Wealth Symposium 2026 | Victoria

With over 25 years of experience in financial services, Mark Zaglas is Principal of Evidentia Group’s business consulting arm – Encore Advisory. He leads with a simple belief: that owners of advice businesses deserve better returns on their business and life – and that there is no better cause than helping them to deliver more and better life-changing advice to the Australian community.

Mark and the Encore team work alongside financial planning, mortgage broking, and accounting firms to help them scale sustainably, build strong leadership and sales teams, and create exceptional client experiences.

Mark’s signature strengths have been honed over two decades of developing 100s of profitable Sales and Financial Services businesses and understanding what lies at the heart of their success. A trusted adviser to advice business owners across Australia, Mark brings clarity, confidence, and practical strategies that drive commercial and cultural results.

Mark’s strength lies in uncovering what’s truly important (your why) and building new capability (i.e. implementing) to help businesses get to where they want to go. As an experienced business leader and performance coach, he draws on his real-world view of sales and leadership to help clients improve performance and realise their business and human potential.

Damon, has more than 26 years of experience partnering with financial planning practices, including some of Australia’s leading firms. In his role, Damon works with advice practices to enhance the value they deliver to clients and support the growth of their businesses. He holds a Diploma of Financial Planning, a Bachelor of Business, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Tax and Financial Planning, and a Bachelor of Laws.

Marcus Ainger is a Partner and Senior Financial Adviser at Prime Financial Group, an ASX-listed advice firm managing close to $2BN in funds under management. With more than 20 years’ experience advising high-net-worth individuals and families, Marcus focuses on building, protecting, and transferring wealth across generations. Their expertise spans portfolio construction, risk management, and strategic investment advice, all underpinned by a commitment to disciplined decision-making throughout shifting market cycles. Marcus works in close partnership with clients to align capital with long-term objectives, carefully balancing growth, income, and capital preservation. 

Phil has over 20 years of experience in analysing financial markets and securities, along with a decade dedicated to managing portfolios. He is a leading figure in the Australian credit industry and possesses deep expertise across all major credit segments, including listed and unlisted securities, rated and unrated assets, as well as investment and sub-investment grade bonds, loans, and derivative instruments. Phil’s extensive knowledge and strategic approach enable him to navigate complex market environments and deliver strong outcomes for investors. He manages the Yarra Higher Income Strategy and the RMBS strategy and is the Deputy Portfolio Manager for Yarra’s Enhanced Income Fund and LBO strategy.

Jason holds over 20 years of experience in the financial industry working at some of Australia’s largest Institutional Fund Managers, Global Investment Banks and Hedge Funds as a Portfolio Manager, Consultant, Quantitative Developer and Risk Manager.

Jason has worked closely with investors, advisors, and investment committees to design and implement strategies for Private Wealth Groups, Family Offices, Financial Advisory Firms and Superannuation Funds. He managed $900 million in assets for BT Investment Management (now Pendal) in Australian Equities and Derivatives, Global Macro strategies, and built hedging overlays for Industry Super Funds. In Asia, Jason worked at multibillion-dollar Hedge Funds managing long short equity portfolios and hedging solutions. Prior to this he worked at Barclays Capital and Merrill Lynch in London.

Jason holds a Masters in Quantitative Finance from Bond University and a Bachelor in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Flinders University.

Pete Robinson is a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager within Barings’ Asset-Based Finance platform in Australia (formerly Gryphon Capital Investments) and a member of the Investment Committee. He works closely with the senior investment team to support portfolio management, investment strategy and the continued growth of the platform.

Prior to joining Barings in June 2026, Pete was the Head of Investment Strategy for Fixed Income at Challenger Investment Management, acting as lead portfolio manager for its multi-strategy credit funds.

Since 2005, Pete has been an active investor in public and private credit across Australia, the United States and Europe, with deep experience in asset-backed finance markets.

Pete is a regular media contributor, commenting on trends in credit markets, regulation and the broader economy. He holds a combined Bachelor of Commerce/Science degree from the University of New South Wales and is a CFA Charterholder.

Andrew is a portfolio manager within the PM Capital global equities team, with a particular focus on the materials and industrials sectors. Prior to joining PM Capital in November 2020, Andrew spent a decade at Macquarie Bank as a research analyst in North America and Australia where he covered a range of sectors, before moving to a prominent family office to manage a global equity portfolio.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics (Finance) from the University of Sydney.

With 30 years of experience, David joined Barrow Hanley in 2004 from Clover Partners, LP, where he served on the management team for several funds, including a financial sector fund. Prior to his tenure at Clover Partners, David served as securities analyst at GSB Investment Management, where he began his career in the investment management industry. David graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BBA in Accounting.

Bruce is also a Vice President and joined State Street Investment Management in September 2017 and has responsibilities across investment management and research. Bruce is a member of the Systematic Equity Active Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

Bruce has over 20 years’ experience in investment management with senior portfolio management roles at Macquarie Bank and Bankers Trust. His investment experience covers Australian and global equites, long and short equities as well as global macro strategies.

Bruce has a first class Honours degree in Economics/Econometrics from Monash University.

Simon has over 18 years of experience in wealth management and technology. Simon is a highly experienced software executive, including six years as CEO of Worksorted.

Simon works with Finura on our software development, go-to-market strategy, and digital transformation programs for our clients.

Simon holds a Diploma of Financial Services, a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Management, an MBA, and graduated with order of merit from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Dog Dad. Systems thinker. Relentlessly optimistic. Coffee. Raiders

Education

Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Master of Financial Planning (M.FP), Bachelor of Biomedical Science (B.BMedSci)

Bio

I’m the Chief Technology Officer at Verse, focused on improving our systems, workflows and data so the team can deliver a better client experience. I care about technology that improves clarity, reduces friction, and helps the business scale without adding unnecessary weight.

With a background across both financial advice and technology, I’ve spent more than a decade working at the intersection of client experience, advice delivery and systems. That has included building digital client experiences, improving the workflows and systems behind the advice process, and applying AI in practical ways that genuinely strengthen the business.

Outside of work, I’m usually golfing, hiking with my fiancée Bel, coding, chasing a great coffee, supporting the Raiders, or settling into a TV show worth the time.

Rebecca (Bec) is tasked with expanding TAG’s industry-leading Australia practice to help global and Australian corporations develop business strategies to unlock opportunities and overcome market access challenges. Based in Melbourne, Bec brings deep expertise on defense, foreign relations, trade, and investment to support clients across Australia’s most dynamic sectors and the broader Indo-Pacific.

Bec is a recognized expert on terrorism, insurgency, cyber, space policy, missile defense, nuclear and strategic deterrence, and advanced dual-use technologies within national security. Prior to joining TAG, Bec served as Director of Defense Strategy and National Security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and convened the inaugural in-person Sydney Dialogue in 2023 – Australia’s premier policy summit focused on critical, emerging, cyber, and space technologies.

Bec brings over 25 years of government experience, including senior positions at the Australian Department of Defense, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade). At Austrade Bec led Australian trade and investment engagements and priorities for the defence, space and infrastructure sectors globally. Bec served as Counsellor for Defense Strategic Policy at the Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C. from 2015 to 2017 and later as Senior Adviser for Major Powers to the Australian Foreign Minister from 2019 to 2020 where she provided high-level policy advice on Australia’s relationships with key partners, including the United States, China, Five Eyes nations, and on emerging technologies, cyber and space.

A distinguished alumna and Fellow of the Australian War College, Bec completed the 2013 Defense and Strategic Studies Course. She holds a Master of Strategic Studies with Honors from the Australian National University and a Master of Strategic Studies from Deakin University