Amy Clarke
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Planning)
“I was grateful to land my first role at First Financial in Client Services while I was still studying at Uni and have progressed into the Associate Adviser role since then. I have a keen interest in wanting to help people with their finances and want to help clients achieve their financial goals.”
Amy is originally from Townsville in far North QLD, then moved to Melbourne at 18 and worked in a variety of areas including accounting and marketing before making the move to First Financial while undertaking her studies at Deakin.
In her spare time, Amy enjoys spending time with friends and being active – running, going to the gym, etc.
Andrew Shavikin
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Planning)
Diploma of Financial Services
Andrew Shavikin’s career originally started down the biological sciences route and while he found his studies interesting, he realised it wasn’t where his passion lay.
“I really enjoyed the analytical side of the work I was doing… but knew quite early on that I didn’t want a career in the sciences. I took a break and did my Diploma of Financial Services and that’s when I realised I wanted to get into the financial industry… to see if I could help people and support them as they get their finances on track.”
Brad Tucker
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Bachelor of Financial Planning
“From early on, I was always interested in investing which led me to complete a Financial Planning course in university. This opened up a range of different strategies focusing on the holistic approach towards helping people achieve their financial goals.
Joining the team at First Financial and working alongside Adela Ngai has opened my eyes again to how much people appreciate the relationship-based services that we provide.”
Outside of work, Brad lives an active lifestyle, playing football for his local town and enjoys going to the pub for midweek trivia.
Brenton Ebinger
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Brenton completed bachelor’s in Financial Planning in 2019. He has worked in the financial planning industry for the past twelve months. He joined Akambo as a paraplanner in 2021. Brenton is involved in the technical preparation of statements of advice. His future goal is to become a Private Wealth Manager.
Cameron Santomartino
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Bachelor of Commerce (Finance)
Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning
“From a very young age, I knew my strengths were numbers and problem solving. I naturally followed this skill set through school and university, but soon after joining the profession I learnt just how rewarding and satisfying it can be to interact with clients.
I really enjoy what I do. I appreciate that many clients have spent their working lives focused on their own career or family and may not have given much thought to their own finances or future retirement – that’s where we come in.”
When he’s not working, he’s hiking, training for a marathon or at the gym.
Daniel Smith
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Bachelor of Business (Human Resources)
Before university, Daniel Smith hadn’t ever really considered financial planning… he hadn’t come across it in his everyday life, but through his Bachelor of Business at university one introductory subject opened his eyes and set him down a clear career path.
“When I started to select elective subjects, I chose an introduction to financial planning… I found the strategy topics really interesting and so I continually chose finance subjects and went from there.”
James Grixti
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Bachelor of Commerce (Financial Planning)
When you have a passion, nothing will stop you from achieving your goals and this is how James Grixti approaches every day.
“I have a passion for investment. First Financial hired me straight out of university, and being able to work in the industry is fantastic. I feel lucky that I am already in this role… an Associate Adviser to one of the company’s principals. It’s a real highlight that they have entrusted me with this position.”
Jimmy Truong
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Jimmy has been working in the financial services industry since 2014 and understands the value of providing a client-first approach. Jimmy completed his Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) and Bachelor of Science (Microbiology) in 2016 at Monash University and holds a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning.
Jimmy’s curiosity in how and why things work ensures he is always looking for new ways to improve business efficiency and client experience.
Jo Zhao
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Bachelor of Medical Science
Master of Finance
Diploma of Financial Planning
Jo Zhao’s career started with a Bachelor of Medical Science but after a couple of years working within a hospital environment, she realised that it wasn’t her passion.
“I enjoyed it but I felt there were limitations… while I was working in the hospital I developed a strong interest in finance… I have a lot of family and friends working in the finance industry and that definitely influenced me to do my Masters.”
Julian Manning
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Meet our Associate Adviser, Julian Manning, dedicated to supporting our financial advisers to provide strategic financial planning to clients.
“In my role, I love that I get to assist in helping clients achieve their goals and give them comfort in knowing that they can comfortably retire.”
Mitchell Calleja
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Mitchell started working in the financial planning industry in 2019 and has since grown a strong belief in the importance of good quality financial advice. Mitchell completed his Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning) in 2020 at RMIT University and Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking in 2023.
In his personal life, Mitchell enjoys spending time playing his guitar, rock climbing, going to the gym and playing indoor soccer.
Patrick Deltiglio
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Bachelor of Business – Economics and Finance (Applied)
Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning
“I have always had a keen interest in Economics and Finance.
What drew me specifically to a career in the financial planning industry is the opportunity to make a tangible impact on people’s lives through analytical skills and building long term relationships. It is the relationship building aspect of the profession I find the most interesting.”
Ryan McLean
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Ryan has been working in the Financial Services Industry since 2018. He is passionate about providing quality client support, and prides himself on ensuring that the client’s experience is simple, clear, and as smooth as possible.
Telesia Szegedi
ASSOCIATE ADVISER
Telesia Szegedi began her journey in financial services early on, recognising the significant impact an Adviser can have on the lives of their clients.
Her career has taken her from Adelaide to Toronto and now Melbourne, where she has worked in various roles across the financial industry. Telesia holds a Certificate III in Business Administration and a Diploma in Financial Planning.
She is also currently pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning, which she expects to complete in November 2024.