Posted on: Monday, March 12th, 2012

Professional Investment Services (PIS) chief information officer Shannon Overs has joined his former managing director Robbie Bennetts at his new Gold Coast based start-up Robbie Bennetts Enterprises (RBE) as chief information officer, along with several other long-term PIS employees.

Other appointments from PIS include long-time PIS senior executive Greg Whimp, former PIS conference co-ordinator and personal assistant Melanie Sharpin, and former PIS national conference manager Mark Dwyer.

RBE has also recruited four-time Olympian and Beijing gold medal winner, rower Duncan Free, who will perform a business development role while still training for the London Olympics.

Overs will be responsible for the development and implementation of cloud computing solutions for accounting firms, financial planning practices, and small to medium sized dealer groups, RBE stated.

Whimp was one of the original PIS employees in 1997, and was eventually appointed managing director before leaving in 2007, later returning as acting chief executive for six months in 2011.

He has also worked at AMP, Suncorp, and Pearl Assurance in the UK.

He has joined RBE as a consultant responsible for developing opportunities in direct sales of products and services, in conjunction with insurance companies and fund managers, RBE stated.

Dwyer has been appointed chief operating officer at RBE, and has over 30 years experience in corporate communication, professional development, conference organisation and management roles, and has also worked for the Institute of Chartered Accountants, RBE stated.

Bennetts said he was delighted to be working with people he has known over many years.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of people and businesses wanting to know more about what we’re doing.

With the staff and consultants now working for us, we can start tapping into the astonishing number of opportunities that have come knocking at our door,” he said.

“At a time when the financial services industry is pretty much treading water, the products and solutions we’re developing will offer smarter ways for these businesses to deliver their services to clients and achieve greater efficiencies as they do so.”

Source: Money Management