SMSF Association adds to board

BT's Bryan Ashenden, currently head of financial literacy, has joined the board of the SMSF Association.

He's joined by Deborah Ralston, who returns to the board following the completion of the Retirement Income Review.

Ashenden has been with BT Financial Group for nearly 13 years, the last six as head of financial literacy and advocacy. He previously spent time with Asgard Wealth Solutions as head of technical consulting and was a taxation manager with KPMG. He said of his appointment, "Very honoured to take on a Board position with SMSF Association - a member association focussed on the needs of professionals servicing, and those who are members, of the SMSF sector in Australia."

SMSF Association chair Andrew Hamilton said, "A principal focus in this role is to assist building consumer trust in the advice process and supporting advisers in raising professional standards, a role that makes him eminently suitable for our board at a point of time when the advice industry is undergoing major change.

"Aside from his BT role, Bryan is a lecturer on ethics and professionalism in financial advice and the economic and legal context for financial planning and is a member of various working groups at the Financial Services Council," said Hamilton.