The Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA) has hired Mary-Helen Lockton as its chief membership and experience officer. The appointment continues the association's build-out of its senior leadership ahead of a planned growth phase.
The move puts a membership specialist in charge of how the association serves its broker base. Lockton steps into the role after a career spent largely inside member-based organisations.
FBAA chief executive Leo Gagic said the hire would lift the level of service brokers get from the association. He said her experience would help the association "build closer relationships with brokers, respond to their changing needs." Gagic pointed to her grasp of how member organisations run as a key strength.
Lockton said her starting point would be listening. She plans to spend time getting to know members and "understanding what matters most to them in their businesses". She said what she learns would shape how the FBAA adds to its current member offering.
Lockton joins from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland. As membership and customer relationship manager there, she oversaw member services alongside customer service, events, communications, and engagement.
Her earlier leadership roles were at the Local Government Association of Queensland, NSW Farmers' Association, and ING Australia. Across those roles she worked in customer engagement, events, marketing, and advocacy. The FBAA credited her with strategies that have helped member organisations grow and keep their members.
The hire comes after a leadership transition in June, when Gagic succeeded long-serving leader Peter White as chief executive and former federal minister Nick Sherry became chair.
In September, the association named Cara Hayward as chief financial officer and Nancy Sundar as head of quality assurance and compliance, a newly created role. It also promoted Kirrily Jones to chief digital and innovation officer and Joanna James to chief commercial officer.
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