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About
We are unbiased and impartial,
and are not owned by, or tied to any product provider
Alison Renfrew BSc, Dip Bus Studies (Financial Planning), CLU, CFP
Financial Adviser, FSP35961
Alison has a long history of providing financial advice to her clients.After graduating from Victoria University with a BSc in 1982 she joined an international financial services company in 1983. Alison sold mainly life insurance and investment products. She was the first woman in the company to qualify for the prestigious Blue Ribbon award in her first year and the first woman to qualify for the Silver Ribbon award. Alison sold her business and moved to the UK in 1989 where she established a new client base in financial services.
On returning to New Zealand Alison established her own financial planning company where she applied her overseas experience and knowledge. Creating Wealth Limited was established in 1994 and was re-branded in 2005 to the LYFORDs group of companies. LYFORDS markets the leading financial service companies range of products from investments, retirement savings and insurances (life, trauma, income protection, health).
Alison has qualified by examination to be a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Insurance and Investment Advisers, 1998 and qualified by examination to be a Certified Financial Planner, 2001, and is entitled to use the distinctive titles and designations CLU - Chartered Life Underwriter and CFP - Certified Financial Planner, the pinnacle of professional attainment. Alison is the second person and first woman in New Zealand to hold both CLU and CFP. Fewer than 1% of advisers in New Zealand hold both qualifications. In 2004 Alison won the Financial Planner of the Year Award. Alison complies with the Continuing Education requirements of the Institute of Financial Advisers.
Richard W Renfrew PhD, Dip Fin Planning, Dip Bus Admin, CFP
Financial Adviser, FSP35821
Richard went to Wellington College and then on to Victoria University where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree, Master of Science (Honours) and a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry. Whilst writing his thesis on reaction kinetics for his Ph.D. Richard worked at Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited. Upon obtaining his PhD, Richard continued to work for Mobil full time in a range of capacities. He also had an extensive overseas assignment with Mobil at their UK domiciled international research laboratory at Coryton.
Richard has a keen interest in outdoors having been an active member and committee member of the Wellington Sky Divers Club and the Tararua Tramping Club. Richard has also served as the treasurer of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry. A feature of Richard’s office is a marine reef aquarium. He and Alison have adventure kayaked with icebergs in both the Antarctic (2015, 2016) and Arctic (2017) regions and enjoy overseas travel.
Richard is always keen to seek out new challenges. After 13 years with Mobil, he retired, financially independent, in order to spend two years as a full time caregiver to his two year old son, Ricky. From there, Richard decided that he needed further challenges and joined Alison in 1994 in her unbiased financial planning and investment advisory business called Creating Wealth Ltd in Wellington. In April 2005 the Creating Wealth group of companies was re-branded to LYFORDS. Through Richard’s efforts the company has a high emphasis on using the latest computer hardware and software as well as the use of electronic transfer of data. Richard taught himself JavaScript, CSS and HTML programming languages to create the company’s web site. Richard has a Diploma in Personal Financial planning from Waikato University.
Richard is one of the most highly qualified investment advisers in New Zealand. His analytical skills, discipline, ability to think clearly and rationalise brings a superior level of skills to LYFORDS and to its client base than what many other financial advisers in New Zealand can provide.
Richard has the ability to make what may appear at first to be complex ideas easily understood.
Richard SI Renfrew
Financial Adviser, FSP731211
Richard’s passion for business and money started early. His parents recall when he was eight, they were walking along the Wellington waterfront and came across a busker playing a piano accordion. After listening and walking away Richard asked “how much do you think he makes?”. His parents replied maybe $200 to $300 in a day. After a few minutes Richard said “when I grow up I am … (his parents thought, “Oh no he’s going to say he wants to be a busker too”) … I am going to employ one over there and there and there”. Much to their relief he was already thinking about the power of leverage.
Richard as a seven year old used to sell magic bookmarks. The funds earned from selling these bookmarks enabled him to participate in more hobbies and Wellington adventure activities. At age 12 he made an investment in equities of $2,000.
Ultimately, these earlier choices helped him turn an adventure sport of paintball into a business around the age of 18. Cashing up his equities enabled him to set up Paintball Corp on Willis Street, Wellington, in 2014. Paintball Corp grew into a successful business which allowed him to expand by buying a competitor’s business. His company was a finalist in the 2018 Business Excellence Awards for best small business.Whilst Paintball was an avenue for his business acumen his study at Victoria University in Physics aligned his analytical nature and passion for finding solutions to problems. Becoming a financial adviser was almost an inevitable outcome based on his learned skills in business, financial analysis and motivating people.
Richard worked in another Financial Advisory firm in Wellington before joining his parents’ business; Lyford Investment Management Ltd (Lyfords) in March 2020.
Lucy Askew B Bus (Marketing)
Office Manager
Lucy has extensive experience in marketing, sales and administration and has worked with Lyfords since 2013.
Lucy is responsible for client care and support, administration services, supporting the directors and extensive communication with UK pension providers in relation to clients transferring their UK pension funds into New Zealand QROPS approved schemes.
Lucy has a Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing.
Our External Investment Committee*
Lyford Investment Management Ltd is a partner firm of Consilium NZ Limited. Consilium provides independent research, asset allocation, monitoring and investment support services. Measured by assets under advice, Consilium is the largest provider of these services to independent financial advisers in New Zealand. Consilium’s investment support services are certified and audited annually by the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence. They are the first group in New Zealand to earn this certification.
Damon O'Brien CFA, AFA, B Com (Economics & Operations Research), Dip Bus Studies (Financial Planning), AIF©
Damon has over 15 years' experience in the wealth management industry, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. Damon's career path has included exposure to a boutique wealth management firm, a national advisory dealer group and a 'fund of hedge funds' company. Working in these differing businesses has provided him with a unique perspective across the wider investment and advisory industry in New Zealand.
Damon is chairman of the Consilium Investment Committee.
He has a B Comm. majoring in Economics and Operations Research from University of Canterbury and, after joining the wealth management industry, went on to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Financial Planning) through Massey University. As a CFA® charterholder, Damon is bound by the CFA Institute’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.
Mitchell Bristow BSc (Statistics), B Com (Management Science)
Mitchell has over 10 years’ experience in investment management, returning to New Zealand after a number of years working in Hong Kong as a Quantitative Analyst and Risk Manager for funds across a broad range of investment strategies. Mitchell’s professional career has focused on financial modelling and data analysis, with significant experience in tracking, monitoring and reporting on the performance of recommended investments.
Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Science (majoring in Statistics) and a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Management Science) from the University of Canterbury.
Ben Brinkerhoff BA (History & Economics), AIF©
Ben has worked in the wealth management industry for over 10 years. Prior to moving to New Zealand, Ben was Chief Operating Officer at Index Fund Advisors, an advisory firm with $2.2 billion of funds under advice. His career has also seen him undertake the role of senior economic consultant, and economic manager for the Qatar Economic Free Zones.
Ben is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary AIF© and has a BA in History and Economics from University of California and is a qualified Financial Adviser.
* Our external investment committee is provided by Consilium NZ
Our Key Partner
Consilium NZ provides support and consultancy services to investment advisers, engineering evidence-based investment models to provide investors with access to proven sources of higher long term expected returns. Consilium's investment solutions are audited annually to meet the requirements of the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX), which establishes global best practice standards for investment selection, monitoring and reporting. As the only New Zealand company certified for support services by CEFEX, Consilium provides critical external investment and adviser support to the New Zealand investment community. The Consilium Investment Committee advises on the prudent management of over a billion dollars of New Zealand wealth.