Latest News

Special Feature: Rewarding patient capital

PENNY PRYOR
This special feature was first published in the July 13, 2026 (Vol. 24 No. 13) edition of Financial Standard. Brought to you by Neuberger.

KKR joins consortium to acquire ASX-listed Steadfast

RIDDHIMA TALWANI
Global investment firm KKR has joined a consortium, including Amwins Group and Dragoneer Investment Group, as a co-lead investment partner to acquire ASX-listed general insurance broker Steadfast.

WAM active strategy delivers 75.5%

MATTHEW WAI
WAM Active (ASX: WAA), one of Wilson Asset Management's active listed investment companies, has recorded 75.5% in investment performance in the 12 months to 30 June 2026.

Aberdeen backs global growth despite rising inflation

VINNY VUCAGO
Aberdeen investments expects the global economy to remain resilient through the second half of 2026, supported by artificial intelligence (AI) driven investment, strong corporate earnings and steady consumer demand.

Latest White Papers

Ethics & Governance

Good governance is gold

CHRIS WEST   When the term 'governance' is mentioned, the first reaction is normally one that brings up the dread of another set of overburdensome compliance obligations. However, governance and compliance are very different things. Good investment governance at its core is about how to make good investment decisions.

Royal Commission recommendations and managed discretionary accounts

SAMANTHA CARROLL   The managed account services industry was given much to ponder by Commissioner Hayne in the final report. The major talking point for the industry is undoubtedly the fact that the vertical integration model was left untouched.

Investment

Debunking five emerging market myths

GRANT WEBSTER   As investors reassess their strategic asset allocations in response to a shifting market regime, it is a good time to challenge outdated assumptions about emerging markets (EM). Our EM experts draw on deep experience to tackle five persistent myths and advocate a recalibration of perspectives.

Are convertible bonds still earning their place in credit portfolios?

ROBERT MOORE, JASON RIX   Convertibles, once prized for diversification and equity upside, have underperformed traditional credit sectors like high yield bonds in recent years.

Technology

AI disruption and the implications for real estate

DANIEL TOMASELLI   This paper looks at the rapid progress of artificial intelligence and its impact on the real estate sector.

Human-centred automation

SHANE REID   A must for firms in the financial sector.

Superannuation

IMAs and SMAs meet the demands of SMSF trustees for direct international equities portfolios

HUGH MACNALLY   Individually managed accounts (IMAs) and separately managed accounts (SMAs) enable trustees of SMSFs to access direct international and domestic equity portfolios with greater control and transparency compared to the traditional managed fund options, however the differences between and benefits of IMAs ...

Tailored SMSF and managed account solutions

MULTIPORT PTY LTD   Multiport is a leading provider of self-managed super and managed account administration, reporting and compliance services. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of service for a transparent and competitive fee.

Taxation & Estate Planning

A tale of three countries

PHILIP PARKER   Are you a history buff? Here is a rundown of how managed accounts evolved in the US and the UK - and how the sector is developing locally.

Compliance

Unpacking managed account fees

MARTIN KOFOED   While the benefits of the managed account structure for investors and advisers are clear, their fee structure, however, tends to be less so.

Managed discretionary accounts in 2021

ASSURED SUPPORT   This paper reproduces a Q&A session conducted by Assured Support between its managing director, Sean Graham, and Peter Turbach, partner at MDA Guru. It captures these two leading industry practitioners' respective views on the present state of managed discretionary accounts (MDAs).

Applied Financial Planning

Making comparisons across managed accounts: Why regulatory guidance is required

ANNIKA BRADLEY   If managed accounts hold the key to portfolio personalisation, let's take a look at some of the challenges advisers might face when trying to make meaningful comparisons across performance returns and fees.

Managed account fees: Understanding the true cost of client outcomes

MATTHEW VAN DIJK   At face value, cost comparisons seem straightforward, however, they can exclude material factors that will detrimentally affect your client.

Communications & Marketing

Two roads to a single destination

TOBY POTTER   The amount invested through managed accounts is growing strongly but as a method of investing, managed accounts are still not well understood. The differences between types of managed accounts are often blurred and this is compounded by a prolific use of jargon.

Managed accounts: Boldly go where no one has gone before

ADAM ROWLEY   Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Case Study

Survive the squeeze

KEN BLOOMFIELD   A managed account can minimise the "value leakage" for the client and allow financial advisers to assume a greater role in portfolio management in the long term.