Guest Speakers:
Shani Jayamanne
Shani Jayamanne is a Director, Investment Specialist at Morningstar Australia. She is a co-host of Morningstar Australia’s Investing Compass podcast, and a frequent contributor of personal finance insights in major publications in Australia.
Shani has spent her career working in financial services, across financial advice and large asset managers. She is an Education Partner with the Australian Shareholders Association and an Advisory Board Member for Forbes Advisor. Her work has focused on understanding financial products, and distilling complex financial concepts for individuals, advisers and institutions. She is passionate about making financial information accessible to all, with a focus on promoting financial literacy and independence for minority groups.
As an Investment Specialist, her work focuses on interpreting financial data and research for individual investors, empowering them to find practical applications in their investing journey. Her personal finance thought leadership is aimed at accumulators - those who are early in their lives who are looking to reach their financial goals within their means and circumstances. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from the Australian National University, including achieving a Commendation from the College of Business and Economics. She has also run courses for women asylum seekers with the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre to help improve financial literacy in minority communities. Shani has co-written a book, Invest Your Way, out in October 2025.
Mark LaMonica
Mark LaMonica, CFA is Director of Personal Finance at Morningstar Australia. He is a co-host of the Investing Compass Podcast and writes the weekly investing column Unconventional wisdom. Mark is responsible for Morningstar.com.au, one of Australia’s leading providers of investing insights and Firstlinks, an independent publisher providing content written by financial market professionals.
Mark is a CFA charterholder and has an MBA with a concentration in Finance. Mark has over a decade of experience as a consultant in the financial services industry, at global accounting and advisory firm, EY. In this role, he worked with leading asset managers, hedge funds and fund administration companies.
Mark’s work focuses on personal finance for individual investors which investors can access through Morningstar.com.au. He is a well-regarded voice in the Australian financial services industry, and a frequent commentator in major Australian publications. Mark has co-written a book, Invest Your Way, out in October 2025.
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