Leadership & Advisors

James Hartley is a seasoned investment professional with over 25 years of experience in international wealth management. He founded Virex Wealth Management in 1999 with the vision of delivering institutional-quality investment management to high-net-worth individuals, families, and corporations. Under his leadership, the firm has grown from a boutique Canberra advisory practice to a globally recognised wealth management firm with seven international offices and over $2.4 billion in assets under management.

Prior to establishing Virex, James held senior positions at Macquarie Private Wealth and Deutsche Bank Private Banking, where he managed portfolios exceeding $1.8 billion and led cross-border structuring engagements for clients across Australia, Europe, and Asia. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation from the CFA Institute, is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and is an Authorised Representative under AFSL 177602. James is a regular speaker at the CFA Institute Annual Conference and the FINSIA Wealth Management Summit.

Dr. Sophia Brennan joined Virex Wealth Management as Chief Investment Officer in 2008, bringing with her 18 years of experience in global asset management and quantitative investment research. As CIO, she is responsible for the firm's overall investment strategy, portfolio construction framework, asset allocation models, and risk management processes across all client mandates.

Prior to joining Virex, Sophia served as Head of Multi-Asset Strategies at UBS Global Asset Management in Zurich, where she oversaw a team of 12 portfolio managers and was responsible for a multi-asset platform with CHF 4.2 billion in assets. She holds a PhD in Financial Economics from the University of Melbourne, the CFA designation, the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, and the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) certification from GARP.

Michelle Tan leads the Private Clients division for Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, overseeing a team of eight senior advisors and managing relationships with the firm's most significant client families. With 20 years of experience in private wealth management across Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, Michelle specialises in complex cross-border wealth structuring, SMSF strategy, and multi-generational estate planning for internationally mobile families.

Before joining Virex in 2011, Michelle was a Senior Private Banker at HSBC Private Bank in Singapore, where she managed a book of ultra-high-net-worth clients across Southeast Asia. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Sydney, the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation, and is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Based in Zurich, Klaus Müller leads Virex's European operations and is responsible for client relationships across Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the broader European Union. With 22 years of experience in Swiss private banking and international wealth structuring, Klaus brings unparalleled expertise in European regulatory frameworks, FinSA/FinIA compliance, cross-border tax planning, and trust administration under Swiss and Liechtenstein law.

Klaus began his career at Credit Suisse Private Banking in Geneva before moving to Julius Bär in Zurich, where he spent 12 years as a Senior Relationship Manager serving ultra-high-net-worth clients across Europe and the Middle East. He holds the CFA designation, the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment Wealth Management (CIWM) qualification, an LL.M in International Tax Law from the University of Zurich, and is a full member of STEP.

Rachel O'Brien is responsible for all compliance, regulatory, and legal matters across the Virex group. With 17 years of experience in financial services compliance and corporate governance, Rachel oversees the firm's AFSL obligations, AML/CTF programme, GDPR and Australian Privacy Act compliance, and regulatory relationships with ASIC, AUSTRAC, and international regulators. She reports directly to the Board of Directors and chairs the firm's Compliance Committee.

Prior to joining Virex in 2014, Rachel was Head of Compliance at a leading Australian funds management firm and previously practised as a financial services lawyer at a top-tier Sydney law firm. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales, is an Associate of the Chartered Governance Institute (ACIS), and holds the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) designation from ACAMS.