Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Register

30 September 2026

Home / Noticeboard 2025

First Sentier Investors

  •   6 May 2025
  •      
  •   

First Sentier Investors appoints Ashley Conn as Chief Financial and Strategy Officer

Tuesday 6 May 2025: Leading global investment manager, First Sentier Investors, today announced the appointment of Ashley Conn as Chief Financial and Strategy Officer. Conn will join in late May. 

Conn who will be based in Sydney is a highly experienced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with a strong background in finance and investment banking, bringing over 25 years of experience to First Sentier Investors.  

Conn joins First Sentier Investors from Super Retail Group Ltd, where he served as the Interim General Manager of Group Finance and prior to that, was the CFO at ASX listed McMillan Shakespeare Ltd and CSG Ltd. Conn's career in investment banking included roles at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, specialising in mergers and acquisitions as well as debt and equity capital raisings. He is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.  

Mark Steinberg, CEO of First Sentier Investors, commented, "We are delighted to welcome Ashley to our executive team. His extensive experience and strategic advisory roles will be invaluable as we continue to drive growth and deliver value to our stakeholders. Ashley's proven track record in finance and investment banking will be instrumental in guiding our organisation’s financial strategy and operations.” 

Conn's appointment is a significant step for First Sentier Investors as his leadership and expertise will play a crucial role in achieving the company's strategic priorities and fostering a culture of collaboration across the business. 

Conn succeeds Noel O’Brien who served as Interim Chief Financial and Strategy Officer following Suzanne Evans’ departure earlier this year. 

See full media release here

 

  •   6 May 2025
  •      
  •   
Firstlinks is sponsored by:
banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

Why spending more in early retirement can improve lifetime income

Conventional wisdom encourages retirees to preserve superannuation. But if those likely to qualify for the Age Pension later in life spend a little more today, it may deliver higher lifetime income and a more stable retirement.

Is it time to bail on Australian stocks?

For generations, Australian investors have backed banks, miners and dividends. But has that loyalty come at a cost? A look at the numbers raises an uncomfortable question about where future returns will come from.

Meg on SMSFs: What do we think about reversionary pensions these days?

Reversionary pensions have long been a staple of SMSF estate planning, but are they still the best option? Meg Heffron revisits a once-clear favourite and asks whether changing super rules have shifted the balance.

Testamentary trusts survived the trust tax. The drafting battle has just begun.

The fight over testamentary trusts looked settled. Then the draft legislation arrived. Hidden in a technical detail is a question that could force many families to rethink wills they thought were already future-proof.

How does the 4% rule stack up?

The 4% rule has long been retirement's gold standard. But after a difficult period for investors, fresh analysis suggests a more conservative approach may significantly improve the chances of making savings last.

The new capital gains tax trap for your portfolio

Investors have long accepted one portfolio rule without much question. A major tax shift could change that calculation entirely, forcing difficult trade-offs between risk, discipline and an overlooked cost lurking beneath.

Latest Updates

Exchange traded products

It’s time for LICs to die

A high-profile dividend cut and a prominent fund manager’s apology have reignited a long-running debate. If investors can access similar exposures more cheaply and efficiently elsewhere, what exactly is keeping LICs alive?

Taxation

Will investors be better or worse off under new housing tax changes?

Housing tax reforms have sparked warnings of market turmoil and promises of greater fairness. But after modelling nearly two decades of property data, the results suggest winners and losers may not be who many investors expect.

Retirement

Three considerations before reshaping your legacy plan

Many retirees hope to leave a legacy. Proposed trust tax reforms could force families to rethink. The question is not how much to leave behind, but whether today's inheritance plans will still make sense as circumstances change.

Investment strategies

Why experienced investors still get markets wrong

Retirement is approaching. Markets are noisy. And every headline seems to demand action. The biggest investment risk isn't fear, greed or market volatility, it often arrives disguised as research and sensible risk management.

Shares

Why pay more for less?

Conditions were stacked in favour of professional investors in 2026. Most still fell short, raising questions about where investors should look for value. Meanwhile, an alternative strategy continued to make its case.

Investment strategies

Bleeding air out of the bubble

Equity valuations have fallen sharply over the past year, yet investors have largely been spared the volatility and losses that typically accompany a de-rating. What explains this unusually orderly reset? Here are five key drivers.

Strategy

Has AI gone rogue?

We worry about AI becoming conscious. But what if consciousness isn't the issue? The more unsettling possibility is a machine capable of pursuing objectives relentlessly, without motives, emotions, or awareness of any kind.

Sponsors

Alliances

  • ASA-Logo-RGB-ActiveGreen-web.png

Site Map

About Firstlinks

© 2026 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.