Former Perpetual and MLC chief executive Geoff Lloyd has been named chair of Conexus Financial, the publisher of media titles including Investment Magazine.

Lloyd says his interest in leading the company comes down to the domestic impact of Investment Magazine and Professional Planner and the global influence of Top1000funds.com.

“Australia is very mature but more complicated than we should be for our size; bigger than expected from our population, but we still have a lot to share with the globe in this space,” Lloyd says.

“The world is deglobalising in a way… but for wealth management, financial services and the clients, there’s so much in common still.”

But he also notes the “threat and opportunity” presented by “fake media” and the impact and obligation established media brands have with informing the public.

“Known mastheads have a potentially greater responsibility and attraction to their audience,” Lloyd says.

Lloyd is one of the industry’s most high-profile leaders, having led both Perpetual Group and MLC – then National Australia Bank’s wealth management division – as chief executive. He has held executive positions for BT, St George Bank’s wealth management arm, and was chair of the Financial Services Council. He is also chair of B2C investment platform Stake and fintech Dash Technology Group.

Lloyd also has philanthropic and not-for-profit director experience, including as prior chair of the University of Technology (UTS) Sydney Law School Advisory Board, UTS’ inaugural Philanthropy Board and The Fathering Project.

Lloyd will commence the role from 2 February, leading the board of the corporate entity and providing strategic advice to Conexus founder and managing director Colin Tate AM and the senior leadership team.

“The financial and geopolitical complexity in the world right now cements the important role that we play hosting challenging conversations designed to inspire our readers, delegates and stakeholders to be better fiduciaries,” Tate says.

“Geoff’s corporate leadership, strategy, technology and governance experience will add firepower as Conexus continues to position for growth, influence and social and industry impact.”

Lloyd says having the right team is every leader’s greatest challenge. “[Colin] shouldn’t lose his passion, his energy and his curiosity,” Lloyd says.

Throughout his business career, Lloyd has variously been a commercial client and sponsor of Conexus editorial publications and events, as well as a keynote speaker, author and thought leader.

While Lloyd’s career has largely focused on the advice and wealth management sector, he still has a keen interest in Australia’s superannuation system. He says that the battle over performance in super is over. Instead, member service and experience is the “new battleground”. But he’s also bullish that the rise of superannuation will help improve financial literacy.

“It’s also created a huge tailwind that’s hard to measure – financial literacy to Generation X and their kids,” Lloyd says.

“Money is discussed in the home around super, saving is discussed because of super. That’s a huge advantage. It’s now a discussion in homes and that’s a healthy thing for financial literacy and a healthy thing for saving and investing in our country.”

Lloyd says he is also “excited” to help drive the final change of the transition of advice into a profession and is a big believer in Investment Magazine sister publication Professional Planner’s ability to help drive and uplift the standard of the thousands of small, adviser-led practices.

“I worry about the large number of sole practitioner licensees or two- and three-person practices and their ability to run their business – which is tough as an SME – to service their clients and keep up with all the regulatory changes and needs they have,” Lloyd says.

“It’s hard work.”

Lloyd says over the next five years, technology will play a huge productivity role in the provision of scalable, compliant advice by advisers to clients.

“If we can double or triple – through technology – an even better service delivery in a compliant way, financial planners can see 300 clients in a connected way like they see 100 clients,” Lloyd says.

The appointment comes as Conexus Financial unveils its event calendar for 2026, with 11 premium and invitation-only conferences scheduled, across all three mastheads and the company’s philanthropically-funded think tank, The Conexus Institute.

It also comes as the company ramps up its podcast and video production output after a strategic investment in a state-of-the-art studio in the Conexus head office, which is believed to be one of the only remaining broadcast-quality operations in the Sydney CBD and is available to select industry stakeholders to dry hire.