Sydney | The Kessler Group

Led by Keryn Brunner, our staff of 13 delivers partnership solutions via affinity and co-brand relationships that generate profitable new customers and product sales to financial services providers in Australia across a number of industries including: professionals, high net worth, financial institutions and co-brands.

Delivering sales, marketing and relationship management services are the key objectives of our business development team. We work with our clients (American Express, AMP Bank, Hertz, ING Australia and others) to ensure that their affinity partnerships are delivering incremental value to their business. We make sure that all direct marketing channels are fully utilised and we challenge and support our clients to achieve outstanding results from marketing activities. Our main roles are structuring and developing programmes, and managing relationships with groups once programmes are in place.

We work with affinity and co-brand groups (e.g. AMA, BMW, CPA Australia, Engineers Australia, ICAA, Law Society of NSW and others) to deliver the best affinity programmes for them and their members. These programmes are different from others in the market and provide a solid revenue stream to the group.

We also identify consumer finance asset portfolios, typically comprising credit card or unsecured loan receivables that may be more valuable to a new issuer than the existing issuer. These portfolios may involve ongoing issuing opportunities.

As mentioned, our team works closely with a wide range of affinity and co-brand organisations to help maximise the value of their partnership programmes. We advise affinity organisations about both the structure of their contract and the programme itself, and work directly with product providers to bring their offerings to market.

Because we're well versed in the unique needs of both financial services providers and endorsing organisations, we understand how to best structure these programmes to maximise value for both parties. Our objective is to manage the contract negotiating processes so that both parties' interests and goals are aligned and accommodated.

"KFSI has been a key partner of American Express Australia for over five years. Together with Kessler, we have been able to build the American Express Affinity Card program into the most successful affinity program in Australia."

Mark Rayner
Vice President, Consumer Lending and Small Business Services
American Express Australia Pty Ltd

"In 2001, AMP entered into a partnership with Kessler to market an Affinity Banking Program, and since then the Affinity Banking Program has grown year on year, fast becoming a key contributor to the bank's mortgage business.

AMP uses Kessler because they are specialists in affinity marketing. We find their team dedicated, highly professional, results driven and effective in adding value to our business. Kessler provides effective relationship management services including strong multi-level relationships with the various affinity groups - all attributes of a desirable and effective partnership."

"KFSI has been an integral part of the CPA Solutions program for over 5 years, managing several of our CPA Solutions affinity programs including our partnerships with American Express, AMP, Hertz and ING.

Kessler has consistently demonstrated a detailed understanding of our business and has applied that knowledge to produce a range of cost efficient, precisely targeted marketing strategies.

As a team, I have always found them to be highly professional, ever reliable and a pleasure to work with."

"KFSI's strong relationship with top Level affinity associations in Australia was identified as a good strategic fit with our objectives to broaden our distribution of direct sold life insurance in Australia.

Kessler has worked closely with us to help us get an appreciation of the unique needs of the affinity marketplace, and we have tailored our marketing accordingly.

Our common business principles, together with a good working relationship, have resulted in a very successful partnership."