Total Financial Solutions, the largest member firm of Countplus, today named Mark Rantall as its new independent chairman. The mid-tier dealer group also announced Andrew Kennedy as its acting chief executive officer. Count Financial, which is owned by CBA, is the largest single shareholder of Countplus.
Mr Rantall stepped down from the FPA in February 2016. He has over 20 years’ licensee experience, including as the managing director of Godfrey Pembroke from 2003 to 2008, according to a statement.
“I am pleased to be joining TFS as independent chairman in order to assist with its objectives of pursuing quality growth, implementing the highest governance and compliance standards, and continuing to play an important role as a licensee,” Mr Rantall said.
Following the departure from TFS of former CEO Marcelo Fernandez for lifestyle and family reasons, Andrew Kennedy has been appointed acting chief executive. Mr Kennedy moves into the role from his previous position as general manager of growth.
Countplus chief executive Phil Aris said, “We are very pleased with the new team and the prospects they will deliver for 2017 and beyond.”
I think Mark Rantall is a great leader. leading the financial planning cest pool out from the days of ripping off clients….not before time.
Just to play devil’s advocate here – say you finished up as the CEO of the FPA to explore other opportunities. Assuming you didn’t want to start your own section-923A-compliant independent wealth management practice, where to from there?
The FSC’s plum job compensation for selling out the members and all non aligned advisers. Wonder what Brad Fox and Dante De Gori will be offered in the near future. What a joke. The industry need to clean up and should start with advisers distancing themselves from corruption by the FPA, AFA and FSC.
We need to form a new association desperately that represents us, the sme practitioner. who is with me? anyone? ….
Hi John, it already exists and is called the AIOFP. Go get your own license and take charge of your own destiny out the the institutional clutches. It’s really quite reasonable to have your own AFSL, don’t believe the big bank BS about scaring advisers away from doing their own thing.
Job’s for the Boys, thanks CBA/FPA and Mark Rantell for proving 100% how much you were in the Banks / Institutions / FSC pockets the whole time you were at the FPA and continually lying about supporting advisers. At least we know exactly who you work now for without the ongoing BS.
I wish Kelly Odwyer would go back to work with NAB and stop her ongoing lying about not working for the banks still.
Taking a role in the FPA is a route to bigger things, obviously! Gravy and trains come to mind…along with unmitigated lack of integrity. That’s why, despite being a founder of the FPA (on the National Board of the AIPA, which appointed Ken Breakspear as initial CEO and set up the FPA, in the late 1980s) I have never joined it – because it immediately started taking “sponsorship” from institutions! Being an FPA member simply endorses all their poor practices. Ask yourself this: How many banned or gaoled advisers were FPA members? Would you want to be included as their colleagues? Independence includes NOT being a member of associations that push corporate, industry interests. The only people that matter – at all – are your client. Work for them. Get paid b them and get your own AFSL. I did/do and life is much better.
Mark Rantall, nice bloke generally. Stunning thing is that he and his associates can’t see what they are doing wrong. Doesn’t say much for CBA who are being attacked on all fronts setting themselves up for yet more negative press. NAB have seen the downside and are fast transitioning out. CBA just seem to be digging a deeper hole.
Mark’s positive efforts in other areas are going to be eclipsed by references to 30 pieces of silver. Not sure what his new role will mean to him but i doubt he will be glad to have taken it when the dust of history settles.
This is like a really, really cliché movie.
What a joke, Rantall sells out his members on genuine issues affecting advisers such as LIF, FDS, aspects of education and others which were all pushed hard by the banks and FSC and now surprise surprise Rantall is working for CBA. This is nothing short of appalling and we’ll see how Brad Fox is rewarded next.
I guess FPA Members can discuss it at the next FPA Conference in Hobart in November…which will be sponsored by Colonial First State, AMP, NAB/MLC, PIMCO, Vanguard, BT, Macquarie, ANZ, CBA, IOOF…..