About the speakers

John Collins CFP®
Founder, Black Pearl Private Clients
John Collins brings over 30 years of experience in financial services and transaction advisory, with deep expertise in advising on the growth, succession and exit challenges facing financial planning business owners. John began his career as a Chartered Accountant with a global accounting firm, advising clients on cross-border acquisitions, divestments and corporate restructures, as well as providing strategic tax planning for family offices, high-net-worth individuals and senior executives. He later spent over a decade as a Director with Macquarie Group, delivering transaction advisory and succession planning advice to professional services firms and wealth management advice to mid-market private business owners and sophisticated private clients. In 2010, John established Black Pearl Private Clients, a specialist advisory firm focused on mergers, acquisitions, succession planning and value realisation strategies for financial services businesses. John holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Economics, is a CFP professional, Chartered Accountant and a licensed real estate agent.

Susie Vincent CFP®
CEO, Goldsborough Financial Services
Susie Vincent is a CFP professional and the CEO of Goldsborough Financial Services, a financial planning firm in Adelaide with 21 staff members, including nine advisers. She started her career in financial planning in 1989 as a general office assistant in one of the first independent financial planning firms in Adelaide. She then worked in administration with an insurance company and later as a BDM with MLC. In 1997, she joined Goldsborough as a paraplanner, a new role at the time. Her role gradually expanded to include compliance for the AFSL, Xplan and systems, and she became the inaugural CEO and a shareholder in 2013. Over many years incremental changes to Goldsborough’s pricing had been achieved. 

Susie had all the other shareholders and advisers at Goldsborough on board with the need for these changes and developed a fee calculator which: reflected the ‘Goldsborough Way’, closely aligning the value the clients received with the fees they paid.  The following year, the project was to review each ongoing service client’s pricing and transitioned to the new arrangement.  She enjoys the challenges, opportunities and team spirit that working at Goldsborough has offered her for many years.

Greg Cook CFP®
Chief Executive, Eureka Whittaker Macnaught
Greg is Chief Executive of Eureka Whittaker Macnaught (EWM). He has been a Certified Financial Planner since 1998 and has an impeccable record of delivering quality advice to thousands of Australians over a 33 year period. He is a member of the FAAA Conduct Review Commission, an FAAA Fellow, and has been FAAA national conference chair. EWM has a team 70 people across six offices in QLD and NSW and annual revenue of $20 million. Greg and EWM are very experienced with M&A and dealing with succession. Besides time with family and his grandchildren Greg’s often playing in or organising a game of cricket somewhere.

Melinda Planken CFP®
Managing Director, Muirfield Financial Services
Melinda Planken is the Managing Director of Muirfield Financial Services. She began her financial planning journey with Muirfield as an enthusiastic graduate in 2007, and over the past 18+ years, she has demonstrated unwavering commitment, passion, and expertise in the financial planning industry. Melinda holds an MBA from Deakin University, is a CFP professional, Accredited Aged Care Specialist, and serves as one of the Responsible Managers of Muirfield Financial Services AFSL. Her dedication to both clients and her team, through fostering meaningful relationships and upholding relatable values, has been pivotal to her ongoing success and that of Muirfield. In addition to her professional roles, Melinda juggles Mum and Wife life, has recently joined the board of Geelong Community Foundation and is a founding committee member of Philanthropy 500 (P500). She excels in multitasking, prioritising, and completing tasks efficiently and effectively. Her ability to balance her professional and personal responsibilities brings her enormous pride and fulfilment.