Meet the Team
Chris MacKay – BCA, CLU, CFPCM, Fellow Financial Advice NZ.
Managing Director
Financial Adviser – FSP No. 26122
Chris MacKay is the Managing Director of Chris MacKay Financial Planning Ltd (CMFP) trading as MacKay Financial Advice and Solutions (MFAS). He graduated with a BCA in 1976 with a major in Tax, Trusts and Estate Planning at Victoria University, Wellington.
Chris has had over 40 years’ experience in providing financial advice. He is a Certified Financial Planner and a Chartered Life Underwriter, both international qualifications for investment and insurance professionals. He was the first Kiwi to hold both designations.
Chris is a 40+ year Life and Qualifying Member of the international Million Dollar Round Table. He is also a Fellow of Financial Advice NZ and a member of the Independent Financial Advisers’ Association (IFAA). He is a past president of one of the organisations which merged to form the IFAA.
Under the old regulatory regime, he had qualified to be an Authorised Financial Adviser. He holds the National Certificate in Financial Services endorsed in Investment advice, Insurance advice and Residential Mortgage Lending advice.
As one of the country’s leading Financial Advisers, Chris has spoken to and debated for industry groups, seminars, service clubs and the media in NZ, Australia, UK, Canada, Europe and USA. He is a former Hutt City Councillor, served 10 years as a Trustee for the Te Omanga Hospice Foundation and was a Rotarian for over 20 years. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace for New Zealand in 1992.
He is married to Kathryn, has three adult children, four grandchildren and has lived in Woburn, Lower Hutt all his life. Chris used to enjoy a game of tennis (before his shoulder and knees needed surgery!), but still enjoys cycling with Kathryn or some mates, reading and spending time with family and friends.
Blair Bennett – MBS, Dip. Bus & Admin, F Fin, Dip. Banking
Financial Adviser – FSP No. 28641
Contractor to CMFP
Blair joined MFAS in 2010 as a Financial Adviser and is our specialist Mortgage Broker.
He has over 30 years’ experience in the banking and financial services industry and is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. Blair holds a Masters Degree in Business Studies.
Under the old regulatory regime, he had qualified to be an Authorised Financial Adviser. Blair is a Member of Financial Advice NZ & the Independent Financial Advisers’ Association.
He holds the National Certificate in Financial Services endorsed in Residential Mortgage Lending advice, Investment advice and Insurance advice.
Blair has lived in Lower Hutt all his married life, loves a bit of golf and is a regular tennis interclub player.
Chris Cornford
Financial Adviser – FSP No. 49821
Contractor to CMFP
Chris joined MFAS as a Financial Adviser in 2011.
He previously worked for a financial advisory company for almost 4 years, and 18 months before that as a Risk Management Consultant for an insurance brokerage firm.
Prior to joining the financial services’ industry, Chris enjoyed over 30 years in sales and customer service roles in a variety of market sectors, including running his own business.
Under the old regulatory regime, he had qualified to be an Authorised Financial Adviser. He is a Member of Financial Advice NZ & the Independent Financial Advisers’ Association.
Chris holds the National Certificate in Financial Services – endorsed in Investment advice and Insurance advice.
Chris is a lover of interclub tennis and he and his wife, Denise have lived in Eastbourne all their married life.
George MacKay
Financial Adviser – FSP No. 538967
George joined MFAS early in 2016.
He previously had an eight-year career in the plumbing industry, latterly as a Key Account Manager.
Under the old regulatory regime, he had qualified to be an Authorised Financial Adviser.
George is a member of the Independent Financial Advisers’ Association and a founding Member of Financial Advice New Zealand. He holds the National Certificate in Financial Services endorsed in Insurance advice and Investment advice.
George has lived in the Hutt Valley all his life and he and his partner Hayley have three young daughters.
Bridget Hawkins – Manager, Insurance Services
Bridget worked for the company from 1990 to 2004. After spending time at home with her children, she returned in 2009. Bridget has vast experience in all aspects of the industry.
In her spare time Bridget and her family have discovered a passion for squash, both competitive and recreational.
Maria Biedermann – Administration Assistant
Maria joined the team at MFAS in August 2013. Prior to joining the team, Maria lived in Australia working in the health care industry as a carer assisting the elderly. After returning to New Zealand in 2011, she studied Business Administration at Weltec.
In her role as Administration Assistant, Maria is primarily responsible for the day-to-day office administration, as well as providing secretarial assistance to Chris MacKay. Additionally, Maria is responsible for the KiwiSaver administration process, maintaining regular contact between the Advisers and our clients; and managing all client databases ensuring they’re up to date and accurate.
Maria is reacquainting herself with her passion for painting, and loves spending time with her three children, extended family and good friends.
Kathryn MacKay – BA, Dip Tchg
Chief Advisory Officer
Kathryn is our longest serving employee apart from Chris. She is CAO and assists with public relations, special projects and some research initiatives for the Company. She is on the Advisory Board and coordinates future strategic direction for the company.
Tania Meehan – Client Relationship Manager
Tania was born and raised in the ‘South Island’, she retains close links to her place of origin. She joined MFAS in the later part of 2018 and is our resident Client Relationship Manager, Investments and Compliance.
Tania brings a breadth of knowledge to MacKays and her sunny disposition greets you from the get-go. She is extremely adept and has always enjoyed building and nurturing long term relationships. Whether a client or colleague, she maintains her ‘can-do’ attitude.
She has considerable experience in the financial planning industry, investments, insurance and mortgage sectors. Tania enjoys being part of a team that delivers a personal and holistic approach to every individual and seeing the benefits of this.
She is however, a little outnumbered in her household with her three boys, her husband and a male tabby cat. Conversations can be, a little ‘one sided’ but this keeps her on ‘her toes’.
Hayley Bird – Administration Assistant
Hayley joined us in 2018. Prior to that, she had worked in retail for over 10 years.
Hayley assists all the team with various administration tasks. She and her partner George have three young daughters which keep them both very busy while not at work.