
She has contributed to various industry publications and been actively involved in a range of industry committees and forums, particularly focusing on superannuation, tax and retirement income policy.
Joshua Van Gestel
Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training
Technical Consultant
Joshua has over 15 years administration and education experience across a range of financial services areas, including Personal and Corporate Superannuation, Self Managed Superannuation, Managed Investments and Retirement Income Streams.
Prior to joining Financial Essentials in 2007, Joshua worked in administration and management positions for AM Corporation Limited, IOOF Investment Management, Challenger Financial Services and Multiport Pty Ltd. He also acquired extensive experience in the development, provision and assessment of technical, process and personal development training while serving as a Technical Learning and Development Consultant for AM Corporation.
He brings a practical 'hands-on' approach to delivering effective training solutions for our clients and continues to receive high accolades for his programs.
Dianna Pirak
Associate Diploma in Business Administration
Administration Manager
Dianna has a strong background in administration process development and management with over 16 years practical experience in both areas.
Dianna has over 11 years experience providing administration services within the education industry (including over 8 years with Financial Essentials) and five years practical experience within the recruitment industry.
As Administration Manager now for Financial Review Professional Education, Dianna brings a unique combination of education and administrative experience to the administration and co-ordination to all of our education and consulting services, with a particularly strong focus on building and maintaining client relationships and excellent approach to customer service.
Financial Essentials Pty Ltd is a registered training organisation (RTO) with a scope of registration that includes training for the financial services industry. Fairfax Media acquired Financial Essentials Pty Ltd in February 2008.
Scope of Services
As an education consultant, we can assist you to establish a compliant education framework that delivers appropriate practical education solutions. As a business partner, Financial Review Professional Education is widely respected for its ability to provide new ideas and apply technical concepts in practice, working within tight deadlines and a strict project implementation process at all times to deliver results and boost sales. For further information on our services please refer to training with a reality check
Registered Training Organisation
As a Registered Training Organisation (and ASIC Authorised Assessor), we deliver a range of targeted education programs to meet the ongoing professional development needs of AFS Licensees. This includes currently providing a range of professional development education programs for IFSA and the FPA. For further details of our registration as a RTO, please download our Scope of Registration
Policies and Procedures
Financial Review Professional Education has developed Policies and Procedures to address and establish our commitment to the maintenance of high standards in the provision of vocational education and training. It is a requirement of employment that all staff agrees and abides by it. For further information download our Policies and Procedures.
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