The Stockbrokers and Investment Advisers Association (SIAA) has appointed former JBWere chief executive, Maria Lykouras, to lead the group as it steps into an “exciting new chapter for SIAA”.
Effective 1 December, Lykouras will join the association as CEO after a competitive selection process.
Lykouras’s appointment marks its first leadership shift in six years after former CEO Judith Fox announced her intention to step back in July. The incoming CEO will work with Fox for the rest of 2025 through a handover period to ensure a smooth transition.
Chair Hamish Dee said: “Maria is dynamic and passionate about the future of wealth management and capital markets. She has over 25 years’ experience in the sector and a track record of delivering continuous improvement and fostering a culture of inclusion where every individual feels valued.”
Lykouras was the first female CEO of wealth management firm JBWere where she was active in her support for encouraging more women to manage their wealth and getting more women into advice, culminating in the release of a whitepaper, Women and Wealth, last year.
In November 2024, Lykouras announced she would be leaving the firm as JBWere prepared to restructure its roles and teams within the Private Wealth division, at which point she decided not to pursue further opportunities within the NAB Group.
Before joining JBWere, she spent more than a decade at Commonwealth Bank of Australia where she held several executive roles in the Commonwealth Private lending arm of the company, leading its advice business, operations and risk, and investment and advisory services.
As the association prepares for the change in leadership, Dee said Lykouras’ strong stakeholder engagement and wealth of experience across key issues in the industry will help SIAA provide a powerful voice for its members as they continue to navigate changes in the sector.
“She has longstanding, existing relationships with a wide range of our members and an in-depth understanding of the transformational changes they are facing in technology, investor demographics, market structure and regulation,” Dee said.
“This appointment marks an exciting new chapter for SIAA and the board is looking forward to working with Maria to ensure the Association continues to deliver on its mission to support and promote the value of the stockbroking and investment advice industry to serve the interests of Australian investors.”
Taking on the role, Lykouras said her key priority will be meeting with members and building on her existing relationships with these stakeholders.
“I am looking forward to bringing my experiences and capabilities in leading wealth businesses to this incredible opportunity to be a voice for our industry; provide value to our broad member base; and hopefully be able to support our members in facing current industry challenges,” she said.
