Getting to Know: Trevor Slater

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Trevor Slater. I am the Client Director of Financial Dispute Resolution Service, an approved dispute resolution scheme for financial service providers in New Zealand. As Client Director, I manage the scheme and lead a team of facilitators, conciliators, and adjudicators who are experts in resolving complaints in the finance sector. I have a Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution and have been in financial dispute resolution since 1998.

How did you get into the industry?

I first got into the financial industry in the 80s as a collector agent for AMP insurance. I then did a number of roles before returning to the financial industry as a senior investigator with the internal fraud team at AMP. I moved from fraud investigation into life and disability claims management and customer relations and then dispute resolution. During this period I obtained Senior Associate level with the Australian and New Zealand Institute of insurance and Finance.

If there is one thing you would like to change about the financial advice industry, what would it be?   
I would encourage advisers to talk more about the value of financial advice. Unfortunately, the financial advice industry is too often seen by consumers as simply insurance selling. However, there are so many great stories of how financial advice have helped people in their time of need through good insurance cover as well as enjoying a comfortable retirement from wise investing. These stories are not talked about enough.

What’s the best advice you have ever received? 

I’ve been fortunate to receive many pieces of good advice. I think the one that sticks in my mind the most is when, as a young man, my dad said to me to always look for the good in people.