Guardian Advice, the Australian life risk specialist dealer group, has strengthened its presence in Queensland with a new state manager.

Andrew Hammelmann joins the firm after serving as practice development manager for MLC and NAB Financial Planning. He was also Queensland state manager for compliance at MLC, where he specialised in guiding advisors' business practices and quality of advice. Before that, he was a senior compliance and surveillance officer with the ASIC's financial services industry unit.

In his new role, he replaces Hugh McLennan who remains with the company as Queensland practice development manager after serving as state manager for seven years.

Guardian Advice, established in 2001, has around 200 advisors nationally and is an aligned dealer group of Asteron Life. It provides financial planning services, with a focus on providing life risk advice.