About us

We are a Financial Advice business based in regional NSW and ACT and our business has been providing professional planning advice for over 20 years.

We are passionate about helping businesses and individuals achieve their financial and lifestyle goals. Our aim is to build long-term partnerships with our clients and assist them in building, protecting and managing their wealth and lifestyle for them and their families.

So, whether you are approaching retirement, just starting out, changing careers or moving from two incomes to one, our investment advisors can help you:

  • choose the right investment strategy
  • plan for your retirement
  • protect you and your family
  • make the most of your superannuation
  • budgeting & managing your money

Meet Our Advisers

Bernard Begg

Managing Director/ Senior Partner

Mark Anderson

Senior Financial Planner/ Partner

Stuart Gilchrist

Senior Financial Planner/ Partner

Gareth Adams

Senior Financial Planner/ Partner

Andrew (Jian Yi) Lao

Senior Financial Planner

Rick Nicholson

Senior Financial Planner

Tyron Mitchell

Manager of Risk/Senior Financial Planner

Bernard Begg

Managing Director/ Senior Partner

Bernard has over 14 yrs experience in the Banking and Financial Services industry. Bernard has previously been an Adviser and held Senior Management roles within the industry. Bernard’s experience brings a balanced approach to dealing with clients facing change and seeking financial security. Bernard has been involved in local sport as both a player and coach for many years in Rugby, Rugby League and Cricket. Bernard is married to Alison and have, Jack, Ellie and Harry to look after them in old age.

Advice I specialise in includes:

  • Investments strategies (strategic asset allocation)
  • Budget and cash flow management
  • Debt management (including borrowing for personal purposes)
  • Salary packaging
  • Superannuation strategies and retirement planning
  • Personal insurance
  • Estate planning
  • Centrelink and other government benefits
  • Ongoing advice and services, including regular portfolio reviews

Qualifications and members

  • Adv Dip FS
  • Dip FS (Finance/Mortage Broking Management)
  • TASA and TPB code of professional conduct
  • Member AFA
  • Fellow CFP

Mark Anderson

Senior Financial Planner/ Partner

Mark is born and bred in Bathurst and brings over 12 years of Financial Planning experience to the business. Mark was previously a stockbroker in Sydney until the lure of regional NSW drew him back home. He brings with him an abundance of knowledge and experience in all areas of financial planning including wealth creation, retirement planning (super and pensions), tax planning, Centrelink and Aged Care. Complementing Mark's technical knowledge and attention to detail, he prides himself on his affable nature and ability to explain complex strategies in an easy to understand way so there is complete peace of mind for his clients. In his spare time Mark is a keen motorbike enthusiast and was the former Australian Champion at Street Luge.

Mark is a graduate form Charles Sturt University with a Bachelor of Business and holds an Advanced Diploma in Financial Services (Financial Planning).

Qualifications and memberships

  • Bachelor of Business (Finance/Marketing)
  • Advanced Diploma of Financial Services
  • Diploma of Financial Services
  • Financial Planner AFP – Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA)

Stuart Gilchrist

Senior Financial Planner/ Partner

Stuart has more than 12 years of experience in the financial services sector having worked with, St George Bank, and most recently in his own Practice which has been merged with Spencer Fuller in January 2019. Prior to this he worked at Colonial First State for six years, supporting independent financial advisers. His wealth of experience and business knowledge is a significant asset to the practice as well as being able to provide his clients with expert guidance in understanding the financial complexities involved in achieving their goals.

Stuart is married and spends most of his time supporting his three children at school and in their sports, including athletics, swimming, and soccer. What time there is left Stuart keeps active with swimming, bushwalking, or riding trails through the bush, and watching the Wallabies play rugby.

Advice I specialise in includes:

  • Investments strategies (strategic asset allocation)
  • Budget and cash flow management
  • Debt management (including borrowing for personal purposes)
  • Salary packaging
  • Superannuation strategies and retirement planning
  • Personal insurance
  • Estate planning
  • Centrelink and other government benefits
  • Ongoing advice and services, including regular portfolio reviews
  • Aged care

Gareth Adams

Senior Financial Planner/ Partner

Gareth has eleven years of experience in the financial services sector having worked with StatePlus, St George Bank, CBA and Count Financial. Prior to this he worked for the Financial Information Service within Centrelink. His years of experience and education leave him well position to provide you with expert guidance in unravelling the financial complexities involved in achieving your goals.

He enjoys bushwalking, reading and has two sons who are happy to help in filling up the rest of his spare time.

Advice I specialise in includes:

  • Investments strategies (strategic asset allocation)
  • Budget and cash flow management
  • Debt management (including borrowing for personal purposes)
  • Salary packaging
  • Superannuation strategies and retirement planning
  • Personal insurance
  • Estate planning
  • Centrelink and other government benefits
  • Ongoing advice and services, including regular portfolio reviews
  • Aged care

Qualifications and memberships:

  • CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®
  • Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning)

Andrew (Jian Yi) Lao

Senior Financial Planner

Andrew believes financial planning is not a transactional arrangement, it is a relationship that is built on trust. Whilst Andrew has worked for large national businesses, he prefers smaller local financial planning practices that are client focused.

Andrew has been in the Financial Services Industry since 2001. In his late 20's Andrew owned businesses in the retail and hospitality industry. In 2005 he re-entered financial planning with a deeper understanding of business ownership which he has used to better serve his clients.

Andrew is married and enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 young children, hoping to teach them the joys of fishing and camping in the future.

Qualifications and Memberships

  • Bachelor of Commerce
  • Diploma of Financial Services
  • Advanced Diploma of Financial Services
  • CFP

Advice I specialise in includes:

  • Investments strategies (strategic asset allocation)
  • Budget and cash flow management
  • Debt management (including borrowing for personal purposes)
  • Salary packaging
  • Superannuation strategies and retirement planning
  • Personal insurance
  • Estate planning
  • Centrelink and other government benefits

Rick Nicholson

Senior Financial Planner

I have been a Financial Planner for over 22 years and I have offices located in Wollongong, Sydney, Canberra and Bathurst. I have over 36 years of experience in the financial services industry and have previously worked for Commonwealth Financial Planning for nearly 10 years.

I am passionate about helping clients, families and business create comprehensive advice strategies to secure their future and live their best life.

I particularly enjoy helping retiree and aged care clients through all the complexities of superannuation and investments to simplify access to maximising Centrelink entitlements.

My strengths are the rapport and relationships I build and maintain with my clients.

I provide financial advice to clients for :

  • Retirement Planning
  • Aged Care
  • Centrelink Strategies
  • Assistance and applications
  • Superannuation
  • Account Based Pensions
  • Annuities
  • Managed Funds
  • Investments
  • Personal Risk Insurance including Life, TPD, Trauma and Income Protection

Tyron Mitchell

Manager of Risk/Senior Financial Planner

With a background in home lending, financial planning and the full scope of banking products, Tyron Mitchell has a wide range of experience and more than 10 years’ in the industry.

Prior to the banking and planning world, Tyron was in real estate for 13 years as an agent and acting principal in the Hawkesbury and Orange markets.

Tyron has a Graduate Degree of Financial Planning and has also studied Margin Lending, Self-Managed Super Funds and is Aged Care accredited. He is a Registered Tax (Financial) Adviser and a Justice of the Peace.

Tyron is very much a family-oriented person and enjoys spending time with his wife of more than 20 years, two adult children, two cats, and a dog. Tyron also enjoys the outstanding food and wine in the region.

Tyron knows that it doesn’t take much to lose everything you love and have worked hard for. His goal is to make sure you can sleep easy every night knowing you’re in the best possible position you can be and you can thrive as an individual or family no matter what your circumstances.

“After going through major health issues within my family circle, I ask all my clients the same starting question – what is important about money to you? Is it for your lifestyle, wealth, protection or income?”

Support Team

Trudy Donnelly

Implementation and Compliance Manager

Anil Chaudhary

Paraplanning Manager

Belinda Johan

Client Services Manager

Lauren Swain

Practice Manager

Emmanuel Casquejo

Senior Financial Planning Assistant

Anna Baya-On

Financial Planning Assistant

Jaica Macamay

Financial Planning Assistant

Nikka Alvar

Financial Planning Assistant

Melanie Mitchell

Client Service Officer

Rose Hodgins

Implementation Manager – Risk

Louise Macaldo

Senior Paraplanner

Getting started is easy, let us help.

Making the right steps toward your Financial Future can be as easy as picking up the phone.

Let us help you make a difference to your future by providing professional financial advice.

Contact us