AGSM and HSBC team up to offer premium alumni services

DATE: 14.12.06   ISSUE 2, 2006
A new partnership between AGSM and HSBC will provide a premium financial services package with benefits for both alumni and the School.

The AGSM HSBC Alumni Affinity Program, launched in June, offers alumni competitive, premium financial services.

The three-year arrangement was negotiated by the School with the leadership of the Alumni Board after a survey had indicated a strong majority of alumni wanted a financial services package similar to those offered by other professional organisations in Australia – with service and discount benefits for alumni combined with revenue to build the School’s endowment.

Rod de Aboitiz, Chief Financial Officer of NM Rothschild (Australia) Limited and a member of the Alumni Board, led the call for proposals, evaluation and eventual selection of an affinity partner in conjunction with the AGSM Development and Alumni Department. Following more than a year of discussions with seven financial service providers, Mr de Aboitiz says AGSM chose to partner with HSBC on the strength of its global reach, brand name and attractive benefits.

Alumni automatically qualify for a HSBC relationship manager and the Exclusive Premier ATM Card.

“HSBC were the best in what they offered, in their value, service, scalability and fit,” he says. Some of the benefits are a 50 percent discount on two account establishment fees, a discount of up to 0.1 percent per annum on particular home loans, no monthly fees on cash management accounts, and commission-free foreign currency exchange.

Alumni also automatically qualify for a HSBC relationship manager and the Exclusive Premier ATM Card.

“HSBC’s offerings are competitive, but they pride themselves on their premier and private-banking offerings. For the many alumni who don’t have time to maximise their financial opportunities and stay on top of all the account administration, we believe HSBC’s offerings will be very attractive,” Mr de Aboitiz says.

AGSM’s former Director of Development and Alumni Angela Chapman says the new affinity program by combining an attractive offer to alumni with an opportunity to help AGSM build its endowment is modelled on programs found at leading universities globally.

“No leading business school in the world can invest in excellence on tuition alone. We need investment in faculty, students and facilities to compete,” Ms Chapman says. “This is a very easy option for our alumni to give back to an institution that has made a difference in their lives and careers.”

For more information on the HSBC package, visit the AGSM Alumni website: www.agsm.edu.au/alumni