Nicole Smith – Chair

Nicole has more than 14 years' experience in financial services.

Nicole's career has seen her specialise in superannuation where she has had extensive experience in superannuation administration, accounting and taxation matters and superannuation laws and regulations.

In more recent years, Nicole has focused on the governance, risk and compliance frameworks needed by trustees and superannuation providers to ensure quality compliant outcomes.

In addition to her role as Chair, Nicole is a non-executive director of MLC Nominees Pty Ltd and NULIS Nominees (Australia) Limited. Nicole is also a director of the Teachers Federation Health Fund.

Nicole has a Bachelor of Financial Administration from the University of New England, is a qualified chartered accountant and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Richard Rassi – Non-executive Director

Richard, a chartered accountant by profession, was a Partner with Deloitte Australia until retiring in 2011 to pursue directorships and advisory roles.

Appointed as a Partner in 1996, Richard’s career with Deloitte spanned over 34 years. He was instrumental in building the Firm’s superannuation assurance and advisory services business and led this practice up to his retirement.

Richard has extensive wealth management and superannuation experience including as the lead auditor of some of Australia’s largest funds in the public and private sectors. His experience also includes as a member of the Federal Government’s Stronger Super Governance Working Group, Deputy President of the Accounting Foundation – University of Sydney, Member and immediate past Chairman of the Superannuation Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and was formerly a Director and Chairman of Deloitte Superannuation Pty Ltd – the trustee of the Deloitte National Superannuation Scheme.

Peggy O'Neal – Non-executive Director

Peggy is a senior superannuation and financial services lawyer and has recently joined Lander & Rogers as a consultant. She was previously a partner at Freehills for several years. She is a member of the ‘Stronger Super Peak Consultative Group’ and was a consultant to the Commonwealth Treasury on the Super System Review, known as the ‘Cooper Review’.

She has significant credentials in superannuation, the law, business and the community. Peggy is a former Chair of the Law Council of Australia Superannuation Committee, a member of the International Pension and Employee Benefits Association, an Ambassador for Opportunity International Australia and a Director of Richmond Football Club Limited and the Tigers in the Community Foundation.

Mike Fitzsimons – Director

Mike has more than 40 years' experience in financial services with a focus on superannuation.

Mike was one of Plum Financial Services' first employees. He joined in 1998 from Lend Lease Investment Services to manage Plum's sales, marketing and client relationship management team. Since then Mike has held several roles including a Business and Market Development role with the National Australia Group in 2003, Managing Director of Plum Financial Services in 2004 and General Manager of Masterkey Custom - MLC in 2009. Currently Mike is Acting General Manager Wrap Platforms and is also a Director of MLC Nominees and NULIS Nominees (Australia) Limited.

Mike holds a Diploma of Financial Services and is a Certified Insurance Professional of the Australia and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance.

Michael Clancy - Director

Michael is the Executive General Manager, Investment Platforms, of MLC & NAB Wealth. He responsible for leading the investment platforms business including MLC MasterKey, MLC MasterKey Custom, MLC MasterKey Business Super, Plum Financial Services and JANA Investment Advisers.

Prior to this, Michael was the General Manager of MLC's Investment Management Division for five years.

Michael joined MLC's Investment Management Division in 1998 and has held various investment roles in Australia and the UK for the MLC Group. He is a Director of MLC Nominees and NULIS Nominees (Australia) Limited.

Prior to joining MLC, Michael spent eight years with Frank Russell Company in Australia in both its asset consulting and manager research teams.

John Reid – Director

John is General Manager of Business Efficiency and Architecture with MLC and NAB Wealth. In this role he manages MLC and NAB Wealth’s performance, planning and business architecture.

John joined the NAB Group 10 years ago and has held a number of executive roles including managing the mature products and entity restructuring, integrating risk management for the Australian region and project direction. He was formerly Chief Executive and Director of Your Prosperity, part of MLC.

John's career started in the UK with Eagle Star where he gained extensive experience in life insurance, administrative systems and product development with Eagle Star in England, Hong Kong, the Isle of Man and Ireland before transferring to Australia Eagle in 1986.

As well as this role with PFS Nominees, John is a director of MLC's Superannuation Trustees and NULIS Nominees (Australia) Limited and is chairman of National Online Trading (soon to become WealthHub Securities Limited).

He holds a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics and Physics) and qualified as an actuary.