Herbert Smith Freehills partner Fiona Smedley has been honoured with a prestigious Industry Excellence Award from Australia’s leading financial services industry body, the Financial Services Council (FSC).
Fiona received the award in recognition of her significant contribution to the financial services industry in Australia in relation to the seismic regulatory reforms taking effect in product suitability requirements and product intervention powers.
Fiona has chaired the FSC’s Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Powers (DDO and PIP) working group and made a valuable and significant contribution to developing and responding to that law reform over the last two years. In this highly technical area, the FSC commented that Fiona has cut through many of the issues and provided outstanding direction and input to the DDO and PIP working group. The FSC also recognised Fiona's openness and generosity of time for the benefit of the industry.
Fiona’s award also recognises the contribution she has made in another highly technical area, the foreign financial service provider reforms (FFSP), through her membership of the FSC’s FFSP working group and the valuable input and practical comments she has provided in relation to the FFSP reforms.
FSC CEO Sally Loane said the FSC Industry Excellence Awards are designed to honour individuals in member companies for their outstanding contributions to the financial services industry’s future.
“The winners have demonstrated professionalism and leadership in our industry in support of policy development, regulatory balance, research programs and industry initiatives,” Ms Loane said.
Herbert Smith Freehills' Australian Executive Partner Andrew Pike said: “I’d like to congratulate Fiona on this award, which reflects her standing as one of the country’s top financial services lawyers. She is a true industry leader and it’s great to see Fiona receiving this recognition.”
The FSC Industry Excellence Awards, which run in conjunction with the FSC's annual Summit conference, were presented at a gala dinner held in Sydney on 28 August 2019.