Executive leadership

Ms Kerr joined Australian Unity in September 2017. Esther is Chief Executive Officer for Wealth & Capital Markets for the Australian Unity Group. Esther is responsible for all of Australian Unity’s financial services and investment activities, spanning investment management, advice, trustee services, life and superannuation, as well as the Group’s property, development and capital management activities. Esther is also a board member of many of its operating entities. 

Prior to joining Australian Unity in 2017, Esther’s previous experience covers financial services, infrastructure and human services design and delivery. Esther was a senior executive with the National Disability Insurance Agency—leading the market stewardship and commissioning functions and has held senior roles at strategy consulting firm Boston Consulting Group and within Macquarie Group’s infrastructure division. 

LinkedIn

Adnan joined Australian Unity in 2009. As Executive General Manager - Life & Super, he is responsible for the commercial management and growth of Australian Unity’s specialist wealth management business that delivers a range of market leading tax effective investments, including investment bonds, education and funeral funds as well as Corporate Superannuation solutions. 

Australian Unity is the largest investment bond solutions provider in Australia with a total of $2.4Bn in FUM and over 180,000 clients. 

Prior to this role, Adnan was General Manager – Executive (Chief of Staff) reporting to David Bryant, the CEO of Australian Unity’s Wealth & Capital Markets business and before this was Australian Unity’s Head of Product. Adnan is the current President of the industry association Friendly Societies of Australia. 

Adnan has a Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, major in Applied Mathematics from the University of Adelaide. 

LinkedIn

Kirstin Follows, Executive General Manager – Trustees,  Wealth & Capital Markets platform, Australian Unity

Kirstin joined Australian Unity in April 2018 as the GM of Legal, Risk and Quality - Independent and Assisted Living, and has been acting in the Executive General Manager role since July 2023, and was appointed to her current role of Executive General Manager officially in December 2023.

In this role Kirstin will continue to lead Australian Unity Trustees, our professional trustee services business, that provides estate administration, financial and legal administration, trust management and financial attorney services to Australian individuals and their families.

Kirstin has more than 20 years of experience in law and over 6 years at Australian Unity. 

Prior to her current role at Australian Unity, Kirstin was Senior Corporate Lawyer and Legal Counsel with Wesfarmers and IAG.

Kirstin has a Bachelor of Laws with Monash University and a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor Letters (Hons) with the University of Melbourne.

LinkedIn

Ryan joined Australian Unity in June 2011 as Head of Portfolio Management for the Group’s Real Estate Investment business, leading the financial analysis, treasury, and economic research functions for Australian Unity’s then $2.5 billion property and mortgage funds business. 

As the Executive General Manager, Social Infrastructure Ryan is responsible for the growth and management of Australian Unity’s investments across social infrastructure sectors that include Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), Childcare, Seniors Living (Retirement and Aged Care), and long-stay accommodation options such as Build-to-Rent (BTR), Social, Affordable, and Key Worker Housing. Core to this activity is an integrated approach to asset management, with a concerted effort to implement leading efficient building initiatives across the portfolio of assets managed by Australian Unity. 

Ryan is also responsible for the delivery of the $1.1 billion Herston Quarter Precinct redevelopment, having led Australian Unity’s successful bid for the project in 2017. The project has delivered a new public hospital under PPP framework, ~700beds of student accommodation, commercial and office space, as well as reinvigorated public spaces. Future development activity will include additional health facilities, long stay accommodation, and education facilities. 

Prior to joining Australian Unity, Ryan worked as an investment strategist in NAB’s global markets division, and as Head of Strategy at listed telecommunications firm M2. Ryan has also held roles with CBA and Macquarie Group.

LinkedIn

Ms Saliba joined Australian Unity on 10 May 2021 as General Manager, Finance, Commercial & Operations, for Wealth & Capital Markets.

Jenny has broad experience in financial services, property and education with an emphasis in the social infrastructure sector – including aged care and retirement accommodation, healthcare infrastructure, student accommodation and specialist disability accommodation.

Jenny brings insights and direct experience in capital markets, funds management, real estate trusts, M&A and strategy and has played a key role in supporting strategic growth.

Prior to joining Australian Unity, Jenny held various CFO roles including at ASX listed, Think Childcare, ING Real Estate Investment Management and various private equity groups.

Jenny is excited to be part of Australian Unity, an organisation leading the way in social infrastructure by aligning quality care services with investment grade assets.

Joe has spent over 20 years in senior leadership roles, spanning global investment, superannuation and platform management.

He was formerly a member of Colonial First State Global Asset Management’s executive leadership team, and Managing Director for First State Investments in Asia, where he was responsible for strengthening and growing the firm’s extensive business located throughout the Asia region.

Prior to that, Joe was Head of Global Investment Solutions Group at CFSGAM, with responsibility for the strategic development of the firm’s portfolio of investment offers globally, contributing to the significant growth of the business over many years. He has extensive experience in building, developing and leading successful investment businesses that serve customers well, with a focus on responsible investment and stewardship.

LinkedIn