Industry Updates

HUB24 remains top adviser platform: Investment Trends

HUB24 has remained the top investment platform for advisers, according to research firm Investment Trends.  

Zurich renews partnership with Melbourne Football Club

Life insurer Zurich has extended its partnership with the Melbourne Football Club men’s and women’s AFL teams for another three seasons until 2026. 

DASH posts close to 50pc jump in FUA

DASH Technology Group has posted a close to 50 per cent jump in its investment platform’s funds under administration for the 2023 calendar year.  

UniSuper adds $260m Melbourne industrial development

UniSuper has acquired a warehouse, logistics and manufacturing greenfield development site in Deer Park, Melbourne for $260 million. 

AMP ‘running hard’ to make licensee financially viable

Amid increased satisfaction and strong financial performance of its aligned practices, AMP’s Advice division continues to operate at a steep loss one year away from its stated target to break even by FY24. AMP head Alexis George tells Professional Planner there is still fat in the business to be trimmed and this will precede any other major shake-up to the licensee.

Slipstream Group names new business coach

Coaching group for financial planning and accounting practices, Slipstream Group, has appointed Darren Smith as business coach and national key accounts manager.  

AMP’s road to recovery needs to avoid dead ends

A loss of $47 million would destroy any other licensee, but for AMP a loss of that magnitude is a sign its advice businesses remain on the road to recovery, Simon Hoyle writes. Even so, while it continues to lose so much money, its options to grow its presence in advice or extricate itself from the sector remain limited.

Hirst to replace Hazelton as AMP chair

AMP has named former Bendigo and Adelaide Bank chief executive Mike Hirst as chair, replacing Debra Hazelton who is retiring after this year’s AGM.  

iExtend appoints chair

iExtend has appointed the founder of AMP’s private capital business Peter Cassidy as chair of its board. 

SMSFs outperform APRA-regulated funds in market downturn: Research

University of Adelaide research has found that SMSFs outperformed ARPA-regulated super funds in a period of market downturns.  

Grandfathered commissions back on agenda as anti-JAWG alliance forms

The Finance Brokers Association, which was believed to be influential in convincing the Morrison government to ditch the Hayne royal commission recommendation to ban mortgage broker commissions, has been tapped to join the AIOFP in a new populist alternative to the Joint Associations Working Group. While the two outspoken lobby groups are yet to determine a joint policy platform, life insurance – and even grandfathered investment – commissions will be high on the agenda.

Treasury consultation hears case for taxpayer-funded advice

Vanguard Australia has backed the suggestion to introduce a local version of the publicly funded UK pension guidance service, Pension Wise, in response to the government's consultation on retirement outcomes. However, the Financial Advice Association believes this will have little impact and has instead backed $2000 government rebates for advice fees.

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