AGENDA DAY 2
Wealth Symposium
2025 | NSW
SPEAKERS
WEALTH SYMPOSIUM 2025 | NSW DAY 2
Paul Chapman
Chairperson
Paul moved to Perth from the UK after completing an honours degree in Pure Mathematics from Imperial College, London. He then worked in actuarial world for five years before moving to Sydney as Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income at AMP Investments. Paul then spent his time developing and fostering a financial advice practice with a partner and team of six staff for ten years before successfully selling the business. After taking a year off to enjoy the fruits of his labour, Paul moved to Melbourne and worked for Suncorp, where he enjoyed working closely with his sales team, fostering their growth and development, ultimately taking him down the path to create his own business, 925 Edge, a business that builds leadership and success within others and helps individuals and companies find their competitive edge. His clients include, MLC, National Mortgage Brokers, Liberty Bank, SLF Lawyers, and Box of Books.
08:40
NAVIGATING UNCERTAINTY | SELF-CARE AND CONNECTION IN A RAPIDLY EVOLVING WORLD
How do you truly fortify your well-being, support your team, and nurture your family amidst daily pressures? This candid session explores the powerful link between our perceptions, attitudes, and actions in managing stress and anxiety.
Discover simple, impactful self-care practices that can enrich your connection with others and empower you to choose responses that uplift rather than constrain. Our speakers will draw on personal experiences and practical wisdom, offering fresh perspectives on identifying challenges and fostering a mentally healthy environment for yourself and those around you. You’ll leave with insights to cultivate resilience, both personally and professionally, ensuring you and your team are better equipped to thrive through continuous change.
SPEAKERS:
John Toomey, Global Chair, Global Wellness Institute’s Workplace Wellbeing Initiative
Tim Hewson, Founder, Mongrels Men & Betterment
SPEAKERS
WEALTH SYMPOSIUM 2025 | NSW DAY 2
John Toomey
Global Chair
Global Wellness Institute’s Workplace Wellbeing Initiative
John is an International speaker and thought leader who aims to inspire, educate, and empower people to take 100% responsibility for their lives, wellness and mental wellbeing.
His impressive background in high performance roles in professional sport, including 7 AFL Clubs, and culture development roles in two A League Clubs, and as coach of an Olympic gold medallist, brings richness and depth to his presentations. John holds a Phys Ed degree from Deakin University, did his Masters Studies in Applied Physiology at Victoria University, studied and taught human consciousness as an Avatar Master for 15 years, is a published author and has lectured at multiple Universities in PE and Medicine. For 5 years until 2017 he served on RMIT University’s School of Health Sciences Program Advisory Committee.
Currently, John is Global Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Workplace Wellbeing Initiative.
He recently published a book, “In it for the Long Haul”, Making the most of the FIFO Lifestyle, his effort to reduce the amount of mental illness and suicides on remote worksites across Australia.
John is an avid runner and ocean swimmer, and has 3 adult children and 6 grandkids.
09:50
THE GREAT ESCAPE I WHEN EXITS CLOSE, NEW DOORS OPEN
What happens when traditional exit routes for private equity slam shut, yet unprecedented opportunities emerge from unexpected corners of the market?
A session to tackle the critical paradoxes in today’s private markets. We’ll explore why public companies are increasingly seeking private havens while private companies struggle to find traditional exits. Discover how this shift is creating both a ‘great escape’ to privacy and an explosion of secondary market opportunities, particularly as funding pressures, such as those affecting prestigious US endowments, drive significant deal flow.
Learn how today’s market dislocations demand a complete rethinking of value creation and reshape private asset allocation decisions.
SPEAKERS:
David Chan, Portfolio Manager | Private Equity, MLC Private Equity
John Lee, Partner, Hong Kong, Lexington Partners
10:45
MORNING TEA
11:15
QUALITY CONTROL I BUILDING PORTFOLIOS THAT ENDURE
In an era where market dominance often skews perception, are portfolios truly prepared for what lies ahead? While recent market trends have celebrated specific sectors, current valuations, geopolitical complexities, and evolving technological landscapes demand a vigilant re-evaluation of portfolio resilience.
This session moves beyond singular narratives to redefine what constitutes true quality investing. Discover how identifying high-quality companies that deliver sustainable growth and stability, even amidst market volatility, can strategically fortify portfolios. Learn how these defensive growth opportunities can fill a crucial gap, providing resilient foundations for enduring long-term value creation.
SPEAKER:
Alan Pullen, Portfolio Manager, Magellan Asset Management
12:05
NAVIGATING THE TECH & AI REVOLUTION IN FINANCIAL SERVICES
In an era of rapid technological transformation, financial service practices must evolve or risk obsolescence. This session delivers a pragmatic blueprint for integrating AI and cutting-edge technologies, moving beyond theoretical discussion to realworld implementation.
Through practical insights and lived experiences, we’ll explore how strategic tech adoption can revolutionise communication, streamline reporting, and enhance compliance. Featuring a hands-on demonstration of implemented technology, attendees will gain actionable strategies to futureproof their practice and unlock unprecedented operational efficiency.
SPEAKERS:
Peter Worn, Senior Vice President, The Asia Group
Daniel Rickard, Chief Technology Officer, Verse Wealth
SPEAKERS
WEALTH SYMPOSIUM 2025 | NSW DAY 2
Peter Worn
Senior Vice President
The Asia Group
Peter is the co-founder and Joint Managing Director of Finura Group. Peter and the Finura team advise some of Australia and the UK’s leading wealth management companies on their technology strategy & execution. Peter holds several external board positions. He is an Independent Chairman of McQueen Financial Group, Chairman of Rising Tide Financial Services and on the Board of digital media agency, Socialisd. His most important role is being a Dad to his two boys Thomas and Patrick and husband to his wife Katherine. Peter holds an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Business.
Daniel Rickard
Chief Technology Officer
Verse Wealth
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.
12:05
STRATEGIC BUSINESS SCALING | FROM SMALL PRACTICE TO INDUSTRY LEADER
Your strategic decisions today directly shape the future value of your business. This session unpacks how every choice, particularly around client selection and pricing models, can drive significant impact on your firm’s valuation and exit multiple. Learn why acting sooner rather than later to optimize these areas can generate profound positive effects on your ultimate enterprise value. A session to navigate the complex journey of business growth with a comprehensive roadmap for expanding your financial practice. We’ll explore strategic M&A approaches and models for scaling to a greater size.
SPEAKER:
Peter Smith, Chairman & CEO, Evidentia Group
13:10
CLOSING REMARKS
Session B with Peter Smith