Valant Capital is a new company created to provide leading platform, investment and insurance solutions to Synchron advisers. Valant Capital is the distributor of the High Wrap Investment Account, Superannuation Account and Pension Account. Ten Valant Capital model portfolios are available through the High Wrap platform.

Valant Capital Director Dr John Morrison, who is already conducting a second series of presentations to Synchron advisers across the country, said adviser interest demonstrates that Valant Capital has put together the right offer. “To spark the interest of advisers, particularly those who have traditionally focussed on providing risk advice, you have to give them cost-effective solutions that really work for their clients and that make their job easier,” Dr Morrison said. “We believe we have a solution that is appropriately priced, that really delivers in terms of features, and that is easy to understand and easy to use.”

Powerwrap Limited Head of Distribution, Richard Carr, who is presenting the High Wrap product and demonstrating the High Wrap portal across the country, said around 350 of Synchron’s 420 advisers have so far attended the Valant Capital presentations. “Around 70 of the advisers who saw our first presentation, so one in five, has asked for more information and a call back,” Mr Carr said. “Since then, enquiries have increased that number to 80-85, so we now have interest from almost one in four.”

Powerwrap is Australia’s fasted growing non-aligned platform and has approximately $5 billion in funds under administration.

A number of key components add up to the win for Valant Capital, according to Dr Morrison. “A lot of work went into pricing – we modelled it, then we remodelled it and then we modelled it again. By removing much of the institutional profit we believe we have arrived at pricing which, gauging by adviser interest, is obviously about right.”

Dr Morrison believes another aspect that is attracting advisers to the offer is the quality of the High Wrap Platform. “Powerwrap is the administrator of the platform and High Wrap’s product features are clearly those that advisers really want,” Dr Morrison said. “The simplicity and functionality of the portal is another bonus.”

Also making the offer attractive to advisers is the involvement of Lonsec Investment Solutions as asset consultant to the Valant Capital Investment Committee for the 10 model portfolios.

“Powerwrap is powering the High Wrap platform and Lonsec Investment Solutions is providing the model portfolio smarts,” Dr Morrison said. “They are both no-nonsense partners who are extremely easy to work with and who enable us to provide optimal solutions. Together, we will be able to give Synchron advisers the tools they need in order to offer their clients access to the best possible solutions, at the best possible price.”

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David Bryant

Four financial services industry experts have partnered with Australian Unity to launch a new investment platform, Federation Managed Accounts.

The company that provides the new platform is Federation Alliance, which has been formed by industry experts John Morrison, Stephen Reed, Jan Morrison and John (Monty) Grainger, in partnership with Australian Unity.

The platform’s fees and functionality are highly competitive with other platforms currently available, offering access to a broad range of investment options and providing transparent investment administration including consolidated reporting, tax management and online content management.

One of the platform’s key advantages is that platform investors can also apply for shares in Federation Alliance. Shareholders will then be entitled to dividends distributed by Federation Alliance, subject to a dividend pool being available and the financial position of the company at the time.

Shares representing a 90 percent interest in Federation Alliance will be offered to investors, based on their usage of the platform, and the remaining 10 percent indirectly shared between the Federation Alliance key principals and Australian Unity.

The Federation Managed Accounts platform will be administered by Linear Asset Management, an established provider of platform and administration services to the financial services industry.

David Bryant, head of Australian Unity Investments (AUI), said the previous experience of the principals in developing products right at the coal face of the industry was a major factor in AUI’s decision to partner with them.

“The Federation Alliance principals’ experience in the industry has led to the development of this distinctive approach for Federation Managed Accounts.

“Our conversations with financial advisers highlight that they are very interested in non-aligned platforms, and we believe Federation Managed Accounts will appeal to such advisers.

“At the same time, advisers and investors are looking for more value from relationships, and Federation Managed Accounts has been purpose-built to offer this.

“Offering a non-aligned platform that provides benefits to investors through shared ownership provides an attractive option for advisers and clients.

“Federation Managed Accounts will be a competitive entrant in the market at a time when complex record-keeping required by regulation makes platforms increasingly appealing for investors—if the price is right,” Mr Bryant said.

Dr Morrison agreed the platform’s administration features simplify matters for investors, and such options can only become more important as continuous changes to regulations inevitably make things more complicated.

“The ever-increasing complexities of maintaining portfolio records for tax and compliance reasons have become a major consideration for investors—the compliance struggles that SMSF trustees face are a good example of this.

“Our intention is for Federation Managed Accounts to provide managed fund, wrap and model portfolio capabilities as well as separate platforms for superannuation, non-superannuation and corporate superannuation,” Dr Morrison said.

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