Financial Services Podcast Network

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by the chief executive of Lifespan Financial Planning, Eugene Ardino, to delve into the latest developments in the financial advice industry.

Mr Ardino discusses the government’s response to the Quality of Advice Review (QAR), the experience pathway, and the increasing ASIC levy.

He shares why, despite the disappointment with the ASIC levy increase, he remains optimistic about the industry.

Mr Ardino also touches on the potential impact of the QAR and the government’s support for certain recommendations and acknowledges there are certain challenges in defining and implementing a good advice duty.

He also shares his thoughts on the simplification of statements of advice (SOAs) and why he anticipates that the government and regulators will work together to define what a good record of advice should look like.

Moreover, Mr Ardino dismisses concerns that licensees would still enforce lengthy documents and emphasises the importance of industry consensus and consumer-centred approach.

Head of Education and Content at Heffron, Lyn Formica, joins the SMSF Adviser Show to discuss how to keep up to date with regulatory changes in the SMSF space.

Ms Formica explains how recent market developments impact the relevance of SMSFs in the current landscape, as well as the latest regulatory updates that industry professionals need to understand.

She also covers the methods that accountants, advisers, and trustees can employ to remain well informed, and touches on some specific strategies SMSFs can utilise that standard funds can’t.

Finally, Ms Formica highlights the enhanced flexibility offered by SMSFs in comparison to standard industry funds and showcases some circumstances in which an SMSF might not be the right recommendation for a client.

In this episode of Relative Return, host Phil Tarrant chats to Andrew Lockhart, managing partner at Metrics Credit Partners, to share his insights on the current state of the lending market and what he learnt from his banking past.

Listen as they discuss:

• Standing out in a bank-dominated market
• Developing a broad fund range to meet investor needs
• The future of Metrics Credit Partners over the next five years
• Potential growth in private equity and real estate transactions
• The current heavy focus on property in the lending market
   

    
In this episode of the ifa show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic sits down with Marc Hraiki, the executive director of sales and services at Lonsec.

Together, they delve into the ever-changing landscape of financial advice and discuss why Mr Hraiki believes there has never been a better time to be an adviser.

Amid market volatility, decreasing adviser numbers, and growing complexity in Australians’ financial needs, Mr Hraiki highlights the tremendous opportunities for strong advice businesses.

The pair also discuss the top three concerns keeping advisers awake at night and the ongoing challenge of making advice more accessible and affordable for all Australians.

Mr Hraiki shares his insights on the impact of technology and innovation and offers valuable advice for young professionals considering a career in the advice industry.

Director at businessDEPOT and head of accounting at Ignition Rebecca Mihalic joins the SMSF Adviser Show to discuss what the evolving technology landscape means for SMSF professionals.

Ms Mihalic explains how AI and automation are changing the way SMSF professionals work, from streamlining processes to making it easier to complete actions, and looks at whether this is a positive development.

She also covers how new SMSF technology fits inside your current tech stack and the benefits of taking a holistic view to deliver consistency for clients.

Finally, Ms Mihalic highlights how these technological advances are able to help relieve the ongoing resource burden that SMSF professionals (and all accountants) face.

In this episode of Relative Return, host Phil Tarrant chats to Aaron Binsted, portfolio manager of the Lazard Australian Equity Fund, to discuss which sectors the fund is favouring and his dislike of REITs.

Listen as they examine:

• His strategy running the $537 million Australian equity fund
• Why its defensiveness is appealing for retirees
• The Aussie equity sectors that have performed well in FY2022–23
• The potential impact of rising interest rates on equity markets and how it poses both risks and opportunities for investors
• How he put a 20 per cent cash weighting to use

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by the head of policy at the Financial Advice Association Australia, Phil Anderson, to discuss the official end of the AFA and the broader advice landscape.

With the Association of Financial Advisers officially winding up, Phil Anderson reflects on the importance of professional associations and shares why he is more optimistic about the future than he has been for a long time.

Mr Anderson also speaks about the Quality of Advice Review, the consultation process that is currently underway, and explains why he doesn’t expect draft legislation for the review’s recommendations this year.

Moreover, he touches on the outcome of the class action brought by advisers against AMP over BOLR changes and shares why he believes there is “real momentum” towards changing the regulatory regime that will make advice less costly to provide and access.

In this episode of Relative Return, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic chats to Blair Hannon, head of investment strategy at Global X, to discuss the rise of thematic ETFs as the world makes advancements in climate and technology.

Listen as they discuss:

• The types of thematics popular with Australian investors
• Global X’s range of thematic ETFs
• Distinguishing between a ‘fad’ and a long-term theme
• How advisers can implement them in portfolios
• Avoiding FOMO with ETF launches

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by AstuteWheel’s managing director, Hans Egger, to discuss the most compelling reasons for advisers to consider client portals.

With over 25 years of experience in the financial planning industry, Mr Egger shares his journey of developing tools and modelling calculators to enhance client advice and comprehension of complex strategies.

He discusses the growing adoption of technology by financial advisers, particularly in client engagement and streamlined processes, as well as emphasising the importance of secure client portals which not only protect sensitive data but also provide a comprehensive platform for clients to access their financial information, track goals, and communicate with their advisers.

Mr Egger also touches on the time-saving benefits of using tech tools such as questionnaires and modelling calculators, enabling advisers to focus on meaningful client interactions.

AccSource founder and managing director Boobalan Madhavan joins the SMSF Adviser Show to discuss how advice and accounting firms can benefit from outsourcing.

Mr Madhavan explains the problems that outsourcing can help solve, as well as how to integrate it into your business while retaining buy-in from your current employees.
 
He also covers how to find an effective outsourcing solution and how to tell that a provider is right for your business.
 
Finally, Mr Madhavan highlights the legal obligations involved in integrating an outsourcing solution and how you install processes, standards and expectations for an offshore team.

In this episode of Relative Return, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic chats to Russel Pillemer, co-founder and chief executive at Pengana Capital Group, to discuss how the firm is solving accessibility to global private markets for both wholesale and retail investors.

Listen as they discuss:

• The role of private markets in a portfolio
  
• Pengana’s unique global private equity vehicle
  
• Pengana’s latest joint venture with Washington H Soul Pattinson
  
• The differences between Australian and global private credit
  
• Democratising access to private markets
  
• Plans for upcoming product launches

In this episode, Aaron Dunn and co-host Keith Ford discuss the ASIC adviser levy increase, the ATO’s draft ruling on the interaction on non-arm’s length income and capital gains tax, court rulings on lost trust deeds, and the increase in ATO penalty fees.

Following the discussion, we share an episode of the ifa podcast, the sister brand of SMSF Adviser, in which host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by My Money Buddy and The Savings Squad podcast founder Adele Martin to discuss the government’s Quality of Advice Review (QAR) response and what it means for advisers.

This podcast brings you a one-on-one chat that took place at the ifa’s Adviser Innovation Summit in Melbourne, where our host and Ms Martin dissected the government’s response to the QAR.

Ms Martin talks about the response from an adviser’s point of view and why she would like to see less consultation and more action from the government.

She articulates her perspective on future-fit statements of advice and delves into the proposal that suggests superannuation funds will have a significant role in providing advice, highlighting why this approach may not effectively address the issue of limited access to advice.

In this episode of Relative Return, host Phil Tarrant chats to Simon Aboud, chief product and marketing officer at Allianz Retire+, to discuss innovation in the retirement space.

Listen as they discuss:

• How the Retirement Income Covenant has changed the industry
• Longevity solution, Allianz Guaranteed Income for Life (AGILE)
• The risk of retirees outliving their funds
• How Allianz Retire+ engages with advisers on product design
• How technology and AI are helping provide info to consumers

    
In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Matthew Esler, the co-founder and co-CEO of Padua Solutions.

Mr Esler discusses the government’s response to the Quality of Advice Review, including why the entry of super funds back into advice should not be cause for concern among advisers.

He adds that advisers should instead be looking to set up referral arrangements with super funds to bridge the gap between their different service offerings.

Mr Esler also touches on why the QAR represents a huge opportunity for fintechs, particularly the government’s plans to streamline advice documents.

Labelling the upcoming period the “golden age of advice”, he explains why advisers should be optimistic going forward as technology enables them to scale their business and reach more clients than ever.

In this special episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by My Money Buddy and The Savings Squad podcast founder Adele Martin to discuss the government’s QAR response and what it means for advisers. 

This podcast brings you a one-on-one chat that took place at the ifa’s Adviser Innovation Summit in Melbourne where our host and Ms Martin dissected the government’s response to the Quality of Advice Review (QAR). 

Ms Martin talks about the response from an adviser’s point of view, and why she would like to see less consultation and more action from the government. 

She articulates her perspective on future-fit statements of advice and delves into the proposal that suggests superannuation funds will have a significant role in providing advice, highlighting why this approach may not effectively address the issue of limited access to advice.

In this episode of Relative Return, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic chats to Ross Lees, Head of Funds Management at Centuria, about their specialist property investments and the areas where Australia is leading the way.

Listen as they discuss:

• The differences between listed and unlisted property investment
• Whether offices are recovering from remote working
• Why Australia leads the way on ESG in property
• Centuria’s specialities in agriculture and healthcare property
• The environment for property investment over the next 12 months

In this episode of Relative Return, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic chats to Philip Ryan, managing director of Trilogy Funds, on the role mortgage trusts play in portfolios, particularly in a rising rate environment

Listen as they discuss:

• The different roles for senior and subordinated debt
• Managing strategic duration in portfolios
• Exposure to builders and construction projects
• Location, location, location when buying property
• The difference between development loans and retail mum and dad loan

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Denis Orrock, chief strategy officer of wealth management platform Praemium.

Mr Orrock joins our host to discuss the evolving landscape of wealth management and administration platforms.

He also touches on the government’s response to the Quality of Advice Review (QAR) and how this might play out for the super funds. “I think the super funds moving to advice-style models will be interesting and how they scale their businesses for that. Are they fit-for-purpose for that today? Will they be reliant on digital or AI-generated advice versus personal advice?”

And discusses a key issue for the industry around data integration. “The bigger impact for platforms is the data that sits within the platforms ... and how do we aggregate and standardise that data to provide advisers with a consolidated view of their customer.”

Moreover, Mr Orrock discusses how wealth management platforms like Praemium can evolve to support the changes to the advice landscape on the back of the QAR, as well as how technology can help streamline and enhance the delivery of advice.

The federal government has released its response to the Quality of Advice Review final report, which could have ramifications for the SMSF industry.

In this episode, Aaron Dunn and new co-host Keith Ford are joined by SMSF Adviser editor Maja Garaca Djurdjevic to discuss how the QAR response will impact advisers and accountants, including the reduced documentation requirements.

They also look at whether the industry will receive clarity surrounding the changes any time soon.

Aaron and Keith also touch on the Treasury opening consultation around the proposed changes to NALI provisions and the rest of the news from the last fortnight.