UniSuper has added financial planners to its newly-established advice business.
Industry superannuation fund UniSuper has added 12 advisers to its advice business, UniSuper Advice, since its establishment in December 2009.
Another adviser is about to start work in the higher education and research sector fund's Sydney office. The business also plans to shortly open a Perth office once an adviser is hired.
The fund has already appointed regional managers to UniSuper Advice offices in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
It has hired Jenni Erbel to lead the Queensland office, while Brett Saurine oversees the NSW office. Alex Aracas is the national practice manager with responsibility for the Victorian, South Australian, West Australian and Tasmanian regions.
UniSuper Advice has also hired Eleanor Menzies, a new adviser for its Canberra office. Menzies reports to Saurine and services the two universities in Canberra plus the campus of Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga.
"We have had over 4000 members contact our Financial Advice Centre in Melbourne since we launched, with over 900 seeking an interview with an adviser as a result. Many of these interviews have already led to a full financial plan being prepared for the member," UniSuper executive manager Chris Davies said.
Victoria and NSW will soon each have four full-time advisers working in the business.
"We are looking at hiring one more adviser in our office in Victoria," Davies said.
Last month, UniSuper announced a number of changes to its executive team.
Under the changes, teams focused on servicing members and employers, plus the central marketing team, will be merged into a single business unit called UniSuper Advice & Services. Davies, who was previously the executive manager for financial planning at UniSuper, was appointed to lead the group.
"The vision for our new business unit focuses on better coordinating our call centres for members and employers, member education services, including seminars and workshops, phone-based advice and full financial planning to produce a greater retirement outcome for members," he said.
"We will be looking at growing the services on the back of member demand."
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