“Under the arrangement that is currently subject to ASX and shareholder approval by both organisations, InterPrac will continue to be headquartered in Melbourne and operate under its own brand with the highly experienced team that has facilitated the organisation’s growth and business success.”

“What attracted us to this proposal was InterPrac’s ability to remain independent of institutional influence, whilst continuing to operate within a framework that delivers value for our Authorised Representatives and their clients”. Garry observed, “InterPrac’s financial planners will benefit from Sequoia’s strength and marketplace position, with access to their industry leading resources, services and offerings”.

Since commencing operations in 2001, InterPrac has been successfully assisting accountants and financial planners to deliver professional advice. The last 18 months in particular have been especially noteworthy for InterPrac, with the licensee’s adviser network now amongst the leading dealer groups in most industry rankings. The licensee’s adviser current strength comprises 215 financial planners operating from practices predominantly on the Australian east coast, generating over $3 billion in FUA and in excess of $17.5 million in insurance premiums.

“Since inception, our AFSL has focussed on continual improvement, increasing productivity and lifting InterPrac’s brand and reputation as an adviser focussed dealer group, committed to the long term financial success of its practices”, added Garry Crole. “Most importantly, under Sequoia our nonaligned framework facilitating financial solutions free of institutional influence will be maintained”.

Garry Crole concluded, “The acquisition by Sequoia represents a significant new chapter for InterPrac. Our organisations are culturally aligned and an excellent ‘business fit’, with a very clear focus on managed growth, increased productivity and delivering real value to advisers and their clients. We are most excited about the future and its potential!”

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Mary De Angelis

Melbourne based MD Financial Planning P/L principal Mary De Angelis and Sydney headquartered Capitaleyes Financial Planning P/L principal Charbel Fahd are not surprised InterPrac Financial Planning (InterPrac) will end 2016 with accolades for the highest level of adviser satisfaction and achievement of business and adviser growth milestones.

Recently, InterPrac took first place for the second consecutive year in the Investor Daily annual dealer group satisfaction survey and jumped from 38th position to 28th in this year’s Money Management’s Top 100 Dealer Group Survey.

“Winning the dealer group satisfaction survey for 2015 and 2016 has been especially pleasing as it is a reflection of InterPrac’s non-aligned and accountant centric model that regards the relationship with both our adviser network and the National Tax and Accountants’ Association (NTAA) as a professional collaborative partnership”, said InterPrac Managing Director Garry Crole.

“Most importantly, we manage growth very carefully and all new entrants must be a cultural fit within InterPrac”.

InterPrac National Practice Manager Michael Gershkov says advisers who make the switch to InterPrac regard flexibility and choice as the key prerequisites to delivering advice free of external influences.

“A flat operational structure that facilitates easy access to the executive team, together with an offering that can be personalised to the needs of each individual practice underpins our value proposition”, said Michael Gershkov.

MD Financial Planning has been growing steadily since Mary De Angelis started the business in 2012.  Mary then joined InterPrac and today the practice comprises of 4 advisers and 2 support staff specialising in aged care services.

“I am especially proud that MD Financial Planning’s growth has been organic and for the high level of service, care and attention we provide to clients”, said Mary De Angelis.  “InterPrac has certainly played a major role in supporting our endeavours as a business partner.

“Although very satisfied with MD Financial Planning’s success to date, there is still potential for further growth and I’m confident InterPrac will support these aspirations with services as the practice grows and evolves in response to the changing needs of clients”.

While a veteran in terms of his history as an accountant, financial planner and principal of Capitaleyes Financial Planning, Charbel Fahd is far from slowing down with work currently underway to enlarge the office to accommodate future growth and business expansion.

Primarily servicing the needs of SMEs and HNWIs, Charbel prides himself on client service that is personalised and professional as well as the longevity of relationships with clients.

“InterPrac is a very unique community of advice practitioners led by a team of industry professionals committed to sustainable long term growth”, said Charbel Fahd.  “Capitaleyes has benefitted immensely since joining InterPrac and the future can only realize further mutually beneficial outcomes”.

Although very satisfied with InterPrac’s numeric successes to date (200 advisers and top 20 dealer group nationally), Garry Crole acknowledges that the modern dealer group has to stay ahead of the curve by providing advisers with best practice options, high level of communication and service that supports their individual business needs – the days of one size fits all offerings are gone.

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Louise Biti

InterPrac Financial Planning’s (InterPrac) National PD Conference attracted nearly 200 practice managers, advisers and support staff to Melbourne for the dealer group’s annual event with the attendees overwhelmingly praising the high calibre speakers, informative main platform presentations and opportunity to network with fellow professionals during the two gathering held in Melbourne last week.

Focus on adviser support and assisting them to build robust professional compliant client centric businesses was the main theme of the National PD Conference.  The agenda was crafted to provide a diversity of concepts and ideas that attendees could personalise and implement within their respective practices with plenty of time provided for advisers to engage with other practitioners, speakers, industry representatives and InterPrac management and support staff.

Main platform speakers included Chris Caton from BT Funds Management, Tim Hewson ING Direct, Wes Gillett HUB24, Alicia Fauor OnePath, Roy Prasad Australian Unity, Christopher Joye Smarter Money, Louise Biti Aged Care Steps and Adrian Young BT Life.

InterPrac MD Garry Crole led the final session of the conference with Jeff Middleswart from Ranger International and Michael Glennon from Glennon Capital on current investment trends and strategies to assist clients to maximise diversified financial bases needed for retirement and beyond.

The InterPrac Adviser Panel on day 2 was particularly well received as advisers Mary De Angelis of MD Financial, Robert Veitch of SMSF Specialists and Phillip Scandizzo of Concepts & Results Financial Management provided insights into their respective practices.  This session highlighted the diversity of InterPrac advisers and how their very individual marketplace offerings are able to be accommodated and supported by the dealer group said Garry Crole.

Commenting on the success of the PD event, Garry Crole said the growing number of attendees reflected not only the quality of the program and presenters – but also the dealer group’s adviser expansion across Australia.

“InterPrac has enjoyed much success since it began operations in 2001 dedicated to assisting members of the National Tax and Accountants’ Association (NTAA) grow their businesses through the provision of compliant professional financial advice and related services.

Garry Crole pointed out that InterPrac is the only dealer group endorsed by the NTAA and recommended licensee for members offering direct to public financial planning advice.   Also, InterPrac’s broad APL and independence of institutions and product manufacturers are key considerations required by accountants as they enhance the provision of professional advice and services to their clients.

InterPrac currently has over 160 accountant advisers operating across Australia predominantly in the eastern states with growing interest being received from South Australia and Western Australia.  Historically growth has been a very steady increase of approximately 12 practices / advisers annually.

With the SMSF accountants’ exemption only a matter of months away, InterPrac has been receiving a greater number of enquiries over the same period last year from accountants seeking details of InterPrac’s marketplace offering and services.

“Although very pleased to be receiving so many enquiries, our growth has – and will continue to be managed carefully to ensure that new advisers are a cultural and business fit within the network and I expect our increase for 2016 will be slightly higher than the past annual average”, added Garry Crole.

Looking to the future, Garry Crole confirmed that the NTAA relationship and endorsement was a high priority and the InterPrac management team would continue to develop and deliver innovative and relevant service offerings and solutions for accountants expanding into the provision of financial advice.

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