How it Started
It started over 20 years ago. I started in Accounting when I was still in high school and then went on to work in Financial Advice while completing my undergraduate studies. When I graduated in 2010, I cut my teeth as a Financial Analyst with companies such as BP and Rio Tinto, in Melbourne and Perth. I then returned to the east coast to do my professional training as a Financial Adviser with AMP in Sydney and Brisbane. I grew up in Northern NSW, so when I got the tap on the shoulder about a Financial Adviser job going, just out of Byron Bay, I jumped at the chance and have never looked back. My qualifications include a Diploma of Financial Planning, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Business, Master of Finance & Investments (Academic).
Fast forward to now
I worked in Portfolio Management until 2017 and then commenced graduate studies part-time again in Brisbane. Nearing graduation, we then formed Cruz under the Fitzpatrick’s Private Wealth business on the Gold Coast. This is where I was introduced to the Family Office sector. I took a step back from retail advice in 2019. I have always wanted to be a practicing academic, so I began lecturing at university in 2021. When we were granted our own Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) in 2022, I retired as a practicing Financial Adviser to focus on working exclusively with structured family offices, while continuing with my research and teaching.