With a judging panel including academics, business executives, entrepreneurs and innovators, the 37th Annual Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2025 is peer-reviewed recognition of your capabilities in fund management and passion for driving the industry forward.
Andrew joined HUB24 in 2013 as Chief Executive Officer and with HUB24’s leadership team, he has led the company’s evolution from the new entrant HUB24 platform business to today’s market-leading integrated provider of platform, data and technology solutions to the wealth industry. HUB24 has grown over the last decade to administer over $100 billion in client assets and has expanded to now include the HUBconnect, Class and myprosperity businesses. Andrew has almost three decades of experience across wealth management, encompassing advice, platforms, superannuation, insurance and information technology. After a successful career as a senior executive in information technology, Andrew held various executive roles within the Wealth Management sector including with Genesys Wealth Advisers Limited, Tyndall and Asteron. In these roles Andrew worked closely with financial advisers, including holding board director roles for over 20 advice practices and was responsible for the design and delivery of financial products for the wealth market. Andrew was previously Chief Executive Officer of Australian Administration Services (a subsidiary of Link Group) providing superannuation administration and technology services to some of Australia’s largest superannuation funds.
Angela Ashton, the Founder & CEO at Evergreen Consultants, stands as a beacon of expertise in the investment consulting landscape. Armed with two Bachelor’s degrees (Economics/Science), a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance, and a Master of Commerce (Finance), Angela’s academic background underpins her strategic expertise in finance.
With a career spanning 30 years in Investment Markets, Angela brings unparalleled expertise to Evergreen. Throughout her career, she has held Senior Investment roles at QIC, served as Head of Ratings at van Eyk Research and was General Manager of Managed Funds Research at IWL Ltd (now CommSec). She has further contributed to the investment industry through serving on a number of education committees with groups such as Kaplan and the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA).
Under Angela’s leadership, Evergreen Consultants has established itself as a prominent boutique investment consulting firm based in Australia. Evergreen specialises in developing portfolios and collaborating closely with high-quality financial planning businesses nationwide. With them, Evergreen builds and manages investment solutions designed specifically to meet each individual clients needs and preferences.
The Evergreen Team is renowned for its innovative solutions and contributions in the industry through their significant in-house development of tools such as GreenVue, a portfolio analytics system and ERIG, a Responsible Investment Grading Index.
Dr Vincent Bicudo de Castro is an academic at Deakin Business School with a focus on business and interdisciplinary research. He is a Chartered Accountant with a Bachelor of Economics and degrees in Accounting at the bachelor, master (by research), and PhD levels, along with other qualifications. His research portfolio demonstrates remarkable versatility, spanning solo-authored works and collaborative studies that showcase his proficiency in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
Vincent has industry experience in auditing, having worked for two of the world's largest audit firms, where he provided assurance services to financial institutions. In addition to his auditing career, Vincent has held a role in compliance and internal controls at a leading asset management firm, where he oversaw investments worth billions of dollars across hedge funds, private equity, equities, and real estate portfolios.
Simon is a Partner at Hamilton Locke. He is known for his infectious personality and the energy he brings to solving problems for his clients. Simon has seen the financial services industry from many angles, having worked for ASIC, a fund manager, a ‘Big Four’ bank and two leading law firms.
Simon is a regulatory specialist who often acts for clients under investigation by ASIC. His clients are typically financial services businesses that hold, operate under or wish to obtain an AFS licence. Simon also advises on AFCA complaints, transactions, and disputes.
Simon has deep technical expertise from decades spent liaising with ASIC and AFCA, managing disputes and negotiating complex transactions. He spends most of his working hours trying to keep his clients off ASIC’s radar and helping them to future proof their businesses. While Simon advises on broad range of financial services issues, he has a soft spot for wealth management and financial advice.
In 2024, Simon won Financial Services Partner of the Year (Lawyers Weekly).
Rob is a highly experienced financial adviser having owned and operated financial planning practices for the past 20 years. Overall, Robert has 25 years’ experience in commercial banking, financial markets, stockbroking and financial planning. In 2008, Rob successfully applied for his own AFSL and in 2012, he became the Chief Executive Officer of Shartru Wealth Management. Rob is well qualified and holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment and is a Certified Financial Planner.
Dr Michelle Cull is an Associate Professor in Accounting & Financial Planning in the School of Business at Western Sydney University. She has taught accounting and financial planning for over 20 years and published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and textbooks in financial planning. Her work has featured in Money Management, Professional Planner, Money and Life, Sunrise, ABC News, Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph and on radio.
Michelle is co-editor of the FAAA’s Financial Planning Research Journal, President Elect for the Academy of Financial Services in the United States, Chair of the Financial Planning Education Council, and on the advisory boards of Ecstra Foundation and Adviser Ratings.
Michelle led the development of the WalletSmart App, co-founded the Western Sydney University Tax Clinic and developed the Personal Finance Basics Micro Credential. She is an FCPA and member of the FAAA. In 2021, Michelle received Western Sydney Women’s Western Sydney Educator of the Year Award.
Prior to becoming a full-time academic, Michelle worked for 15 years in accounting and finance roles at ASX-100 listed companies. Michelle has also worked as a consultant.
Michelle has previously served as Deputy President of CPA Australia’s NSW Divisional Council and currently volunteers as academic member of the UniSuper Consultative Committee, and on the Women’s Committee of Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce.
I’m an entrepreneur, financial adviser, cross-fitter, and D&I activist; helping young professionals achieve financial freedom.
Prior to launching Fox & Hare, I was a Macquarie Banker for more than a decade!
I honed my craft in various roles from institutional broking to wealth management, finally leaving mid-2017 as one of the youngest Directors in the company.
Diversity and inclusion sits close to my heart. During my time at Macquarie, I often found myself wondering "where are all the advisers who look like me?"
Fox & Hare was launched to fill that gap. We saw young, diverse Australians being left behind and knew we could make a lasting and positive change.
We believed (and still believe!) that financial freedom should be accessible to all - not just the older, wealthier among us.
Since launching Fox & Hare I’ve:
David is currently the Head of FTSE Russell’s Index Investments Group for Australia and New Zealand and primarily looks to catalyse asset management flows into sustainable finance options through indices. David sits on the APAC leadership team and has a deep understanding of the asset management industry having held critical and senior roles throughout the asset management value chain.
With over 15 years’ experience working in the Financial Services sector. David has previously worked with ETF issuers tasked with establishing the business onshore ensuring regulatory compliance and prior to that David worked with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) managing the cash equity trading platform as well as building out ASX’ Investment Products business.
Outside of his day job, David is also an experienced board member and director. He was a non-executive Director and Board member of an ASX listed company ASX:TIP and Burman Investment Management, an Australian fund manager playing a crucial role in that organisations governance and strategic direction. In addition David also sits on the board of a further 2 companies – Tora Trading (Australia) and Global Data Consortium (Australia).
David is passionate about giving back and dedicates a large proportion of his spare time on philanthropic activities being the Head of APAC for the London Stock Exchange Foundation – LSEG’s philanthropic arm, donating over a million dollars each year to much needed charities in the region. David also sits on the committee of the Australian Stockbrokers Foundation and is a guest lecturer and program sponsor at UNSW and University of Melbourne looking to improve financial literacy particularly in the future female leaders and promoting sustainable finance throughout the education system.
researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/rahat-munir
Sarah Penn is the CEO of Mayflower Consulting. Mayflower partners with fund managers and super funds to streamline their PDS management, enhance communications and navigate through change effectively. Sarah founded Mayflower in 2014 after senior roles at Macquarie Bank and Asgard Wealth Solutions. She is passionate about the funds management industry, chairing the FSC Tech and Innovation Expert Group and the ASFA NSW Legislation Discussion Group, and is also the MD of CREW – Compliance and Risk Executive Women, which now boasts more than 1700 members across Australia.
