Executive team

Rob has been the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Perpetual since September 2018.  

Skills and experience 

Rob is a proven financial services business leader with over 30 years’ experience locally and globally across funds management, financial advice and fiduciary services. 

Before Perpetual, Rob was Head of Pan‑Asia and a member of the Global Executive Committee of Janus Henderson where he had been for six years. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive of Challenger Funds Management, and was previously CEO of First State Investments UK. 

He is Chairman of the Abbotsleigh Foundation. 

B. Business (Accounting) (University of Technology Sydney)

Chris has been Chief Financial Officer of Perpetual since October 2018. He joined Perpetual in 2006 and prior to his current role was Group Executive of Corporate Trust from 2008 to 2018.

Skills and experience 

Chris was at JPMorgan from 1996 to 2006 where he spent 9 years in London as Vice President of the Institutional Trust Services business and a year as head of that business for the Australasia region.

Chris was previously Chairman of the Australian Securitisation Forum and a member of the Advice Board of the Financial Services Council. He is currently completing a BA in Philosophy at the University of London.

BCom / LLB (University of Queensland); MBA (London Business School); GAICD

Sam joined Perpetual as Chief Risk Officer in February 2019 and was appointed Chief Risk & Sustainability Officer in January 2023 following the acquisition of Pendal Group.

Skills and experience 

Sam is an accomplished risk professional with more than 25 years’ experience within the financial services sector including director roles at multiple Investment Management and Trustee companies. Prior to Perpetual, Sam was Acting Global Head of Enterprise Risk and Head of Risk and Compliance, Pan Asia at Janus Henderson Investors where she spent more than five years.

Sam also held senior risk and operational roles at Macquarie Group across 17 years, including Head of Compliance and Risk for Macquarie Funds Group, after starting her career as a Chartered Accountant at KPMG.

BCom (University of NSW); Graduate Diploma (Applied Finance); GAICD

Craig Squires joined Perpetual in March 2022 as Chief Technology Officer and was appointed Deputy Chief Operating Officer following the announcement of the acquisition of Pendal Group. 

Skills and experience 

Craig is an IT professional focused on the financial services industry with over 35 years’ experience gained in Australia, the US, Europe, and Japan. His experience spans IT development, support and information security of investment management, capital markets, superannuation and life insurance delivered via listed and unlisted financial products.  

Prior to joining Perpetual, Craig held senior roles with a number of financial services organisations including Challenger, Barclays Global Investors, MLC, and Westpac. 

BSc (University of New England); MBA (AGSM UNSW)

Richard was appointed Group Executive of PCT in September 2018 and was appointed Chief Executive of PCT in January 2023 following the acquisition of Pendal Group. 

Richard joined Perpetual in 2007 as Director Sales and Relationship Management and prior to his current role, was General Manager, Trust and Fund Services from 2012 to 2018.  

Skills and experience 

Prior to joining Perpetual, Richard worked at Chemical Bank’s Global Custodian business in Cardiff, Wales. Chemical Bank merged with Chase Manhattan Bank in 1996. Richard moved to Sydney in 2003 as Vice President, to integrate the acquisition of Guardian Trust and grow the Australian business. He became VP, Head of Relationship Management at BNY Mellon’s Corporate Trust Division in Sydney following the sale of JPM Corporate Trust business in 2006. 

He has over 25 years’ global executive leadership experience in banking and financial services, with deep sector knowledge in debt capital markets, managed funds, data and analytics, and M&A. 

GAICD; Finance & Strategic Management (Macquarie Business School)

Mark joined Perpetual as Group Executive of PP in November 2012 and was appointed Chief Executive of PP in January 2023 following the acquisition of Pendal Group. 

Skills and experience 

At Perpetual, he leads the Group’s wealth business, which includes the philanthropic, trustee and high net worth advisory businesses, as well as Fordham, a business specialising in accounting and advisory services to business owners.  

He is also the Chair of the Noongar Boodja Investment Committee and group sponsor of Perpetual's Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan. 

Mark has over 25 years’ financial services experience, gained predominantly at BT Financial Group and Pendal Asset management where he led marketing leading businesses focused on Platforms, Asset Management and Insurance. 

B. Econ (Macquarie University); GAICD; Associate of FINSIA

Paul has been part of the People and Culture (PAC) Team at Perpetual for 15 years and was appointed Chief People Officer in January 2023 following the acquisition of Pendal Group. Prior to being appointed Chief People Officer, Paul was the Executive General Manager of People and Culture from 2019 to 2023.  

Paul leads six dedicated teams within PAC including Organisational Development, Business Partnering, People Services, Performance and Reward, Systems and Reporting and Talent Acquisition. 

Skills and experience 

Paul first joined Perpetual as a People Business Partner in the Wealth and Asset Management divisions, he then moved into the General Manager position for the business partnering team. Following this, he spent four years specialising in the remuneration and benefits field as General Manager Performance and Reward. 

Before joining Perpetual, Paul spent seven years at BMW Group in HR in the automotive industry in the UK and four years in HR at TeleTech International specialising in client services for telecommunications and financial services organisations. 

B.BEcon (Hons); M.A. (Human Resource Management) (University of Wolverhampton)