Our Team

Conrad joined First Title in December 2010. As General Manager, Business Operations, Conrad is responsible for managing First Title’s major client relationships, sales operations and also ensuring that First Title’s unique FASTRefi process continues to deliver a strong service proposition for First Title’s lender partners.

Conrad has over 20 years experience in financial services, holding senior management and executive level positions with both bank and non-bank lenders in Australia and offshore. He has extensive experience in a range of asset-based finance products (lease, mortgage and cards), structured vendor programs (wholesale and retail), and a variety of specialist roles in credit, portfolio management and product sales and marketing. In recent years, Conrad’s leadership roles in substantive sales and operations environments have delivered on significant business transformations.

Conrad is looking forward to contributing to the success of First Title as the pre-eminent provider of property title risk insurance products in Australia.

Nicola joined the First Title team early 2007. With over 18 years of Banking & Finance Industry experience, predominantly in retail banking and electronic payment solutions, Nicola's most recent roles focused on Relationship Management and Business Development within the National Australia Bank. Nicola's goal within her role at First Title is to identify & develop new business opportunities together with building and strengthening relationships with First Title clients and providing exceptional customer service.

Email: nwilson@firsttitle.com.au

Tej comes from a technical background where he has spent most of his time architecting IT Systems for Financial Institutions in Australia. At First Title Tej heads up the Corporate Information Group, responsible for all aspects of IT, quality assurance and management information systems. Recently, he played a major role in enabling localisation support in First Title's core IT system called eTitle which in turn allowed First Title offices around the world to use eTitle in the language of their choice.

In his spare time, Tej likes to read about latest gadgets and play cricket.

Email: tbedi@firsttitle.com.au

Patrick heads First Title’s Finance Department. He has extensive experience in the financial service sector. Patrick previously held senior finance positions at Allianz Australia and QBE; and he worked on a number of major financial projects both in Australia and overseas.

Prior to joining First Title, Patrick was the Group Financial Controller with an investment fund manager and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Fellow of Australia and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance, a CIP and a Registered Project Manager.

Although playing at a very amateur level, Patrick enjoys his game of golf and always wants to spend more time improving his techniques.

Email: phuo@firsttitle.com.au

Nicola joined the First Title team early 2007. With over 18 years of Banking & Finance Industry experience, predominantly in retail banking and electronic payment solutions, Nicola's most recent roles focused on Relationship Management and Business Development within the National Australia Bank. Nicola's goal within her role at First Title is to identify & develop new business opportunities together with building and strengthening relationships with First Title clients and providing exceptional customer service.

Email: nwilson@firsttitle.com.au

Mark Crooks joined First Title in the role of Business Development Manager – NSW in September 2006. Mark previously held management positions in Relationship Management and Business Development with local and international banks including Bank of New Zealand, Sumitomo Trust Finance (Australia) Limited, St George Bank and BankWest. He brings with him a broad knowledge spanning 20 years practical experience within the banking and finance industry, specialising in the areas of retail banking, commercial banking, small business banking, asset finance and franchise business financing.

Mark’s focus in his role is on developing new business opportunities for First Title as well as maintaining strong relationships with the existing client base.

In his spare time Mark likes to travel and enjoys all sports, particularly cricket and rugby.

Email: mcrooks@firsttitle.com.au

Fiona joined the First Title team early 2010 in the role of Business Development Officer – Victoria. Fiona comes to First Title with over 20 years experience in the conveyancing industry and recently having completed her Diploma in Financial Services (Conveyancing).

Fiona’s goals with her role at First Title is to identify and develop new business opportunities and building and strengthening those relationships with Solicitors, Conveyancers, real estate agents, mortgage brokers and property developers.

In her spare time Fiona enjoys spending with her 4 beautiful children, keeping fit by running and cycling and during the AFL Season supporting her beloved Geelong Cats to a victory.

Email: fschwab@firsttitle.com.au

Gen has joined the First Title team with over 20 years' experience in Commercial & Residential Real Estate. Gen has spent the last nine years studying and working as a Registered Conveyancer in South Australia and brings with her a unique working knowledge of both the conveyancing industry and the application of First Title in the market place.

Email: gstewart@firsttitle.com.au

Joe is an Australian Legal Practitioner admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Western Australia and the High Court of Australia. He was the founding and managing partner of the Western Australian law firm Claudio Shaw and for a number of years he was the managing partner of Gadens Lawyers Perth.

In addition to his administrative functions he specialised in property and banking and finance law. He advised and represented First Title in Western Australia over many years and thereby, it was inevitable that he would accept the role of Manager, First Title Western Australia.

Joe enjoys all sports but for many years has been involved as a player, administrator, legal counsel, Chair of the Grievance and Disputes Tribunal in Western Australia and until November of 2010 a director of Football West the peak body in Western Australia for the World Game.

Email: jclaudio@firsttitle.com.au

Chairman since 2002

Following the merger of MBF and Bupa Australia in June 2008, Eric Dodd became the Managing Director of the combined organisation, providing private health insurance to around three million Australians.

Eric joined MBF Australia Limited (MBF) in October 2002 as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. In his role, Eric grew the company from a $0.5m profit to $235m in a 5 year period, trebling the market value of the organisation which culminated in its sale to the BUPA UK group for $2.41bn.

In 1996, Eric joined the NRMA group as Chief Financial Officer and, in May 1998, became the Managing Director of NRMA Insurance Limited and Chief Executive Officer of NRMA Limited.

Eric has a broad range of experience in insurance, finance and banking.

Prior to NRMA, Eric was the Group Finance Director at NatWest Markets, Executive Director at Legal and General and he was a general manager at the Bank of New Zealand and Australian Bank.

In November 2008, Eric stepped down as Managing Director of Bupa Australia Group to pursue a career as a Non-Executive Director. He is currently the Chairman of First American Title Insurance, Director of Healthscope PL and a Director of The Credit Corp Group. He is also a Director of Clean up Australia and Clean up the World and a former Chairman of Odyssey House.

Eric is a past President of the Insurance Council of Australia and was previously a member of the Australian Payments Council, the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Health Insurance Association and a member of the Executive Committee of the Australian Bankers Association.

Eric has a Bachelor of Economics with statistics and accounting majors. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Eric was born in South Africa and is married with two children. His interests include rugby, tennis, golf, reading, wine collecting, travel and tending his vineyard in the Hunter Valley.

Director since August 2002

Richard Nott is the former Chief Executive Officer CGU Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance Ltd; General Manager at Standard Chartered Bank Australia Ltd, and Australian Bank, plus a twenty six year career with National Australia Bank throughout Australia and England in retail and International Banking. He was for some years a Director of Prime Insurance group, a Bermudan based Lenders’ Mortgage Insurer.

Richard is a Director of Four Hats Financial Services Pty.Ltd, a venture capital company, and First Mac B Limited a part of the First Mac group, Australia’s largest privately owned securitiser of residential housing loans.

Qualifications include Bachelor of Science (Hons) in banking, and Masters Degrees in Business Administration, Commerce, Insurance and Risk Management. He is a Fellow of Australian and British Insurance and Banking, plus Accounting, Chartered Secretaries, and Management institutes.

For over a decade Mr. Nott was President of the Australia-Britain Society and in recent years Chairman of the Australia-Britain Society Foundation. He is a member of the Cook Society and Fred Hollows Foundation.

Director since 2001

Jonathan Flaws is the managing director of First Mortgage Services (FMS) which operates a mortgage processing and servicing operation in Melbourne and in Auckland. He is also the senior partner in Sanderson Weir, a law firm in both Auckland and Melbourne.

Jonathan has over 30 years experience as a banking and finance law and property law specialist. He is also understand title insurance in a Torrens title jurisdiction and has written and presented papers on the subject.

The Australian operation of FMS provides servicing of reverse mortgages and, through First Australian Title Company Pty Ltd provides documentation and settlement services for traditional mortgages.

Mr Flaws is also a member of the Documents and Precedents committee of the Auckland District Law Society and was instrumental in the drafting of the standard security forms. He also drafted the NZ Law Society Property Law Section guidelines for reverse mortgages.

Director since September 2006

Tony Gill was appointed Director in September 2006. He was previously Group Head, Banking and Securitisation, Macquarie Bank Limited.

Tony has had many years experience in banking. Prior to Macquarie Bank he worked as a Chartered Accountant with a major international firm in Australia and Canada. His banking experience is in treasury, mortgage banking, lending and securitisation.

Tony is past Chairman of the Australian Securitisation Forum and past President of the Mortgage Industry Association of Australia and was also active in the mortgage origination and securitisation industry.

Mr Gill is also Chairman of Australian Finance Group and Director, Virgin Money Australia.

Director since August 1996

Chief Executive Officer
First Canadian Title

Regional Vice President, International Operations
First American Title Insurance Company

Thomas H. Grifferty spearheaded First Canadian Title's entry into the Canadian title insurance market in 1991. Today, First Canadian Title is Canada's leading provider of title insurance. Tom oversees First Canadian Title's four offices across Canada, including its more than 600 employees. He is also responsible for First American Title's international operations in places such as the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Korea and China.

As Chief Executive Officer, Tom has presided over the growth of the business from a start-up operation to one that boasts phenomenal success: in July 2004, First Canadian celebrated the issuance of its two millionth title insurance policy, just two years after selling its one millionth policy. In October 2004, First Canadian Title was also named one of Canada's Top 100 Employers.

Mr Grifferty sits on the Board of Directors of First Canadian Title and of First American Title's subsidiary companies in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Chris joined First Title in May 2006 having previously held senior management roles in Relationship Management, Business Development and Marketing within various divisions of National Australia Bank and Bank of New Zealand in Australia.

Over 20 years working within the banking industry in areas ranging from Corporate & Business Banking to Project & Structured Finance including roles in marketing and business development to senior relationship management, has provided Chris with a broad texture of experience and awareness of the financial markets.

Email: ctyler@firsttitle.com.au