GRAHAM RICH – Publisher

Graham is a pioneer of retail managed funds research in Australasia, and of financial planning in New Zealand. He started his financial services career in New Zealand in 1975 and in 1983 began his own business delivering funds research and financial advice professional development services. Since selling his research business and establishing brillient! in 2002, Graham has specialised in publishing innovative, independent professional development services for professionals involved with portfolio construction.

In 1983, through his private company Fiduciary Ltd, he launched the first financial planning firm in New Zealand. Since then, Graham has established, built and sold a number of innovative businesses in Australia and New Zealand, offering wealth management professional development services and publications, including funds research, magazines, software and training – as well as providing strategic planning and marketing services to many more. In 1985, he also initiated and was the founding chairman of New Zealand's financial planning association, of which he is a life member. In research, Graham founded and was for 18 years CEO and publisher of FPG Research, the first retail fund ratings company in Australia and New Zealand, which he then sold to Morningstar. During this time, he initiated and introduced fund star ratings to the marketplace. Graham grew the company to its peak where, at the time of his departure following final sale to Morningstar in late 2001, it dominated the retail managed funds data and ratings arena in Australia and New Zealand. In 2002, Graham established brillient!, a boutique investment publishing house which now publishes a number of unique professional development services for financial adviser and institutional audiences, including PortfolioConstruction Forum Australia and financialalert in New Zealand.

Graham is known for his innovation, independence and entrepreneurial flair, and is a regularly sought after speaker, facilitator and commentator.
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DEIRDRE KEOWN – Managing Editor & Producer

Deirdre is the brillient! Managing Editor, responsible for the day-to-day publishing functions of brillient! This includes product development, management, publication, distribution and promotion of the brillient! professional development services.

Deirdre has worked in the Australian and New Zealand wealth management industries since 1993. Following two years as a marketing analyst with a New Zealand funds management company, Deirdre began working with Fiduciary Ltd, a New Zealand-based provider of a range of wealth management professional development services and publications. Her role included participating in and then leading the marketing services team for Fiduciary's research, magazine, software and training businesses. From 1997 to 2001, Deirdre was Head of Publishing first at FPG Research and then at the same business when it became known as Morningstar Australia and New Zealand. In this role she was responsible for product development, management, distribution, and subscriber training, along with publication, public relations, and subscriber communications in Australia and New Zealand. In addition, she managed the database operations, providing fund data on some 6,000 funds to 80% of buyers of managed funds data in Australia and New Zealand. She was also part of the team that created the first star ratings model for funds in Australia and New Zealand.

While Deirdre held these responsibilities, Morningstar became the most prominent and respected retail funds research brand in Australia and New Zealand.

Deirdre is known for the rare combination of exceptional analytical and communication skills across the wealth management space. This, combined with her passion for publishing and lateral thinking, led to her part in the 2002 establishment of brillient!

Deirdre has a Masters in Commerce with first class honours, with majors in statistics and marketing.
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