Meet
the team
At Investment Trends, our team brings together a diverse range of expertise across research, data analysis, and financial services. With specialists in investor behavior, market trends, and industry insights, we combine deep analytical skills with real-world experience to deliver market-leading intelligence. Our researchers, analysts, and client specialists work collaboratively across global markets to uncover key trends that shape the future of investing.
Eric Blewitt
Chief Executive Officer
Eric Blewitt
Chief Executive Officer
Eric joined Investment Trends as CEO in November 2022. He has more than 30 years of international experience as an executive in financial markets with a successful track record growing businesses through differing cycles as well as leading M&A activity. Prior to this role at Investment Trends, Eric was CEO at Ausiex, having led the business for 9 years within Commsec / CBA, creating Australia’s largest wholesale broker and being instrumental in its divestment from CBA.
Mark Johnston
Founder and Chairman
Mark Johnston
Founder and Chairman
Since 1999, Mark has been managing research in the wealth management space. Mark is a Qualified Practicing Market Researcher (QPMR), a full member of the Australian Market and Social Research Society (AMSRS), and a General Member of the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA). He holds degrees in Financial Administration (graduated first in class) and Law (with First Class Honours) from the University of New England, and was awarded 3 medals for excellence from the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants.
Sarah Brennan
Advisory Board
Sarah Brennan
Advisory Board
Sarah brings over 30 years of experience in financial services, having commenced her career at MLC Life Insurance, before joining Citi and Deutsche Bank. She spent almost 12 years as managing director of Comparator Business Benchmarking before joining CoreLogic and BMFS Consulting, where she held the role of managing director prior to joining Investment Trends. Her current board positions include non-executive directorships at Mortgage Choice and AMP Superannuation, while previously serving as a non-executive director of the Financial Planning Association of Australia, Van Eyk, Old Mutual and Advantage Financial Services.
Dr Borhan Uddin
Director of Statistical Consulting
Dr Borhan Uddin
Director of Statistical Consulting
Borhan brings more than twenty years of research, academic and statistical consulting experience. He has previously held roles including, Professor of Statistics at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh, Director of Statistical Consulting, Department of Statistics, University of New South Wales and Senior statistician/researcher with ACNielsen Australia. Borhan has a MSc (First class, First) and PhD in Statistics. He has received international recognition for his application of multivariate statistical techniques, having published more than fifteen articles in international journals and received a medal from the New York Academy of Sciences for his contributions to the field of statistical modelling.
Julian Cappe
Head of Research
Julian Cappe
Head of Research
Julian Cappe is Head of Research at Investment Trends, where he leads a team of highly accomplished research analysts and professionals dedicated to delivering world-class insights to the financial services industry.
With more than 20 years of experience in financial services, Julian brings a unique blend of executive leadership, strategic advisory, and research expertise. His career includes senior executive roles at BT/Westpac and Citi, as well as extensive experience as a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company, KPMG, and ICG. In these roles, he advised boards and senior executives across the Australian financial services market on growth, strategy, and transformation.
Julian specialises in combining data-driven insights, behavioural research, and strategic clarity to support executive decision-making. His deep understanding of the industry and ability to distil complex trends into actionable strategies make him a trusted adviser to leaders navigating a rapidly evolving financial landscape.
With more than 20 years of experience in financial services, Julian brings a unique blend of executive leadership, strategic advisory, and research expertise. His career includes senior executive roles at BT/Westpac and Citi, as well as extensive experience as a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company, KPMG, and ICG. In these roles, he advised boards and senior executives across the Australian financial services market on growth, strategy, and transformation.
Julian specialises in combining data-driven insights, behavioural research, and strategic clarity to support executive decision-making. His deep understanding of the industry and ability to distil complex trends into actionable strategies make him a trusted adviser to leaders navigating a rapidly evolving financial landscape.
Paul McGivern
Finance & Research Director
Paul McGivern
Finance & Research Director
Paul has a wealth of global work experiences working in Australia, Europe and Japan with Deutsche Bank on mutual funds, equities trading, equity lending, financial planning and online distribution businesses and in London with Credit Suisse First Boston. Paul also spent time as Director of CoreLogic Inc and Partner of Comparator Business Benchmarketing. Beginning his early career in chartered accounting with firms in Australia and the UK, Paul holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology Sydney, a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University Sydney and is a Certified Practicing Accountant.
Duggan Jones
Head of Technology and Transformation
Duggan Jones
Head of Technology and Transformation
Duggan joined Investment Trends as Head of Technology and Transformation in June 2023. He has more than 15 years experience driving operational efficiencies, continuous improvement, and transformation initiatives across various industries. Prior to this role, Duggan occupied a number of senior program and operational delivery roles within the Australian Department of Defence, and more recently was the Head of Operations and Products at a consumer services start-up.
Ajita Tynan
Business Development Manager - Australia
Ajita Tynan
Business Development Manager - Australia
Ajita Tynan is a key member of Investment Trends' Australian sales team, where she is responsible for driving client engagement and strategic partnerships, leveraging deep industry insights to support investor and market research solutions. Previously, she was Manager of Listed Company Services at the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), where she worked with listed companies on capital market strategy, investor relations, policy implementation, and index analysis. She has also authored in-depth market analyses and spoken at major industry events. Ajita holds an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business, where she was a Dean’s Merit List recipient, and a Diploma of Investor Relations from the Australasian Investor Relations Association (AIRA).
Brian Chong
Head of Sales: International
Brian Chong
Head of Sales: International
Brian has worked within the brokerage and financial services industry since 2008 and is head of client services for the International business at Investment Trends. With a passion for client service and having gained a deep understanding of the online brokerage and wealth management industry, Brian works in tandem with online brokers and any business wanting to understand the retail trader deeply, to ensure that they are extracting maximum value from our market insights to allow them to make smarter business decisions.
Lorenzo Vignati
Associate Research Director
Lorenzo Vignati
Associate Research Director
Lorenzo joined the Investment Trends team in 2016. As an Associate Research Director, Lorenzo oversees the leverage trading and online broking reports in Europe and the United States. Lorenzo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, Finance & Management from Queen Mary University of London.
Julie Shan
Head of Client Services
Julie Shan
Head of Client Services
Julie has over 15 years’ experience working in relationship-based sales and service roles across various industries. She joined Investment Trends in 2018 and has held a consistently client facing role working directly with clients and stakeholders on the delivery and implementation of our intelligently selected and surveyed data sets. Julie leads the Client Services team, providing service and support to Investment Trends global clients across all markets. She is focused on overseeing and integrating customer-facing delivery functions, including customer success, services and support. Julie is passionate about retaining and cultivating customers whilst maintaining a series of commitments to our survey respondents that form a core part of our culture and the way Investment Trends work.
Want to learn more
about our research?
If you're a financial services provider keen to learn more about our research reports, want to join our survey panel community, or are a journalist looking to discuss media opportunities, we’d love to hear from you.