Commenting further on the announcement, Garry Crole said Bernie Fernandes is an excellent addition to the Sequoia team and is well known throughout financial services with an extensive and impressive background spanning over four decades in the industry across client management roles.

“Bernie’s knowledge, integrity, and passion to provide superior outcomes for his clients is a great match for Sequoia and he will definitely add to the culture and growth of the group in those states”, added Garry Crole.

Bernie will be based in Perth and be responsible for managing and growing Sequoia’s advice network in WA and SA by attracting and retaining advisory practitioners and developing growth opportunities for the business.

Prior to joining Sequoia, Bernie was state manager for Synchronised Business Services.

Bernie Fernandes said he is excited about the new role and is looking forward to building on Sequoia’s excellent reputation across these two large and diverse states – and for the opportunity to facilitate the provision of a diverse range of financial services to Western and Southern Australia.

Garry Crole concluded, “Sequoia is committed to expansion of services to advisers, AFSL holders and the accounting industry in this region and Bernie’s appointment reflects the group’s commitment to the WA and SA advice network, and providing professional and accessible value to the advice community”.

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Mr Trapnell is assisting with the roll-out and running of Sequoia’s adviser education programmes and managing the associated relationships with the group’s industry partners.

‘I had such positive dealings with Sequoia and its InterPrac Financial Planning business in my previous roles, that the decision to join them was an extremely easy one,’ Mr Trapnell said. ‘When they reached out to me, I was over the moon. It is a great cultural fit.’Mr Trapnell worked with Synchron for more than 10 years, 7 as Head of Adviser Support.

In welcoming him, Sequoia Managing Director, Garry Crole, said Mr Trapnell brings with him a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of advisers and the financial advice community

‘At Sequoia, we are focussed on being a ‘licensee of choice’, delivering premium services and facilities via industry professionals who are dedicated to helping advisers achieve their goals,’ he said.

‘Jonathan’s appointment will further help us deliver on those goals. He understands financial advisers, he knows our industry partners, he has excellent relationship skills, and he has great adviser education program management experience. We are very pleased to welcome him to the Sequoia fold.’

Mr Trapnell joined the financial services industry as a frontline call centre operator with ANZ in 2006 and was first appointed to Synchron to assist then director, Paul Riegelhuth.

His appointment follows the appointment of Maria Englezakis to the Sequoia compliance team.

Ms Englezakis was also formerly employed by Synchron and, following its acquisition, by Wealth Today.

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Commenting further on the appointments, Crole said, “Sequoia is focussed on providing multiple services to its advice community that are delivered by industry professionals with extensive financial services industry experience and expertise”.

“Our objective is to utilise scale to drive down the cost of providing advice and the recent acquisition and incorporation of Docscentre Legal Pty Ltd (previously known as Topdocs Legal Pty Ltd) is a high-profile confirmation of Sequoia’s commitment to enhancing its adviser focussed services and mission.”

The three new appointments are:

• Barry Strapps: Regional Manager for South Australia and Western Australia.  He joined InterPrac Financial Planning Pty Ltd (InterPrac) last year and has had an extensive career with Centrepoint, Asteron and AMP assisting advisers and accountants to build their businesses. Barry will be based in Adelaide.
• Paul Griffiths: Regional Manager for Victoria and Tasmania.  Prior to joining InterPrac Paul was a Regional Manager at Centrepoint and acknowledged for his extensive experience in helping practices improve efficiency and boost long-term business success. Paul will operate from InterPrac’s Melbourne office.
• Jaclyn Bazin: InterPrac’s Adviser Technology Consultant.  A dynamic and results driven professional with over 14 years industry experience and expertise in Xplan and creating efficiencies by aligning advisory business processes with software solutions.

Before joining InterPrac, Jaclyn was the Senior Advice Technology Consultant at Queensland based Enzumo.  She will continue to be based in Brisbane.

Looking to the future and in particular 2022, Crole said Sequoia will continue to seek acquisition opportunities of financial advice and wealth management businesses that are cashflow positive, profitable and merging them into the group.

Currently, Sequoia has over 20 businesses spread across four divisions – Wealth, Professional Services, Equity Markets and Direct to Consumer.

Crole concluded, “Sequoia’s Wealth division will continue to grow as the major banks exit financial advice and advisers seek a licensee that can pro-actively assist them to maximise business opportunities and effectively navigate regulatory and compliance demands”.

“It is particularly pleasing that in this environment Sequoia, is regarded as a ‘licensee of choice’ by so many advisers on the move because of our premium services and facilities that are delivered by industry professionals dedicated to assisting advice practices achieve growth and client service goals – as demonstrated by the three new appointments.”

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While most attention has understandably been focussed on the wide ranging and enormously significant support packages announced by State and Federal Governments in recent weeks, there has been less focus on implementation, and particularly the assistance that consumers will need in light of the significant confusion surrounding how and who qualifies and whether it is appropriate to access the sweeping and urgent packages announced.

Sequoia is advocating for urgent action from Government to address the challenges consumers face in accessing affordable financial advice.

Garry Crole said, “Never have we seen so many once financially viable businesses close their doors, so many people lose their jobs or lose a substantial percentage of their income. While the government has announced some tremendous initiatives, which can assist many through this period, a lack of understanding on where to go or how to access these benefits compounds the stressful scenario faced by many.

Investors are also currently panicked by the fluctuations in the share market and are making decisions about their investments and insurances with no understanding of longer-term implications.

A good example is the early superannuation release package. Affected consumers need appropriate advice about the long-term consequences for their retirement and we have already seen ASIC raising concerns about unqualified people providing advice in this area.

Sequoia is calling for a Subsidy for consumers who are adversely affected by the crisis and do not have an existing financial planner. The proposed benefit would be limited to super fund members with account balances under $200,000 or those aged above 50 facing a significant change in circumstances. Unfortunately, because of the cost of financial advice, many ordinary Australians and Small Businesses feel they have no choice but to avoid or postpone accessing the services of a financial planner in what are often quite complicated personal situations.

Ideally all affected consumers would be able to access financial planning advice. The financial planner would coach consumers in the current volatile environment via personalised investment and insurance parameters suitable to their individual circumstances and guide them through the complicated decision-making process around the various support packages available.

Garry Crole concluded, “Never in our nation’s history has there been a situation where the need for professional financial advice is so crucial yet simultaneously inaccessible for some of the most vulnerable.

If the Federal Government and the planning industry could work together on this problem, I expect that planners would also commit to lower entry fees for financial advice so that all Australians could have the benefit of professional financial advice. I believe a subsidy, in the form of a rebate, would support Australians in need of advice and increase the effectiveness of the various support packages, which is for the benefit of all Australians.”

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Mark Euvrard

Sequoia Financial Group Ltd (Sequoia) CEO Garry Crole has announced the successful acquisition of Sydney headquartered national licensee Libertas Financial Planning Pty Ltd (Libertas).

Under the arrangement, Libertas will remain separate from InterPrac and continue to operate under its own AFSL, brand and identity.

Commenting further on the announcement, Garry Crole said Libertas is a successful and well-established financial advice dealer group that was founded by industry stalwart Mark Euvrard in 2012.

Today, Libertas has an extensive, Australia-wide network of approximately 70 authorised representatives, predominantly on the eastern seaboard.

“The acquisition provides Sequoia with further scale in the advice marketplace and based on the latest Money Management dealer group survey makes Sequoia the 3rd largest non-bank owned financial adviser group in the country”, said Garry Crole.

Libertas’ Managing Director Mark Euvrard said, “Our business was highly sought after and I wanted to ensure our advisers will be a part of a quality organisation. I am very pleased to be working with Garry Crole and the well-respected Sequoia team of industry professionals”.

“I’m confident the Libertas planners will benefit immensely from being part of a larger, well-regarded licensee focussed on the provision of highly compliant advice and client service”.

The financial adviser market is undergoing major changes in the wake of the Royal Commission and Sequoia is well placed to attract quality planning groups and advice practitioners.

Sequoia’s leading regulatory and compliance framework, technology and product access makes us a highly attractive partner affirmed Garry Crole.

The acquisition of Libertas will be Sequoia’s 8 th AFSL business that operate under their own identity and license within the Sequoia Group.

These include:

• InterPrac Financial Planning Pty Ltd
• InterPrac General Insurance Pty Ltd
• Insurance Finance Services Pty Ltd
• Libertas Financial Planning Pty Ltd
• Morrison Securities Pty Ltd
• My Own Super Fund Pty Ltd
• Sequoia Asset Management Pty Ltd
• Sequoia Wealth Management Pty Ltd

Each Sequoia owned licensee is a separate AFSL holder and supported by an extensive service offering and framework of compliance, education and support services.

In addition, Sequoia also assists financial advisers and practice owners to acquire and operate under their own AFSL.

Prior to the acquisition, Sequoia had been providing some of these services to Libertas over the last 5 months. Garry Crole concluded, “Libertas will provide Sequoia with additional scale in financial advice with immediate financial benefit to the Group and is highly EPS accretive”.

“We are actively recruiting financial advisers where they fit with our culture and client service objectives and are delighted to be working with the Libertas team”.

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Marcel Collignon

Sequoia Financial Group Limited (ASX:SEQ) has recently launched two exciting new structured products designed to give retail investors unique exposure to some of the most revolutionary and disruptive global sectors currently evolving.

These new structured products are distributed by Sequoia Asset Management Pty Ltd (AFSL 341506), another division of SEQ.

The Sequoia Specialist Investments division recently launched its Sequoia Accelerated Return Units – Series 1, providing retail investors with exposure to US-based and NASDAQ listed company Tesla Motors Inc., enhanced by the ability to benefit from a 200% Participation Rate to the positive performance of Tesla shares* and exposure to any USD/AUD currency movements. The minimum investment required is $25,000.

Founded by its CEO and Chairman Elon Musk, Tesla is widely considered a global leader in the automobile and energy storage sectors, in the business of designing, manufacturing and selling electric vehicles and energy storage units.

Expanding upon this theme, the Sequoia Launch Units – Series 23 product provides exposure to an internationally diversified basket of shares in global companies playing a critical role in the energy and transport sectors, including Tesla, and:

• Panasonic Corporation (Japan – Electronics, Batteries)
• Samsung SDI (South Korea – Battery Technology)
• BYD Company Ltd (China – Electric Vehicles, Batteries)
• Albemarle Corporation (US – Lithium Mining)
• Tesla Motors Inc (US – Electric Vehicles)

This carefully chosen basket provides unique ‘end-to-end’ exposure to the lithium lifecycle, and provides further potential upside should the USD strengthen against the AUD (or downside if the reverse occurs) with any Coupons exposed to AUD/USD FX movements. The product is 100% leveraged via a non-recourse loan with a minimum loan/investment of $50,000.

The investment term for both of these products is three years, but with the option to cash out quarterly if desired. The two products are also suitable for SMSF investors.

The launch of these new structured products follows the success that Sequoia Specialist Investments has had with a number of innovative offerings for both retail and wholesale clients, offering access and exposure to a diverse range of trends and themes.

Commenting on these new investments products, Sequoia Executive Director, Marcel Collignon said, “We are pleased to be offering retail investors two unique ways to gain exposure to global equities and trends.

“The Accelerated Return product, which has Tesla shares as the reference asset, allows investors the chance to share in this exciting story and offers the potential for greatly increased upside with a 200% participation rate*

“The Launch Units – Series 23 is an ideal way to gain global exposure to the current lithium boom, and is enhanced and de-risked through sector and geographic diversity. The fact it is 100% leveraged is another potential benefit, and both of these products are suitable for SMSF investors.

“We have been greatly encouraged by the take up of our structured products by both retail and wholesale investors alike, and we will continue to bring innovative products to the market providing exposure to global trends and themes.”

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• Board assessing funding options to pursue next stage of development
• Company now well positioned for advancement in the SMSF industry
• Sequoia examining opportunities for growth through further consolidation of offering and strategic acquisitions

Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) Administrator and Specialist Investments Originator,
Sequoia Financial Group, (‘Sequoia’) yesterday announced that it is assessing a number of funding options
to pursue growth opportunities in the wealth management and self-managed superannuation fund
sectors.

Sequoia is a privately-owned company which operates as four divisions: Sequoia Asset Management,
Sequoia Superannuation, Sequoia Specialist Investments and Sequoia Wealth Management.
The company sees significant opportunities for growth through its complementary offerings of wealth
management and SMSF advice, solutions and administration functions increasingly being sought by
SMSF Trustees and other self-directed investors and their Accountants, Financial Planners, Stock
Brokers and Mortgage Brokers.

Sequoia has positioned itself to become a fully integrated financial services company with a suite of
products, as well as advice on portfolio management, SMSFs, direct shares, superannuation,
structured products, option trading, personal insurance, and cash solutions.

Sequoia also holds strategic stakes in financial services businesses – Noble Oak Life Limited, Australia’s
oldest life insurer, and ASX-listed Goldfields Money Limited (ASX: GMY) a profitable Western
Australian deposit taker and lending provider.

The company is currently investigating funding options which will enable it to pursue further
opportunities for growth through strategic acquisitions and from further consolidation of its offering.
The company currently provides SMSF administration for over 600 SMSF funds and its near-term
objective is increase this to 2,000.

Sequoia’s Managing Director Scott Beeton said: “After 9 years of growth as a successful and profitable
private company we have earned a reputation as a trustworthy and credible organisation, and we are
now well positioned to progress to the next stage of growth.”

“There are a number of compelling opportunities that we are assessing in what is a somewhat
fragmented sector ripe for consolidation. To facilitate this, we are assessing a number of funding and
acquisition options.”

“There are now over 500,000 SMSFs in Australia and this number continues to grow. This is a
significant part of the Australian economy and Sequoia intends to become a serious player in this
industry.”

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