Staff Details

Click on each staff member's name to view their details.

Merrick Shipp - Principal

F Fin, CFP, DipFP - ASIC No. 246145

Merrick has over 40 years experience in the finance industry having held positions in corporate banking and private client activities within Australia and overseas. He has spent the last 10 years providing wealth management advice to private clients in sharebroking and financial planning disciplines.

His strong client service focus, combined with his extensive knowledge of products and wealth creation strategies, strengthens and complements our expanding Financial Services Team and the services we can provide to our clients.

Phone: (08) 8312 0020
Mobile: 0412 548 618
Email:  mshipp@pinnaclewm.com.au

Christopher Jeffery - Principal

CFP, DipFP - ASIC No. 246000

Christopher has over 20 years experience in the financial services industry including nine years as a financial planning consultant and 2 years managing a medium size financial planning practice.

A further 4 years has been spent tutoring and coaching financial planning practitioners as the State Dealership Manager for a major Australian financial institution.

Christopher is very focussed on providing key strategic advice in areas of wealth management and financial planning, specialising in wealth accumulation strategies. He is very focussed on delivering premium service to his clients and complements the Pinnacle team in this regard.

Phone: (08) 8312 0021
Mobile: 0403 800 164
Email:  cjeffery@pinnaclewm.com.au

Chris Launer - Associate Adviser

SSA, CFP, DipFP - ASIC No. 322538

Chris joins Pinnacle Wealth Management having over 14 years experience in the financial markets industry, with the past 9 years spent as a Private Portfolio Manager providing wealth management advice to private clients in sharebroking and financial planning disciplines. Chris is a Certified Financial Planner and a SMSF Specialist Adviser of the Self Managed Super Professional Association of Australia (SPAA).

His strong client service focus, combined with his extensive knowledge of products and wealth creation strategies, strengthens and complements Pinnacle's expanding financial services team and the services Pinnacle can provide clients.

Phone: (08) 8312 0022
Mobile: 0401 676 481
Email:  clauner@pinnaclewm.com.au

Selena Launer - Practice Manager

Selena has over 15 years of administrative experience and expertise in the financial planning and stockbroking industry. Having recently returned from maternity leave and currently working 3 days per week, Selena continues to have responsibility of managing the operations of our Portfolio Management service, Money Market Management activities and Client Service standards and procedures. 

Her main responsibility revolves around the management of day-to-day operations of the State Practice.

Phone: (08) 8312 0025
Email:  slauner@pinnaclewm.com.au

Zoë Reed - Para Planner / Client Services Officer

B Ec, B. Fin

Zoë completed her Bachelor of Finance degree with the University of Adelaide in 2006 and has successfully completed her second degree in Bachelor of Economics in July 2008. Zoë is currently in the process of completing her Diploma in Financial Planning.

Zoë initially joined Pinnacle as a trainee Para-planner and understudy for the Senior Para-planner at the time and has since been promoted to greater challengers in the Pinnacle practice including becoming an understudy for Selena's role as Practice Manager whilst on maternity leave.

Zoë continues to work in the Para-planner team, together with maintaining Money Market activities, client service standards and administration procedures for the Pinnacle Team. 

Phone: (08) 8312 0026
Email:  zreed@pinnaclewm.com.au

Matthew Anderson - Senior Para Planner

B Ec, Dip FP

Matthew was formerly with Colonial First State in its Para Planning team having spent 3 years providing technical advice and strategy design support to a pool of CBA Financial Advisors.

Matthew holds a Bachelor of Economics Degree from the University of Adelaide and is presently studying a Master of Applied Finance. He is DFP qualified (DFS).

Matthew is a keen sportsman and enjoys football, cricket, fishing and golf. Having recently purchased his first home, he is still to extend his interests to gardening but is very happy to have his foot on the property ladder.

Phone: (08) 8312 0024
Email:  manderson@pinnaclewm.com.au

Gary Cooper - Para Planner

DFS(FP)

Gary is one of Pinnacle's newest recruits to join the Para Planner team, having completed the Diploma of Financial Services (Financial Planning) in 2009.

Gary made a career change to the financial services industry in 2005 where he initially performed a consultancy project for Pinnacle Wealth Management and subsequently an Office Management role with a small boutique financial planning practice.

Before moving to the financial services industry, Gary worked for Deloitte for over 5 years where he was responsible for the planning, marketing, resourcing and delivery of various consultancy projects and assurance services for Deloitte clients in both the public an private sector. Prior to Deloitte, Gary was the Senior Internal Auditor - Information Systems for Southcorp Limited for 11 years and he also has extensive Information Technology experience from working with a large national computer bureau.

Phone: (08) 8312 0030
Email:  gcooper@pinnaclewm.com.au

John McNeil - Consultant

John has practised in personal financial planning for over fourteen years after a career in senior strategic management for a national wine company. John has been a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) for in excess of thirty years, until retiring in early 2003. John currently holds a designation of Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and has been installed as a Life Member of the Financial Planning Association of Australia. This great honour of life membership was bestowed upon John in 1997 for outstanding service to the community and the profession, over a significant period of time. John was the second of only five recipients of this award in Australia.

Whilst John has retired from practicing as a Financial Advisor, he still devotes time chairing Pinnacle's internal 'Investment Committee'. 

Phone: (08) 8312 0028 
Email: jmcneil@pinnaclewm.com.au

Kerrin Falconer - Education & Technical Consultant

BA Dip Ed, DFP, CFP - ASIC No. 331928

Kerrin has been a teacher in both state and private schools for 20 years before making a career change to financial planning.  As a Certified Financial Planner, Kerrin has worked with several companies as an adviser, before joining Pinnacle Wealth Management in 2008.  Kerrin is currently Chair of the SA Chapter of the Financial Planning Association and is a commentator on financial issues for SA media.

Kerrin will focus on technical and educational material and events within the practice for both clients and staff.

Phone: (08) 8312 0027
Email:  kfalconer@pinnaclewm.com.au

Katrina Greenshields - Client Service Officer

Katrina is one of Pinnacle's newest recruits. Katrina's work history has seen her involved in reception and administration roles with solicitor firms and the private school sector during intervals over the last 15 years.

Katrina joins Pinnacle on a part-time basis to provide administration assistance to the back office. Katrina's role extends to co-ordinating client reviews, assisting with Pinnacle's in-house seminars/functions, providing assistance to the Para-planning team, transaction processing, client account queries and general office duties.

Phone: (08) 8312 0029
Email:  kgreenshields@pinnaclewm.com.au