Executive leadership

Ms Kerr-Smith joined Australian Unity in September 2017. Esther is Chief Executive Officer for Wealth & Capital Markets for the Australian Unity Group. Esther is responsible for all of Australian Unity’s financial services and investment activities, spanning investment management, advice, trustee services, life and superannuation, as well as the Group’s property, development and capital management activities. Esther is also a board member of many of its operating entities. 

Prior to joining Australian Unity in 2017, Esther’s previous experience covers financial services, infrastructure and human services design and delivery. Esther was a senior executive with the National Disability Insurance Agency—leading the market stewardship and commissioning functions and has held senior roles at strategy consulting firm Boston Consulting Group and within Macquarie Group’s infrastructure division. 

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Adnan joined Australian Unity in 2009. As Executive General Manager - Life & Super, he is responsible for the commercial management and growth of Australian Unity’s specialist wealth management business that delivers a range of market leading tax effective investments, including investment bonds, education and funeral funds as well as Corporate Superannuation solutions. 

Australian Unity is the largest investment bond solutions provider in Australia with a total of $2.4Bn in FUM and over 180,000 clients. 

Prior to this role, Adnan was General Manager – Executive (Chief of Staff) reporting to David Bryant, the CEO of Australian Unity’s Wealth & Capital Markets business and before this was Australian Unity’s Head of Product. Adnan is the current President of the industry association Friendly Societies of Australia. 

Adnan has a Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, major in Applied Mathematics from the University of Adelaide. 

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Alex Madsen joined Australian Unity in early 2017 as Chief of Staff to the company’s CEO, Mr Rohan Mead. In August 2020, Alex was appointed as Executive General Manager – Trustees in Australian Unity’s Wealth & Capital Markets business. 

In her current role, Alex is responsible for developing and leading the Trustees business, in particular continuing to build a specialist, client focused team that provide services including: estate planning, executor appointments, financial attorney, financial and legal administration and the management of personal, native title, community and philanthropic trusts. 

Prior to joining Australian Unity, Alex was a senior executive at the National Disability Insurance Agency, where she was responsible for leading the work on assistive technology, market stewardship, quality and safeguards and provider support and registration. As one of the founding officers during its start-up phase, Alex was also responsible for the Agency’s governance arrangements, including establishing the Board and Independent Advisory Council. She also worked at the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department for close to a decade, specialising in national security, administrative and disability law. In her early career, Alex worked at Baker & McKenzie as a lawyer. 

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Ms Saliba joined Australian Unity on 10 May 2021 as General Manager, Finance, Commercial & Operations, for Wealth & Capital Markets.

Jenny has broad experience in financial services, property and education with an emphasis in the social infrastructure sector – including aged care and retirement accommodation, healthcare infrastructure, student accommodation and specialist disability accommodation.

Jenny brings insights and direct experience in capital markets, funds management, real estate trusts, M&A and strategy and has played a key role in supporting strategic growth.

Prior to joining Australian Unity, Jenny held various CFO roles including at ASX listed, Think Childcare, ING Real Estate Investment Management and various private equity groups.

Jenny is excited to be part of Australian Unity, an organisation leading the way in social infrastructure by aligning quality care services with investment grade assets.

Joe has spent over 20 years in senior leadership roles, spanning global investment, superannuation and platform management.

He was formerly a member of Colonial First State Global Asset Management’s executive leadership team, and Managing Director for First State Investments in Asia, where he was responsible for strengthening and growing the firm’s extensive business located throughout the Asia region.

Prior to that, Joe was Head of Global Investment Solutions Group at CFSGAM, with responsibility for the strategic development of the firm’s portfolio of investment offers globally, contributing to the significant growth of the business over many years. He has extensive experience in building, developing and leading successful investment businesses that serve customers well, with a focus on responsible investment and stewardship.

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Kirsty Dullahide is General Manager – Commercial and Strategy for the Wealth & Capital Markets business. Over the past 15 years, Kirsty has held leading roles in the establishment of various joint venture businesses, the merger with Lifeplan Australia Friendly Society and Big Sky Building Society and acquisitions for the property and mortgage businesses. 

Kirsty has previously held various senior roles within funds management, insurance and banking, including within actuarial, operations, product, portfolio and treasury related functions. She is also a board member for Australian Unity’s listed office fund. 

Kirsty has worked in the finance industry for more than 25 years, for business operations in Australia, the UK and Asia, for companies including MLC and National Australia Group. 

Kirsty has a Bachelor of Economics – Actuarial from Macquarie University in NSW. 

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Mark joined Australian Unity in 2004. As Executive General Manager – Property, he is responsible for the commercial management and growth of Australian Unity’s real estate investment management and development businesses.  

Australian Unity actively manages more than $4.2 billion in commercial property assets; including the listed Australian Unity Office Fund, unlisted funds in healthcare and commercial property as well as commercial and development debt funding. Australian Unity is also the Master Developer of the $1.1 billion redevelopment of the Herston Quarter healthcare precinct in Brisbane. This project is set to provide Queenslanders with access to state-of-the-art health, hospital and aged care services, as well as creating international standard research and educational facilities.  

Prior to his current role, Mark was Chief Operating Officer for Australian Unity Wealth & Capital Markets. Mark is on the Committee of the Property Funds Association, and the Melbourne Racing Club and is a former member of the Victorian Division Council of the Property Council of Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce – Accounting from the University of NSW.

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Matt Brown is the Executive General Manager of Advice at Australian Unity.  

Matt has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry and held a diverse range of roles. Most recently Matt was CEO of two licensees – Millennium 3 and Financial Services Partners. Prior to that Matt was consulting to ANZ and was been the key architect in defining what success looks like for their advice businesses and building their strategic blueprint; and prior to that Matt was with CBA/Colonial First State for 10 years in a range of roles including as Head of Advice Development being responsible for the group's Growth & Innovation.  Matt's experiences are broad and include senior roles in fund administration, product management, insurance underwriting, and advice technical analysis & strategy.  

During his time Matt has also successfully completed a range of qualifications including a master’s degree in Financial Services Law, a Diploma of Financial Planning, and a Diploma of Superannuation Fund Management. 

As you get to know Matt you will see his passion for advice and the role we play for clients and in society more broadly.

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