Heron opens Sydney Office

The Heron Partnership has opened up a Sydney office and has recruited David Quinn-Watson as its new senior actuary and client director in NSW.

Heron managing director Christopher Butler says the institutional consultancy firm decided to expand beyond its Melbourne base in response to market demand for independent advice that was readily found throughout the industry.

"We always intended to have a presence on the ground in Sydney," he says. "However, it has happened earlier than expected. The market response we have received in Melbourne has been fantastic and this has prompted us to bring forward our move to NSW."

He adds: "David will principally be involved in providing strategic, technical and actuarial advice."

Quinn-Watson is a consulting actuary with 27 years' experience in financial services who will bring expertise in superannuation, employee benefits, investments, life insurance and risk management to the Heron Partnership.

He has also held senior positions with major life offices, but since 1999 has run his own consulting business.

The Heron Partnership was launched in July by three ex-NSP Buck executives who saw a niche in providing advice to trustee boards of institutional players on corporate governance issues. The group has flagged the industry's greatest problem as that of conflict of interest arising from super funds and institutional fund managers outsourcing tasks to the one consulting firm.