Staff and students of the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics gathered for the chance to gain valuable insights into the future of the financial planning industry during a campus visit by Platinum Asset Management executives recently.
The event included a keynote speech by Platinum Asset Management CEO Andrew Clifford and a discussion chaired by Department Head Professor Mark Brimble; it also served as a perfect opportunity to award the Platinum Asset Management scholarships to four well-deserving Griffith Business School students.
It is the fifth year that Platinum Asset Management and the Neilson Foundation have partnered with the School for the scholarship endeavour.
Dean (Learning and Teaching) Professor Ross Guest welcomed guests and praised the partnership between the firm and the University, highlighting the importance of the scholarships for the School. “It’s important recognition of the vital role that financial planning has in the investment management community. It’s also a way of supporting the work of the financial planning association and it’s a way of attracting new talent to this very important industry,” he explained.
Mr Clifford then took to the podium to talk about where the financial industry is currently situated and where it’s headed in the future. The message was clear: financial planning plays an important role in the community and there’s never been a better time to get educated in the sector. “We at Platinum think financial planning is a critical profession for the community and that it shouldn’t just be a profession… it needs to be an esteemed and trusted profession,” he said. “People need trusted advice and we need people to want to take this path, so we want to do what we can to support them on that journey.”
“For those of you who are pursuing that path, I think you should move into it understanding just how important a role you’re playing, because at the end of the day the difference between your clients getting good advice and poor advice will make a huge difference to themselves but also their children and grandchildren.”
A short Q and A session hosted by Professor Brimble followed where the pair discussed the challenges facing the industry, including the Royal Commission shining a spotlight on the financial services industry and how education will help rebuild trust in the profession.
After the discussion, the Platinum Asset Management and Neilson Foundation scholarships were awarded to remarkable Griffith Business School students Benjamin Dean, Jake Turner, Mary Ann Almassan, Judd Clark, Omolbanin Vehedimanesh and Celine Walden.
“Winning the scholarship is a great opportunity to further my education after completing my Bachelor degree,”Judd said. “I’ve enrolled in a Masters and without the financial support of this scholarship I don’t think it would have been achievable.
“External industry networking nights such as this are fantastic ways to network with professionals from such renowned industry funds in Australia and it’s a great opportunity for us to mix with each other and them,” he said.
Mary Ann said the scholarship will help her reach her career goals. “Winning the scholarship will open up as lot of opportunities for me and it’s great to be recognised for the work I’ve done,” she explained. “Employers can see how hard I have worked and it just feels so good. When I got the email telling me I won I cried!”
In the vote of thanks, Professor Brimble emphasised the importance of external engagement and industry partnerships within Griffith Business School’s long-term strategy. “There are many reasons we do this. Firstly we think this is how we can further our contribution to society and the regions in which we work, secondly we see the payoffs and cyclical benefits in our teaching and learning in terms of the awareness and knowledge and application of our academics in the classroom through to the applied utility of the research our academics conduct.
“It’s also great to see our students rewarded through these partnerships. We are delighted to be able to work with our valued industry partners in the delivery of a remarkable student learning experience, one which provides many opportunities for enrichment.” Professor Brimble said.
