Macquarie Capital Advisers Executive Director Marianne Birch is the new President of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (Finsia).

Her appointment to the top post was made at the Finsia AGM in Melbourne last week. Ms Birch replaces Malcolm McComas.

“We have seen Finsia develop through substantial changes in the last few years, the most significant being the sale of its education arm to Kaplan,” Ms Birch said. “This has provided the organisation and its members with new opportunities and challenges.”

Ms Birch has more than 20 years’ experience in mergers and acquisitions, specialising in the financial services sector.

She has been on the Finsia board since 2005 as a member of the NSW regional council and chairing the membership advisory committee.