Broadleaf was inspired by the all-too-many peers who had come to regret the way they exited their companies. We thought there must be an alternate path and set out to create one.

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The Directors

The Broadleaf team has extensive financial advisory and commercial experience and brings a wealth of knowledge about building successful and resilient organisations to the Broadleaf community.

Richard Hernan

Managing Director and Founder

From a corporate accounting background, Richard has extensive investment, strategic and financial management experience, developed during his career in blue chip global enterprises including EY, Rio Tinto and GlaxoSmithKline. Richard runs the day-to-day operations of Broadleaf including engagement, financing and project management of the investment process. Following investments, Richard works with the incumbent Advisers to source any support that they require.

Dean Gilkison

Executive Chairman and Founder

Dean has over 20 years Financial Advisory experience as an Adviser, Director, Responsible Manager and Owner of Gilkison Investments. Dean is widely known in the Financial planning industry with deep and long standing connections both in Australia and Internationally. Dean is a conference speaker and expert in financial planning and financial planning succession. In addition to running the day to day operations of Gilkison Investments, Dean provides business development, strategy and extensive industry intellectual property to Broadleaf.

Podcasts:
XY Adviser - #165 Dean Gilkison

Damien Chester

Chief Financial Officer

Damien is a highly experienced chartered accountant with a career spanning a broad range of industries. In his management and executive roles, Damien has been responsible for managing finance teams, business analysis, project controls for large projects, management reporting and financial accounting. At Broadleaf, Damien supports the structuring of partner transactions.

In the past, a common succession strategy for Advisers leaving the industry or retiring was an assured sale of their book of clients to one of the ‘Big Four’ banks, or a financial institution.

Broadleaf acquires small, high-quality financial planning businesses that have delivered client‑centred independent advice over a long period of time with excellent customer feedback and retention of clients. We review culture and values of the businesses and progress transactions only if these align.

Unlike banks, dealer groups and other aggregators, who force economies of scale efficiencies through standardisation, Broadleaf reinforces trust by offering a customised pathway to owners of high-quality financial planning businesses to ensure they remain focussed on delivering an exceptional client experience.

Since our inception, Broadleaf has successfully executed a number of investments and sub acquisitions in the Western Australian community with exceptional feedback from all stakeholders involved.

We are continuing to expand, working presently with a number of firms on their unique succession pathway.