Gold Coast

Dennis Perry joined the financial services profession in 1986 and enjoyed an 18 year corporate career which included executive roles in Australia and the challenging yet rewarding role of Director of Distribution for AMP Japan based in Tokyo.

In 2004 Dennis co-founded Advice First, a Gold Coast based financial advisory firm that would develop an unrivalled reputation for quality client-centric advice and education.   Always seeking ways to improve business sustainability and enhance the client offering, in 2021 Dennis and his leadership team merged Advice First with Invest Blue – well known and respected industry peers and one of Australia’s fastest growing and most trusted (by independent survey) financial advisory firms.

As part of the merger, Dennis joined the Executive Team at Invest Blue and also joined the Board of Directors. In 2023, Invest Blue merged with Ironbark to form one of the largest diversified financial services businesses in Australia, with over $64 Billion dollars in Funds Under Management.

Dennis has always held a genuine passion for assisting people (family, friends, colleagues, clients, fellow business owners) to succeed in their pursuit of life goals and to live their best possible life … which is exactly what he is doing these days – living his best possible life, being semi-retired on the beautiful Gold Coast.

Qualifications and Professional Accreditations

• Diploma of Financial Markets (Securities Institute of Australia)
• Diploma of Life Insurance (Australian Insurance Institute)
• Justice of the Peace

Memberships

• Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Financial Services Institute of Australasia
• Financial Planning Association of Australia

Danny joined Invest Blue in 2015 as a licensed adviser and has been involved in the financial advice profession since 2010. Having completed a range of tertiary education qualifications, it has provided him with the fundamentals to excel and work across most facets of financial advice, with a particular focus on wealth protection and investment planning.

Dannys role allows him to provide holistic advice to clients and to truly ‘make a difference’ in their lives – a truly rewarding experience that drives his passion for advice.

On a personal note, Danny enjoys spending time with his young family, wife (Pim) and son (Jai) appreciating everything the Gold Coast has to offer. Having grown up on the Gold Coast, he enjoys spending time at the beach, playing a round of golf and being outdoors. Danny has also been a North Melbourne Kangaroos supporter for over 25 years and enjoys watching Aussie rules footy.

As commitment to his career, I have completed the following;

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Business (Griffith University)
• Master of Commerce (Griffith University)
• Certified Financial Planner (CFP) via Deakin University
• Certificate in Self Managed Superannuation Funds
• Most Trusted Adviser 2023

I particularly enjoy assisting our clients with retirement and lifestyle planning. I measure my success on the difference I make to people’s lives, by focusing on what’s important to them, and assisting them to gain a better understanding of their financial and lifestyle circumstances.

Adam was born and raised on the Gold Coast. After several years in the industry as a technical analyst, Adam joined Advice First (Invest Blue) in 2010 as a Financial Adviser and then became a Partner in 2013. As the firm's Retirement Specialist, Adam has a specific interest in Superannuation, Wealth management, Tax Planning, Pensions and Centrelink, Aged care, and Cash flow analysis and budgeting.

Adam and his wife Susie spent their younger years living in London and traveling Europe, before returning to the Gold Coast in 2005 to get married and raise their two daughters. In Adam's spare time, he enjoys all outdoor sports and can often be found on the golf course.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Commerce in Financial Planning & Investments (Accounting)
• Certificate in Self Managed Superannuation Funds
• Commissioner for Declarations (QLD)
• Luke Priddis
• Most Trusted Adviser 2023

Trent has been a licenced Financial Adviser since joining Advice First in 2007 and became a Partner in the firm in 2013. Having a Business Degree majoring in Finance and past experience as a technical analyst, creating financial plans has helped Trent provide the ideal footings for his career as a Financial Adviser.

Trent is accredited to provide advice to “sophisticated investors”, a segment of the market that he is particularly passionate about working with, as Trent sits on a National Board that represents leading financial advice firms in building quality investment portfolios for clients.

Trent was born and bred on the Gold Coast, but enjoys travelling around the country to service the many clients in all states of Australia. Trent and his wife Elicia have a young family, which he enjoys spending the weekends with, as well as family and friends on the famous Gold Coast beaches.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Business (majoring in Finance and Marketing)
• Advanced Diploma of Financial Services
• Most Trusted Adviser 2023

My goal moving forward is to be able to assist and educate clients in creating a greater understanding of their own financial position, what led them there, and how best to make positive changes towards financial stability. I acknowledge that there are challenges with the forever changing landscape that is Financial Planning, and as such am continuing my study/development to be at the forefront of these changes to eventually be able to pass this on to clients.

Charles was born and raised in Canberra,  He then moved to the beautiful Gold Coast in 2009. Whilst initially working towards a business degree, it didn’t take long for Charles to gravitate towards Finance/Financial Planning as it was what he was truly interested in. Charles has a real passion of working both numbers and with people on a personal level. After completing his tertiary qualifications in 2015,  He immediately started working in the Financial Services industry. Charles quickly developed a great sense of achievement in working as a Financial Adviser and seeing the difference that was being made in people’s lives by putting in to practice the knowledge and skills that he has learnt along the way.

Charles's spends his free time with his fiancé. He also loves traveling, both domestic and internationally.

Qualifications 

• Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning
• Most Trusted Adviser 2023

Having worked in the financial services industry since 2009 in a number of roles encompassing client and technical services, compliance consulting and the provision of personal advice to private clients, Jonathon joined the Advice First team in late 2019.

He enjoys building strong, long-lasting relationships with his clients through open and honest conversations. This, and the process of identifying a client’s goals and then developing a tailored strategy to keep them on track to achieving these goals, is extremely rewarding and why he loves what he does.

Outside of the office, he enjoys living an active lifestyle by making the most of the Gold Coast’s stunning climate and exploring the Gold Coast food scene with his young family.

Qualifications 

• Master of Financial Planning (MFinPlan)
• Most Trusted Adviser 2023

I am deeply passionate about family and recognize the paramount importance of ensuring their happiness and financial security. It is this strong personal drive that fuels my commitment to delivering the same ideals to my valued clients.

Sean became a part of the Invest Blue team in late 2019, bringing with him a diverse background encompassing Property, Shares, and Law. With his broad experience, Sean was naturally drawn to the field of Financial Planning. Recognising the opportunity to develop his skills further, he enthusiastically embarked on the challenging and rewarding journey of the AMP Horizons Academy.

Over the years, Sean has gained extensive experience providing financial advice. This invaluable experience has allowed him to collaborate with highly acclaimed Planners and Practices in the industry. Starting his career in law has equipped Sean with a refined skill set, focusing on the true purpose of Financial Planners: to assist clients in building a secure and confident future.

I am continually dedicated to improving and refining my expertise to ensure that my clients receive the highest level of service and guidance. My ultimate goal is to help individuals and families achieve long-term financial success, providing them with the peace of mind they deserve.

Qualifications: 

• Most Trusted Adviser 2023

Stuart has been a licensed Financial Adviser for over 6 years and joined Invest Blue in 2024. Having completed a Masters in Financial Planning in 2022, he has learned the broad range of necessary skills to help mums and dads achieve financial freedom, which brings him the most joy.

He chose the financial advice profession to help as many people as he could to retire comfortably and invest for the long term. He completed undergraduate degrees in Science and Commerce, and played sports at university, with swimming his preferred pastime.

Stuart was born in Canberra, grew up in the UK, and enjoys travelling with his family. He and his wife Jennie have 2 young children and 2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels that demand equal doses of attention. They love to spend weekends with family and friends, and especially enjoy preparing and consuming large home-cooked meals.

Maddy has worked in financial services since 2012, starting as a relationship manager working her way to being an associate adviser. She joined Advice First in 2019 and brings an incredible energy and enthusiasm to the team. She enjoys working closely with our Advisers in providing personal advice to our clients. Her strengths are understanding what’s important to our clients and delivering tailored advice that assists them achieve their personal and financial goals.

Originally from Sydney, Maddy moved to the Gold Coast as a child where she grew up. She is a loving and proud mum of her much taller son. In her spare time, Maddy is always up for a laugh with her friends and family. She also enjoys travelling with her partner and taking long walks with her 3 dogs.

Cherie has years of experience in business management before joining the financial services industry in 2010, specialising in Aged Care and Centrelink. After working in Aged Care for 8 years, providing education and advice to many Australians, Cherie’s passion for helping people grew and she became an associate adviser in 2018, before joining Advice First in 2020.
Cherie has a real warmth and care in understanding our clients situation and providing a personal touch when working with our Advisers in delivering advice. She enjoys working in a team and thrives on bringing people together.

Originally a Tassie girl, Cherie grew up on the Gold Coast enjoying all it has to offer from the beach and surf. She is a devoted and caring mother to two beautiful girls, and can often be found taking long walks along the beach with her dog, Maggie. In her spare time she enjoys catching up with friends and family and loves to make people smile.

It is so great to work in a fun and caring team, every day is a laugh, which is the best medicine.

Renea thoroughly enjoys working as a Relationship Manager at Invest Blue, After being in the industry for over 18 years, Renea appreciates the challenges and changes it brings every day. Being part of a team that wants to ensure their clients are living their best possible life, is a big reason she loves work and strives to do just that, every day.

Allison has been working in the financial services industry since 2015, during which she completed a Diploma of Financial Planning. She enjoys assisting clients in fulfilling their financial and personal goals.

Outside of work, Allison loves spending time with her two small dogs, Baxter and Bailey, reading a good book and attending musical theatre performances throughout Australia.

Qualifications 

•  Diploma of Financial Planning.

I am a strong advocate for proactively being a part of solutions, business growth and efficiency, with an interest in leadership.

With over 13 years of experience in the Financial Planning industry, Jadey is passionate about assisting clients to realise their goals and build the life that they dream of.

Her vast experience and background are in advice construction, strategy planning and client services, this has allowed her to assist Financial Advisers, in providing clients with the best possible advice and service.

Team loyalty and hard work are important to Jadey and she strives to incorporate those values in all she does. Outside of work Jadey likes to spend time with her young family and dog at their beautiful local beaches and cafe.

Sharon has worked in the Financial Planning sector for over 8 years in our Gold Coast office. Sharon is committed to ensuring that our clients always receive the highest level of service during their financial planning journey. Sharon enjoys her client-focused role which is further enhanced by being part of a team that is dedicated to achieving positive results for clients.

In Sharon’s spare time she enjoys beach walks with her husband and dog and playing tennis.

Loving the opportunity already to enter into a new and exciting industry, with a business that prioritises the goals and dreams of their clients with tailored and ongoing support.

Samantha's passion has always been customer service, originating in positions in the printing industry, resolutions and progressing into the telehealth sector after moving to the Gold Coast from New South Wales in 2016.

Outside of work Samantha enjoys all that Gold Coast has to offer, from walking the Broadwater and exploring the beaches, to dining out with family and friends. Samantha loves spending time with her two daughters Maddison and Riley, and is always on the sideline cheering them while they play their sports, or relaxing movie nights on the couch with their dog Tiffany.

"I love how Invest Blue genuinely serve its purpose to help each client achieve their financial freedom and share every success with everyone."

Louela Graduated in 2019 with Banking and Financial Management degree. Prior to Invest Blue, she worked as an Administrative Assistant engaged in real estate and Accounting Staff for a retail and wholesale business.

The rewarding feeling of being part of the step to help people realize their financial goals and independence is why she likes and is truly grateful to be able to work in the financial industry.

In her spare time, Louela loves to go out for quick little adventures, but occasionally she just wants to spend more time at home learning how to bake, go after her love for graphic design and cuddle with her cats.

"My fellow AAs are very fun to be with. They never run out of jokes to loosen up everyone’s tension from their tasks and I can always count on them whenever I need some help with my tasks."

Jovanie graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management and he used to work as a Concierge in several 5-star hotels like Dusit Thani Mactan and Marco Polo Plaza prior to joining Invest Blue.

What he likes in the financial planning industry is that even though it was a very challenging journey, it has also been very exciting as well especially when you are working with good people. He has learned a lot so far and will encounter more challenging tasks and learn a lot more moving forward.

In his spare time, he works out and spends time with his girlfriend.

"IB has a very nice working environment where people are approachable and friendly, and very welcoming. This is where I can feel the perfect work and life balance that every employee dream of."

Cristine has a degree in Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology majoring in Computer. Prior to Invest Blue, she worked for 5 years as a Customer Service Representative in a telecommunications company and 6 months as a Customer Service Representative in a Financial Company.

Cristine enjoys the challenging nature and It feels fulfilling when she completes her tasks by the end of the day.

In her spare time, Cristine loves playing with her kids and going for a walk in the park with her family.

"Investblue has a systematic approach in its processes. They have strong and approachable leaders to support employees and they value employee's well-being. I'm enjoying a work-life balance here."

Alice is an undergraduate taking Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering. She used to be Freelance Virtual Assistant and Customer service representative.

She likes working in the financial planning industry because the job requires attention to detail, being organized, and strong research skills. This is a real challenge for her, and she loves the feeling that she will slowly overcome these challenges.

In her spare time, she likes to just stay at home, watch vlogs and cook; however, right now, she is trying different outdoor activities like camping, trekking, riding a bicycle etc.

James has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Financial Management & Certified Financial Market Professional (CFMP) degree. He used to work as a Technical Support Associate in accounting and finance. Working as a Financial Planning Assistant takes so much responsibility in providing support to our Financial Advisors not just merely generating reports for a particular task but preparing a good output of financial documents and deliverables for the Planner and also for the client.

In his spare time, he likes to nap and go to the gym as a stress reliever.