Bernhard Seifert – Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Bernhard has worked for many of the large Australian financial institutions including the Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and Colonial Mutual Life. He has over 25 years of diverse management experience in a number of industries including financial services, mortgage management, retailing, management consulting (USA), property construction, engineering, and technology.

Within financial services Bernhard has been involved in funds retailing, wholesale funds, mortgage management, superannuation development, infrastructure funding and strategic planning. Bernhard has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Statistics and a Masters degree in Business Administration.

John Marinopoulos – Strategy and Analysis

John has over 20 years experience of delivering strategy and business intelligence within the financial, aviation, transport, tourism, and pharmaceutical sectors. John has extensive industry experience and knowledge in the areas of finance, pricing, market and product analysis, due diligence and process re-engineering, strategic advisory in the areas of customer segmentation, business management and risk management operating models.

His corporate roles have included Senior Market Research and Analysis roles with National Australia Bank and Melbourne Airport, and Lecturer in Statistics at Latrobe University and Monash University.
John holds a Bachelor of Science and a Masters of Science in Statistics from Monash University and is regarded an expert in the field of strategic intelligence. John is on the global board of ESOMAR, the world’s largest knowledge and research association and heads the Financial Advisory Committee for the ESOMAR Board.

Keith Lambert – Head of Treasury & Finance

Keith holds a Masters of Business Administration and is an Associate of The Chartered Institute of Bankers UK, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Banking and Finance and a Fellow of the Securities Institute of Australia.

Keith has been an auditor and treasury consultant in the banking industry for over 25 years. During his time at Hong Kong Bank he held numerous roles from Corporate Analyst to Director of Lending.
Apart from his treasury expertise, his other areas of expertise include, but are not limited to Credit Analysis, Securitisation, Credit and Risk Management, Bank policies and procedures, International Banking and Finance. Keith has also acted as a Corporate Strategist and Treasury Adviser in a range of large and small companies and government departments.

Naseema Sparks - Head of Brand & Marketing

Naseema graduated as a Bachelor of Pharmacy followed by a Master of Pharmacology and also holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School.

Naseema’s most recent executive position was as Managing Director of M&C Saatchi Sydney for 5 years until 2004 and then M&C Saatchi Melbourne until early 2007. Currently holds non-executive directorships with Blackmores Ltd and Mitchell Communication Group Pty Ltd and is Vice President Melbourne International Arts Festival and Deputy Chair, Osteoporosis Australia.

Over the past 20 years Naseema has worked in Australia and the UK for major companies including DDB, J Walter Thompson, McCann Erickson and Fleishman Hilliard. Prior to that Naseema worked in the Corporate Strategy division of the Coopers & Lybrand consulting practice.

Klaus Dithmer – Manager Compliance & Audit

Klaus has over 30 years Audit and Compliance experience gained with small to medium sized Chartered accounting firms, performing the external Audit Manager function for a number of organisations such as IOOF, Manchester Unity Friendly Society, Billy Guyatts and Leader Associated Newspapers.

Over the past 16 years with Australian Scholarships Group Friendly Society Limited Klaus has held the role of Group Internal Audit & Compliance Manager reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, has been a member of the Society’s Investment Committee, a responsible officer of a number of companies within the ASG Group and Company Secretary of ASG Friendly Society.