Who we are

Tim Beresford joined AFSA in May 2022. 

Tim is AFSA’s Chief Executive and holds the statutory appointments of Inspector-General in Bankruptcy and Registrar of Personal Property Securities.

Prior to joining he held the position of Deputy Chief Executive of Global Client Services at Austrade since 2018.

Tim was also employed at Austrade between 2011 and 2016 where he held Deputy Secretary positions in the areas of Tourism, Investment Education and Programs, and Australian Operations. Prior to re-joining Austrade in 2018, Tim was Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Vice Chancellor of Macquarie University. He served in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in 2010 and held senior roles with Westpac between 2003 and 2008.

He holds a Bachelor of Economics, Bachelor of Laws, a Masters of Philosophy (International Relations) and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Emma Greenwood joined AFSA in May 2023.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, Emma's role as General Manager, Regulatory Operations Group is responsible for delivering strategic regulatory outcomes across AFSA's three lines of regulation - education, compliance and enforcement. Emma leads the operational divisions of Regulatory Services and Surveillance & Enforcement, and oversees the modernisation of service delivery and regulatory practices at AFSA.

Emma has extensive senior leadership experience having worked in a range of roles including as First Assistant Secretary in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. She has also worked as an Assistant Secretary and at the Executive Level at Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Treasury and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Emma is highly practiced in developing and implementing strategy, as well as program design and delivery, and outreach and engagement.

She holds an Executive Masters of Public Administration through ANZSOG, as well as a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and Masters of Arts (Research) in History. Emma is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumni of the Cranlana Executive Colloquium.

Marcel Savary joined AFSA in 2023.

Marcel’s Division is responsible for customer facing functions of AFSA’s three pillars:

• Personal Insolvency: Through the AFSA Service Centre, we deliver information and referrals to support all participants in the Personal Insolvency system to understand their rights and responsibilities and make it easy to make informed decisions and comply with their obligations. As the Official Trustee, our case managers administer bankruptcies, personal insolvency agreements and debt agreements where the administration of the matter is in the public interest.
• Personal Property Securities: We ensure the Personal Property Security Register is well known, and used confidently, effectively, and appropriately.
• Criminal Asset Management: We provide effective and efficient management and disposal of criminal assets on behalf of the Official Trustee to deliver maximum public value on funds returned to the Confiscated Asset Account.

The Division is supported by the Practice Management & Insights team which provides practice guidance, performance reporting and management assurance services.

Prior to joining AFSA, Marcel was the Director of Regulatory Transformation on the e.Regulation Complaints, Compliance and Enforcement Program at NSW Department of Customer Service. Marcel has worked across a range of regulatory portfolios including: liquor, gaming and casinos; consumer affairs; and work health and safety. He has also held senior policy roles in the Attorney General’s Department and NSW Department of Justice.

Marcel brings extensive experience in regulatory policy and operations, including process improvement and customer digitisation.

Sarah Marshall joined AFSA in 2023.

Sarah’s division is responsible for discharging the regulatory and review responsibilities of the Inspector-General in Bankruptcy, and leading surveillance and supervision activities across AFSA’s regulated population of practitioners, as well as other stakeholders across the personal insolvency system. The Division also houses AFSA’s enforcement function which investigates alleged Bankruptcy and PPS offences and refers cases for prosecution.

Before to joining AFSA, Sarah worked at the Department of Home Affairs where she was Assistant Secretary Security, Disputes and Operations Law – Legal Group. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the Australian Public Service and has held several Senior Executive roles spanning legal, operational, enforcement, compliance and integrity.

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and Philosophy), Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. She is admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor in the ACT.

Recruitment for the role is currently underway.

Annie Ryan joined AFSA in 2022.

Annie is responsible for the Corporate Services division. The division serves as a vital component in supporting Regulatory Operations and the broader agency, encompassing People and Culture, Finance, Security, Facilities, Corporate Reporting, and the Enterprise Capability Office.

Within People and Culture, we manage HR-related functions to attract top talent, cultivate a positive workplace, and prioritize staff well-being. In Finance, we oversee financial strategy and operations, ensuring prudent financial management and regulatory compliance. As guardians of Security, we protect our physical assets and our people through policies and initiatives.

We also manage property assets, provide facilities management and optimize space utilization. Furthermore, we lead Project Management and Governance, aligning projects with organizational goals and supporting business to meet best practices. Together, these functions ensure efficient operations and regulatory compliance.

Prior to working at AFSA, Annie worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade where she held several roles in the Finance Division at DFAT, including Assistant Secretary of the Budget and Policy Branch, and the Financial Services and Transformation Branch.

Annie has extensive senior leadership experience across federal government agencies and more than 15 years’ experience in finance, governance and risk, and is a recognised leader of transformational and digital change.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), a Master of Taxation and a Master of Technology. Annie is also currently studying to attain a Master of Financial Technology.

Elyse Herrald-Woods joined AFSA in 2022.

Elyse is AFSA’s Chief Risk Officer and Head of Legal. She has responsibility for AFSA’s engagement and interactions with government partners; system reforms and strategic policy; strategic communications and digital channels; governance, risk and assurance; and the provision of in-house legal advice and services.

Elyse has previously held senior executive roles in the National Recovery and Resilience Agency, and Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Elyse holds a Bachelor of Business (International Business), Bachelor of Development Studies (Economic Development and Globalisation), and a Master in Government and Commercial Law. 

Greg Cassis joined AFSA in 2022.

Greg is the Chief Information Officer and Program Director Service Modernisation.

Technology Services is responsible for delivering and maintaining technology solutions and services for our staff and our external users. One of the key initiatives within Technology Services is the Service Modernisation program, which will replace and optimise AFSA’s current systems and processes through the integration of modern cloud-based systems and work practices.

Prior to joining AFSA Greg was the Program Director, Transformation at St Vincent’s Health Australia, where he was responsible for driving business and technology transformation. Greg has a strong history of leading operational teams and delivery of transformation programs in organisations including Wesfarmers, where he was the General Manager of Technology, and Deputy CIO (Industrials), and in senior executive roles at Suncorp, Westpac and CBA.

Greg also has a Master of Business Administration.