Our People
Suren Pather
BEc (Hons) LLB (Syd) CFP Dip FP AMIAA LREA
Director – Financial Planning
Suren is a founding director of MASU. His extensive experience in financial planning has led to an invitation to become the Chairman of the CFP (4) task force on revising the education standards for investment planning for new practitioners. Suren is also an accredited oral examiner for CFP’s, as selected by the Financial Planning Association of Australia. Suren is regularly invited to appear on the television program “Your Money, Your Call” on the Sky Business Channel and to take part in panel discussions. Suren also presents widely to medical audiences around the country on financial planning topics.
Martin Speiser
B.Com (NSW) CA CFP Dip.
Director – Financial Planning
Mortgage Lending Martin is a Certified Financial Planner and is one of the founding Directors of MASU. As an Authorised Representative of MASU, Martin attends to the financial planning needs of his niche client base, mainly middle and upper Corporate Management clients. Martin’s career began as an audit and tax consultant with Ernst & Young Chartered Accountants. He holds a Diploma of Financial Planning and the Diploma of Business (Real Estate) with the Real Estate Institute of NSW. He is also a Chartered Accountant and accredited with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia as a specialist financial planner.
Alan Pashut
BA LLB (Wits)
Chief Compliance Officer
Business Development Manager
After practising as a solicitor for many years, initially with a large commercial law form and then in his own legal practice, Alan joined the MASU Group, initially as a Financial Planner. Alan’s broad experience across legal, financial and taxation matters enabled him to develop a niche practice in advising high net worth clients. In 2005, Alan commenced his role as in house legal adviser to the MASU Group of Companies, overseeing all in-house legal and compliance requirements of the Group and developing new business for the team of advisers.
Peter Tsiglopoulos
BBus (Acc) CPA FPS
Senior Financial Adviser
Peter is based in Melbourne and services MASU’s clients Victorian and South Australian clients. Peter is a qualified CPA accountant with 16 years experience in accounting, tax consulting, business consulting and financial planning. Prior to joining MASU, Peter worked for Corporate Financial Management for four years as a financial planner and senior tax accountant. Prior to this he oversaw the South Australian operations of a franchising specialist firm. Peter has received accreditation from CPA Australia as a Financial Planning Specialist (FPS) and is also a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). Peter heads up the MASU Melbourne office and focuses on business development, structures and strategies for servicing clients, administration systems and sourcing investment opportunities.
Richard Van Akerlaken
Dip FSI (FP)
Richard is MASU’s Queensland representative . Richard started giving financial advice in 1982, specifically advising on insurance matters as a risk specialist in the Newcastle area. In 2000 he established the Dome Financial Group which became a leading financial services practice in Newcastle until it was sold in August 2007 at which time Richard joined MASU. Richard has completed intensive insurance courses with the Lifewriters Association as well as the Agency Management Course. He holds the Diploma of Financial Services.
Michael Raczkowski
Senior Adviser
Michael started his career in 1998 in property as a real estate consultant. He spent the next four years Touring Australia conducting seminars and educating clients on the benefits of investing in property using minimal cash flow whilst maximising returns.
To expand his knowledge, Michael moved into Finance Broking where he gained considerable experience and expertise in loan structuring and the various finance products. He provided his clients with innovative and effective financial solutions to meet their short term and long term needs.
As a natural progression Michael moved into financial planning as a Para Planner, putting together financial strategies for high net worth clients and other individuals. Since joining MASU in 2005 Michael has progressed to a Senior Advisor managing a team of Para Planners. With his technical expertise he has also taken on the role of product assessor for the compliance committee.
Michael Taylor
Finance Manager
Michael started his career in the Banking sector in 1980 and spent seven years with Westpac where he developed a sound knowledge of all banking and finance products in the market. To expand his knowledge, Michael moved into the building society field and spent 10 years with on the largest building societies in Australia (IMB), progressing to branch manager where he attended to consumer credit, home mortgages and commercial finance. Michael’s considerable experience and expertise in finance has enable MASU Financial & Mortgages to provide its clients with innovated and effective financial solutions to meet their needs.