The ifa Show

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Angus Taylor, a financial adviser at Sheffield Financial, to discuss his unconventional path from working in a mine in central Queensland to financial advice. Mr Taylor explains why he made the move to financial services and breaks down the difficulty he had breaking into the sector before being able to start his own financial advice practice.

Listen as they discuss:

• The ongoing impact of the royal commission five years on and the importance of adapting to changing regulations.
• The confusion that has been created with the proposed addition of "qualified advisers".
• How advisers can deal with the growing demand for financial advice.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Blake Briggs, the chief executive officer of the Financial Services Council (FSC), to discuss the issues impacting the financial advice profession and Australians at large. Mr Briggs examines the government's bold approach to tax reform – both in relation to the stage three tax cuts and within the superannuation system – and highlights the importance of certainty and stability in tax settings to maintain consumer confidence.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why he is optimistic about the outcomes of the Quality of Advice Review.
• The importance of advisers registering with ASIC and the need for transparency in the ASIC levy.
• The busy year ahead with retirement income reforms, changes to the managed investment scheme review, and the implementation of the CSLR.

In this special episode of the ifa Show, we bring you a chat editor Maja Garaca Djurdjevic had with David Tuckwell, senior product and investment strategist at Global X ETFs, about the future trajectory of the exchange-traded fund (ETF) market and flows into bitcoin ETFs. Listen as they discuss:

• How financial advisers are helping to boost ETF growth.
• The popularity of fixed income ETFs during 2023.
• Allaying advisers' concerns about bitcoin ETFs.
• Competition and future launches in the cryptocurrency space.
• ETFs positioned to benefit from a monetary easing environment.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Glen Hare, co-founder and financial adviser at Fox & Hare, to discuss young Australians seeking financial empowerment amid changing markets. Focused on a younger demographic, Mr Hare emphasises a holistic approach to address diverse financial goals, from property ownership to stock market investments, and highlights the importance of education and goal flexibility. Listen as they discuss:

• The best way to address the concerns of younger clients.
• The varied reasons young Australians seek financial advice and the importance of dispelling misconceptions about age and wealth.
• The significance of educating clients, breaking down misconceptions, and supporting young Australians in cultivating financial empowerment for a secure and prosperous future.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by the CEO of Verse Wealth, Corey Wastle, to discuss the important role that client experience plays in an advice business. Mr Wastle explains what exactly falls within the realm of the client experience and why it is so important, as well as how Verse frames everything around values, intentions, and financial wellbeing.

Listen as they discuss:

• The best ways to approach the client experience and how digitising the process helps.
• How Verse has implemented video SOAs and why it is better for clients.
• The importance of culture within an advice firm.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Peter Johnston, executive director of the Association of Independently Owned Financial Professionals (AIOFP), to discuss a range of new programs for its members.

Mr Johnston details the referral relationship between the AIOFP and UK-based private bank and wealth manager Coutts, as well as a joint venture with Next Rural, an Australian-based group part-owned by accounting firm PKF.

Listen as they discuss:

• The AIOFP's focus on elevating its Certified Financial Strategist (CFS) designation.
• Its continuing education program, Aspire, which offers discounts to members
• Why it is important to take a bipartisan approach to political lobbying.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by journalist Keith Ford to take a look at the government's newly announced policy stance on the second and third tranches of the QAR. The pair discuss everything that has come out of Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones' Canberra announcement, which was met with disbelief from the advice community. Listen as they discuss:

• The new class of "qualified advisers" that institutions will be able to employ – and why that term should change.
• How the profession has reacted to the announcement.
• Whether the negative attention on the controversial elements overshadowed the positive.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Eugene Ardino, chief executive officer at Lifespan Financial Planning, and Tony Mantineo, head of Lifespan Partnership, to discuss the rise of self-licensed advisers. Mr Ardino and Mr Mantineo explain some of the factors behind the increase in the number of advisers that are opting for self-licensing and the scale of the change, as well as how Lifespan works with advisers wanting to strike out on their own.

Listen as they discuss:

• The responsibilities and workload associated with running your own AFSL.
• How the trend of mergers and acquisitions within the advice industry is impacting the move to self-licensing.
• The importance of community and networking for advisers.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Kerry Ong, the general manager of customer wealth at Iress, to discuss improving the efficiency and accessibility of financial advice in Australia. Mr Ong touches on the significant challenges facing the industry, including regulatory changes and cost pressures, which have necessitated doing more with less, as well as how Iress is responding by enhancing its software and services to better align with evolving business models.

Listen as they discuss:

• How the quality of advice review and subsequent legislative changes have underscored the need for more accessible advice.
• The findings of the Iress 2023 Financial Advice Efficiency Report.
• Iress' new community platform, Advisely, which aims to foster peer-to-peer discussion and connect advisers with industry experts.

Following the Women in Finance Summit and Awards 2023, we're catching up with some of the leading women in the financial services space. In this episode, we chat to Rebecca Warren, executive general manager of small-business banking at CommBank, about how she navigated a historically male-dominated industry over her 20-year career and why she believes inclusion and diversity are not just morally imperative, but key to achieving superior business results. Tune in to find out:

• Why she loves commercial finance.
• The secret power of 'quiet achievers'.
• How CommBank is creating a more inclusive and supportive work culture.

And much more!