Speakers

Rob Roper is the Founder and Director of Trusted Finance with an obsession for high quality lead generation and engaging marketing strategies.
Rob motivates small business owners, key company stakeholders and decision makers to take control of lead generation, increasing their bottom line.
He has built a following of over 1,200,000 people across Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, You Tube, LinkedIn and Snapchat, making Trusted Finance the most followed Australian Company across the Finance and Real Estate industries. In only 24 months, Rob has gained over 30,000 Home Buyer leads, converting to over $700,000,000 in settled mortgages, without spending even $1 on advertising.
As a leader in the field of social media marketing, Rob’s innovative approach is based on proven educational practices designed to engage, enhance and encourage the consumer to take action. Rob enables companies to generate more revenue by revealing the secrets that will build their brand awareness on social media, from boutique professional services, through to large multinationals.
Rob is an expert at forging the shift in mindset needed to engage consumers organically. His energetic approach coupled with his passion for education makes for a highly practical session.
Before founding Trusted Finance, Rob spent 10 years as a Secondary Mathematics Teacher, refining his ability to motivate, educate and inspire. This led him to build his first business, a successful tutoring company, which sparked his passion for marketing. Learn more at www.robroper.com.au.

A thought leader inspiring the art of the possible with responsible data analytics and artificial intelligence use.

​Fascinated by how technology is changing our behaviour as human beings, Silvio is known for his vision. He is often asked for his views on the future of AI and where it could be taking us.

​Honoured as the 2020 #1 Analytics Leader in Australia, Silvio's proven experience in scaling data & artificial intelligence platforms and capabilities in large organisations - some Australian firsts - have cemented his reputation as an innovator.

​A highly entertaining public speaker, he energises people with a little fun to think differently about technology and how we interact with it.

Angela Shi is the founder and CEO of Empathetic AI, an award-winning Generative AI startup based in Sydney. Her company developed Luna, Australia’s first AI tax copilot, powered by advanced Generative AI technology. Luna is backed by the National AI Centre and supported by CSIRO’s Data61, the data and digital specialist arm of Australia’s national science agency. Empathetic AI also won 3rd place in Australia’s inaugural AI Sprint in 2024. Angela is a finance professional turned AI entrepreneur, she brings 15 years of experience in financial services and fintech. She previously served as CFO at Plus500 and Capital.com, leading teams across seven countries and supporting customers in over 40 countries. Angela is also a casual academic and industry partner at UNSW, as well as an AI in Finance course creator at the Institute of Applied Technology. She is a passionate public speaker, advocate for AI in finance, and educator on AI’s transformative role in the workplace.

Dr. Tony Liu is a distinguished AI and Machine Learning scientist with over 11,000 citations to his name. He is the creator of the Isolation Forest algorithm—an innovative and efficient approach to anomaly detection that challenged NASA’s algorithms in 2010. With more than 15 years of professional experience in the financial sector—including banking, insurance, investments, mergers and acquisitions, and taxation—Dr. Liu brings deep domain expertise to his current role as AI Advisor for FAYBL.com, a generative AI platform purpose-built for financial advisors.

John Cachia is a multi-award-winning financial adviser and the Founder of Thriving Wealth, one of Australia’s leading financial advice firms. With over two decades in financial services, he has helped high-earning Australian families build wealth and achieve financial freedom without sacrificing their lifestyle.
Recognised as the 2024 FAAA Financial Adviser of the Year and recipient of multiple industry accolades, John takes a goal-focused, behavioural-based approach to financial advice. He believes true financial success isn’t just about wealth accumulation but about making deliberate, values-aligned financial decisions that drive long-term security and lifestyle outcomes. His firm, Thriving Wealth, was also awarded the 2024 IFA Financial Impact Award, reflecting his commitment to delivering meaningful, client-focused financial results.

Fraser Jack is the founder of The Cyber Collective, dedicated to ensuring that every client in Australia can trust their financial professionals to protect their confidential information. He is passionate about simplifying cybersecurity for financial professionals, helping them navigate the complexities of cyber risk with confidence.

With over 25 years of experience in the financial planning profession, including running a financial planning practice, working in an AFSL, and working extensively with technology. Fraser understands the practical steps professionals must take to protect client data and meet regulatory obligations.

He specialises in breaking down confusing cybersecurity jargon into clear, actionable insights, using real-world analogies that resonate with financial professionals. Through The Cyber Collective’s cyber transformation framework, Fraser helps businesses implement robust security measures, provide ongoing team training, and build a culture of cyber awareness.

Fraser believes cybersecurity doesn’t have to be confronting or overwhelming, it just needs to be practical, engaging, and built into everyday business practices.

Ben Marshan is a seasoned professional in financial services, advocacy, and government relations, with over 19 years of experience in the field. Specialising in strategy, professional standards, risk and compliance, and member support. Ben has a proven track record of helping businesses navigate significant regulatory changes and deliver financial services efficiently. Ben now supports financial services businesses as a thought leader and consultant through Marshan Consulting. Ben has also co-founded Impaktful, which is creating tools and services to help Australians find purpose in their retirement through philanthropy and volunteering. Ben is also a Director of the Future2 Foundation - the foundation for all financial service professionals, with the aim to build stronger financial futures for Australians in need.

Before founding Marshan Consulting, Ben served as Director of Policy at the Council of Australian Life Insurers and spent 8 years as Head of Policy, Standards, Strategy, and Innovation at the Financial Planning Association of Australia. He also worked as a Financial Planner and Senior Manager at State Super Financial Services (now Aware Super) and as KPMG’s financial advice subject matter expert.

Ben holds the Certified Financial Planner® and Life Risk Specialist® designations, an MBA, a Master of Commerce in Financial Planning, a Bachelor of Science with first-class honours, and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Ben plays a pivotal role in delivering and developing top-tier Financial Advice services. With a keen eye for innovation and a passion for improving financial outcomes, Ben specializes in crafting strategic solutions for his clients. His unique approach involves delving into the realms of financial history and cycle analysis, all with the ultimate goal of enhancing investment outcomes for Complete Wealth’s’ valued clientele.
Driven by a desire to challenge the status quo, Ben is dedicated to providing expert financial guidance and insightful research. With his extensive educational background and active involvement in professional associations, he ensures that client needs stay at the forefront of his research design.
Ben is an international author, who has been published at some of the most prestigious institutions across the world. His research focuses on reducing the barriers associated with accessing financial services in Australia. By actively contributing to this field, he aims to make financial services more accessible and inclusive for all.

Adele Martin is transforming financial advice.

With over 20 years of experience, she has worked with retirees and millennials, founded The Savings Squad Podcast, and helped hundreds through her My Money Buddy online money program.

A multi-award-winning adviser, Adele has been recognized with the Independent Financial Adviser Excellence Award and the XY Adviser Brains Trust Award. She is a trusted authority on money, regularly featured in The Australian Financial Review, The Project, ABC, Sky News, and more.

Now, she is coaching advisers globally—including training 200,000 Japanese advisers—with a mission to help them make a bigger impact, scale their businesses, and do it all without burning out.

Pedro is a bilingual (Spanish) Certified financial planner with over a decade of experience in the financial industry. In 2023 he founded Marin Wealth, a boutique independent financial advisory firm that provides bespoke financial services across South East Queensland. Regardless of their life stage, Pedro’s clients share a common goal: achieving financial freedom and living a richer life. His client trust him to guide them with effective strategies tailored to their personal aspirations.

Charlie Viola is the Executive Chair, Adviser and Founding Partner at Viola Private Wealth, with over 24 years of experience in investment management. He specialises in advising high-net-worth individuals, family offices and institutional investors, as well as managing significant portfolios with a focus on delivering tailored and high-touch services. Prior to founding Viola Private Wealth, Charlie was a Partner and Managing Director at Pitcher Partners Sydney Wealth Management, where he was instrumental in growing the business from less than $50 million in AUM in 2001 to over $3.5 billion by 2022, personally managing over $2 billion in AUM.

At Viola Private Wealth, he ensures clients benefit from exclusive investment opportunities and strategic, long-term wealth planning. His client-centric approach emphasises education and trust, key elements in achieving exceptional outcomes.

Recognised as a leader in the industry, Charlie is consistently ranked on Barron’s Top 100 Australian advisers list. Under Charlie’s leadership, Viola Private Wealth sets the standard for excellence in servicing high-net-worth clients and families.

In addition to his role at Viola Private Wealth, Charlie serves as a Non-Executive Director of the Wests Tigers NRL club, and Autism Awareness Australia (a wonderful NFP charity which looks to better the lives all people living with autism and the families that love them), further demonstrating his leadership and commitment to diverse organisational success.

Josh has over 15 years in quantitative portfolio management & analytics experience. Founder of BlackRock Australasia’s model portfolio business, Josh built the business from idea inception to managing over $5Bn AUD in multiple, new to market investment strategies both in Australia & New Zealand. Prior to this, Josh held senior roles within MSCI’s index business in Australia and was a senior member of the Barra & Riskmetrics hedge fund analytics business in New York. In 2022 Josh founded fintech platform Briefcase, the pioneer Direct Indexing technology platform in Australia.

Philipp is a foreign policy leader and China specialist with extensive experience in government, think-tanks and universities in Australia, United States, China and Russia. He is the Founder of Geopolitical Risks & Strategy Practice (GRASP) advising government, business and university leaders on geostrategy. He is an Industry Fellow at UTS Business School and a Visiting Scholar at Georgetown University. A recognised China specialist, his analysis has appeared in the New York Times, Financial Times, South China Morning Post, and The Australian Financial Review. Philipp was a Fulbright Scholar in Australia-United States Alliance at Georgetown University in the US and the Australian Government’s Endeavour Executive Fellow at the China National Academy of Education Administration. Previously he was the Global Chief Programming Officer at Asia Society New York and CEO of Asia Society Australia Center, which he transformed into Australia’s leading business and policy centre on Asia. Earlier he worked on China policy in the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and at the University of Sydney and La Trobe University. He is a fluent Chinese and Russian speaker.