Get to know the experienced and passionate people who are all here to help you enhance your financial wellbeing and achieve your goals.
AIA Financial Wellbeing was launched in 2021 as a new financial advice business with a goal to help more Australians access affordable, straightforward advice that considers the life, health and financial goals and objectives of our customers. Because we understand that financial wellbeing is linked to physical and mental wellbeing.
Whilst we are a new business, our team includes financial planners with 5 to 20+ years’ experience providing advice to customers, helping them make confident financial decisions, protect their families and build wealth for the future.
We are operated by AIA Financial Services Pty Limited, a subsidiary of AIA Australia, under a separate Australian Financial Services License (AFSL). In upholding our AFSL, we comply with ASIC and all relevant regulatory obligations and standards.
AIA Australia is a leading life insurance specialist with over 50 years’ experience and a commitment to help Australians live healthier, longer, better lives. AIA Australia is part of the AIA Group, the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group, with over 100 years’ experience and a presence in 18 markets across the Asia-Pacific.
The lives of more than 3.8 million Australians are protected and enhanced through AIA Australia’s unique value proposition of life, health and wellbeing.
Your first meeting with a financial planner is free, no strings attached.
So don’t wait, start today and take the first small step towards investing in the life you want.
The AIA Financial Wellbeing team comprises experienced and passionate people who are all here to help you enhance your financial wellbeing and achieve your goals.
Our financial planners are salaried professionals who take the time to listen to you and understand your circumstances, goals and dreams. They keep up to date with legislation, industry changes and financial planning strategies – all so they can provide well-informed advice that is tailored to your objectives and needs.
All our financial planners are accredited and comply with professional standards.
Our dedicated team of paraplanners work closely with our financial planners to help them research and prepare high quality advice documents tailored to your goals, objectives and needs.
Before you meet with a financial planner, you’ll speak to one of our advice assistants. Their job is to listen and understand the kind of financial advice you are seeking, and match you with a financial planner with the right expertise.
Our advice associates provide administrative and research support to our financial planners and paraplanners. They are also able to assist you with queries about any forms and applications that may be required, if you decide to go ahead and implement the advice recommendations.
Our trusted risk & compliance team ensures all the advice delivered is in your best interest and aligned with current legislation. They track and monitor changing industry standards, ensure operational risk and compliance frameworks are in place, and that decisions are well-informed and timely.
PINA SCIARRONE - Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, AIA Financial Services
Pina has more than thirty years’ experience in managerial, operations, sales, distribution, marketing and Board positions in the superannuation and life insurance industry. She was appointed CEO & MD of AIA Financial Services in June 2021.
She is experienced in establishing administrative infrastructure, start-up operations, sales/distribution business units, and insurance/superannuation products and businesses. At one stage she was also an Authorised Representative as an insurance/superannuation specialist.
Over the course of her career, Pina has held key leadership roles at National Mutual, National Australia Bank, National Australia Financial Management, AIG, TOWER and AIA Australia, where as Chief Retail Insurance Officer, she was responsible for the retail channel end to end, including distribution, new business, underwriting, policy administration and claims for IFA and Direct Markets.
Pina has Chaired the AFA Victorian Committee, the AFA Foundation Committee and the AIA Women at Work Committee.
Pina completed her Bachelor of Science majoring in Mathematics, Genetics and Organic Chemistry and a Bachelor of Education. She also holds a Diploma in Financial Services.
ALAN CAPUTO - General Manager Direct & Advice Distribution and Marketing
Alan is a customer-focused executive who successfully pioneered and developed one of Australia’s largest online multichannel insurance and lending distribution businesses, iSelect. Over the course of 14 years at iSelect, including as Group Executive from 2016-2020, Alan delivered year on year growth across all sectors of iSelect’s Financial Services verticals by leading, developing, and managing commercial and operational activities to maximise sustainability, differentiation, customer experience and market share. He also developed a growth-orientated, agile and progressive environment fostering innovation and rewarding success.
Alan joined AIA Australia in 2020 and was appointed to the AIA Financial Wellbeing executive team in 2021. He holds an Advanced Diploma in Financial Services and is currently undertaking a Master of Business Administration (Finance) at RMIT.
SCOTT CONNERS - General Manager Risk, Compliance & Regulatory Management
Scott is a risk management professional with more than 20 years’ experience in financial services. He joined AIA Australia in 2020 as Head of Risk - Banca, Advice and Partnerships, and joined the AIA Financial Wellbeing team in 2021 where he is responsible for risk and compliance capabilities and ensuring our customers receive best-interest advice.
Prior to AIA, Scott held senior and executive risk management roles at CommInsure where he ran large scale customer remediation programs and uplifted risk culture in the wake of systemic failures.
Adopting a practical approach to embedding risk culture and frameworks, Scott takes the lessons learned to ensure the right changes and improvements are made to prevent mistakes from being repeated.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Business in Financial Planning from RMIT.
ASHISH JEENA - General Manager Advice Capability and Research
Ashish brings a wealth of experience to his role as Head of Advice Capability and Research. Prior to joining AIA in September 2021, he spent 12 years at ANZ starting as a financial planner before moving into senior management and program director roles. As Program Director for Simplification, Ashish was tasked with re-engineering ANZ’s advice process. He successfully led a program of work that enhanced operational efficiencies, reduced the cost base, and improved advice delivery turnaround times by 72%.
As Executive Manager, Commonwealth Financial Planning - NSW & ACT, Ashish improved the delivery of financial advice to customers through a national program of work to transform the end-to-end advice process, resulting in significantly reduced turnaround times and strengthened quality controls.
With a passion for problem solving and organisational improvement, Ashish is FASEA accredited and holds a Master of Financial Planning from RMIT.
GREG MILLER - Chairman
Greg was appointed Chair of AIA Financial Services in March 2022. He has over 30 years’ experience as an executive, director, and responsible manager in the financial services industry. This includes the establishment of MLC Direct and Garvan Financial Planning which grew to be one of the leading licensees in Australia. MLC Direct explored new advice areas of phone and robo strategic advice for clients who looked for alternate forms of advice.
Greg served as a director of MLC Licensees from 2001 to December 2017. During this period, he was on the Product & Investment Committee (including as Chair for some years) and Compliance Committees of these licensees. In addition, he was Chair of Calibre Asset Management in Hong Kong and a Director of JBWere from 2015 to 2017.
In 2018, Greg established GKM Consulting & Advisory to assist licensees/planners with the practical application of current regulations into their standards and processes.
He holds an Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning and is a graduate of both the Institute of Company Directors and the Stanford University (USA) Senior Executive Program.
PINA SCIARRONE - CEO and Managing Director
Pina has more than thirty years’ experience in managerial, operations, sales, distribution, marketing and Board positions in the superannuation and life insurance industry. She was appointed CEO & MD of AIA Financial Services in June 2021.
She is experienced in establishing administrative infrastructure, start-up operations, sales/distribution business units, and insurance/superannuation products and businesses. At one stage she was also an Authorised Representative as an insurance/superannuation specialist.
Over the course of her career, Pina has held key leadership roles at National Mutual, National Australia Bank, National Australia Financial Management, AIG, TOWER and AIA Australia, where as Chief Retail Insurance Officer, she was responsible for the retail channel end to end, including distribution, new business, underwriting, policy administration and claims for IFA and Direct Markets.
Pina has Chaired the AFA Victorian Committee, the AFA Foundation Committee and the AIA Women at Work Committee.
Pina completed her Bachelor of Science majoring in Mathematics, Genetics and Organic Chemistry and a Bachelor of Education. She also holds a Diploma in Financial Services.
MICHAEL CHERNOV - Director
Michael Chernov is a qualified actuary with over 20 years of experience in the life insurance industry in both Australia and the United Kingdom. He was appointed to the Board of AIA Financial Services in February 2018.
He joined AIA Australia in 2009, where he held a number of senior leadership roles including Head of Strategy and Business Analytics, where he was responsible for corporate strategy and operating rhythm; enterprise initiatives such as health, banca and shared value; and performance reporting and analytics.
In March 2017, Michael was appointed Chief Financial Officer for AIA Australia.
Prior to joining AIA Australia, Michael gained experience in both consulting and reinsurance with roles at Munich Re (UK), Deloitte (UK and Australia) and Trowbridge Consulting (Australia).
MIKE THORNTON – Director
Mike has 30 years’ experience in life insurance, wealth management and financial planning in Australia, the UK and Asia. He was appointed to the AIA Financial Services Board in March 2022.
Mike has held a wide range of executive roles, including Group Chief Actuary and Chief Risk Officer roles, and currently serves AIA Australia as Chief Transformation Officer. Prior to joining AIA in February 2016, Mike was the Group Chief Risk Officer at AMP, and prior to that, had a long career with the AXA Group.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries in Australia and the UK, and is a Certified Experienced Risk Actuary.
Mike is energetic, enthusiastic and passionate about optimising organisational and risk management capabilities to drive sustainable business performance and make a difference for our customers.
