Why the CEO of CFS created an AI clone of himself
Colonial First State group CEO Clive van Horen has turned to AI to create an agent “clone” of himself to help boost his own productivity as the emerging technology continues to reshape all levels of financial services organisations.
JANA gets new CIO as Frontier plots OCIO land grab
Former Morningstar Investment Management APAC chief investment officer Matt Wacher will join JANA as its new CIO as rival asset consultant Frontier Advisors prepares to bring its own outsourced CIO solution, powered by the former State Super investment team, to market.
Netwealth rolls out changes to fine print in wake of Shield, First Guardian
Netwealth has updated its terms and conditions to allow it to directly correspond with clients without necessarily needing to inform the adviser or licensee and potentially limit user access. The move comes as part of the regulator-enforced governance uplift across the platform sector in the aftermath of the collapse of the Shield and First Guardian master funds.
SMSF establishment needs justification beyond ‘generic’ client statements: AFCA
The nation’s financial services dispute resolution service has made clear that justifying the establishment of an SMSF requires more than just vague indications from clients that they want more control of their super.
Managed accounts experts urge ASIC to proceed with caution on crackdown
ASIC should be cautious about pushing back too hard on managed accounts as the alternative would be advisers playing portfolio manager, the latest episode of the Professional Planner Managed Accounts Decoded podcast heard.
Evolution of the CIO: Why retiree clients need a Chief ‘Interpretation’ Officer
For years, the ‘CIO’ has been synonymous with strategic asset allocations, but in a world refined by government policy uncertainties and growing retirement planning complexities, the ‘CIO’ acronym is evolving, writes Generation Life’s Vincent Stranges. Today’s ‘CIO’, increasingly is a reference to the Chief Interpretation Officer, and its financial advisers who are fulfilling this role, interpreting policy changes and complexities into clarity for their clients.
Changing the focus, from ‘nest egg’ to ‘income for retirement’
Minister for Financial Services Daniel Mulino writes that superannuation fund members deserve a dignified retirement, consistent with the objective of super, and it is well past time to move the public conversation from super providing a lump sum to it being the source of ongoing and reliable income.
New AMP CEO says lead generators a ‘real driver of consumer harm’
In one of his first interviews as chief executive of AMP, Blair Vernon tells Professional Planner that lead generators and introducers conducting business with rival platforms to AMP’s North present a “real risk” to consumers beyond the victims of Shield and First Guardian. The comments come as the Albanese government consults on measures to crack down on super-switching lead generators, including a possible new licensing regime.
Apt Wealth looks internally for growth with the ‘right’ capital sources
National financial advice firm Apt Wealth is looking for the next stage of its growth, one that involves using capital sources that share a long-term, multi-generational vision. Having just added several new equity partners who have built their careers at the company, CEO Andrew Dunbar says he knows he’s partnering with people who share the same values and vision for the firm.
Looking beyond super for certainty in an uncertain environment
Ongoing changes to superannuation policy are shaping behaviours, not just sentiment. In response, a growing number of advisers are directing high-net-worth clients toward non-super assets and different investment structures to achieve greater rule certainty.
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Role of advice central to defaults, decumulation debate
As a wave of super fund members approaches retirement, funds are grappling with how to help as many of them as they can to enjoy their best possible retirement. The Defaults, Decumulation and Demographics roundtable, hosted by Retirement Magazine in partnership with The Conexus Institute and Royal London Asset Management, heard that defaults, nudges and access to ‘gold standard’ personalised financial advice must all be part of the mix.
Lessons from the middle: Leadership, resilience and the courage of conviction
The principles of high-performance leadership – whether in business or sport – remain remarkably consistent and include the ability to maintain clarity, integrity, and conviction under immense pressure. Former Australian test cricketer Usman Khawaja told the Top1000funds.com Fiduciary Investors Symposium that the only time you really lose is when you stop trying.
Reflecting on nearly half a century in financial advice
After an extensive 47-year career, Paul Harding-Davis says that while every decade has seen a significant step change that has felt like an “Armageddon” it has instead only seen the standard of the industry improve. Reflecting on his long career to Professional Planner, he is still evangelical about recruiting young people to advice.
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