The ifa Show

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic and Peter Johnston dive deep on the Quality of Advice Review, the need for patience on the government response, and why advisers are the good guys. Peter Johnston, executive director of the Association of Independently Owned Financial Professionals, discusses which QAR recommendations he believes are positive and the many he doesn't....

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic and Conaill Keniry explore important industry topics, starting with the Quality of Advice Review and proceeding to the relationship between financial advisers and dealer groups. Conaill Keniry, the founder of What If Advice and owner of small dealer group Cobalt Advisers, discusses the power struggle that many advisers face with their...

In this podcast, Antony Tolfts, the CEO of Blu Horseshoe, joins host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic to discuss the challenges of limited IPO opportunities in the current market, which can make it difficult for financial advisers to help their clients find new investment opportunities for growth. Despite the limited IPO opportunities, there is, however, a silver lining. Mr Tolfts shares insights into the s...

In honour of International Women's Day, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic sits down with Naomi Christopher, the head of marketing and public relations at Lonsec, to delve into the challenges and opportunities that women face in the world of financial advice. The conversation focuses on the importance of diverse voices and thoughts in the industry, the setbacks women faced due to the pandemic, and the ro...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Dr Katherine Hunt, a director at Ardentura Consulting. Dr Hunt explains why she believes the advice profession is the "number one winner" of the Quality of Advice Review and how it promises to walk back what she describes as "government overreach". Looking at the recommendation to remove statements of advice, she outlines...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Ben Neilson, adviser and researcher at Neilson & Co Wealth Management. Mr Neilson explains why he thinks Michelle Levy has done "a fantastic" job by taking an incredibly complicated piece of "building-block based legislation" and turning it into a coherent report. He touches on the potential expansion of the scope of pers...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by  Sarah Abood, the CEO of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). Ms Abood joins Maja to discuss the final report of the Quality of Advice Review (QAR), which was published by the government last week. She shares her overall perspective of Michelle Levy's recommendations and why radical change is required and what it ent...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by AFA chief executive Phil Anderson. The CEO of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) talks about the impending vote on the proposed merger of the AFA and the Financial Planning Association (FPA). He details why he believes Michelle Levy is brave and reveals which of her recommendations he found particularly "revoluti...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Nicola Beswick, a financial adviser, and a mentor. Ms Beswick is very passionate about empowering people to create a financially certain future, free from stress and uncertainty. She's also the chair of the Pro Bono Financial Advice Network, where she and multiple other advisers assist Australians living with a personal h...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Scott Miller, CEO of Asendium, to talk about why it's important to increase access to advice. Having spent many years as an adviser, Mr Miller reflects on how the industry has changed in the years since. Paperwork, he notes, is something that has definitely swelled, with SoA management and customisation significantly cutt...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Eugene Ardino, CEO at Lifespan Financial Planning. Mr Ardino talks about why he believes the pendulum of change is swinging in favour of advisers in 2023. He gives his overview of some of the key recommendations made by Michelle Levy in the Quality of Advice Review, and details why he believes it will take at least a coup...

Ease into the year with something a bit different than the usual ifa podcast fare with some of the best movies and shows about finance. Host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by resident movie buff Keith Ford and ifa journalist Jon Bragg to have a look at some movies and shows that feature financial advice (spoiler alert: most are not kind to anyone that works in finance). The team covers some that...

Get ready for a whole new year of podcasts by having a listen as we run through the biggest episodes of 2021. Host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by ifa journalists Jon Bragg and Keith Ford to talk about the top five podcasts by listens from last year. Topics that piqued listeners' interest in 2022 included changes in regulation, reviews, and interviews with subject matter experts. Tune in as th...

The time has come for the final episode of the ifa Show for the year. Host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by ifa journalists Jon Bragg and Keith Ford to wrap up 2022. Maja, Jon and Keith count down the top five most-read stories on the website this year, including articles that look at adviser numbers, FASEA and the Quality of Advice Review. The team also highlights some of the most interesting...

In this special episode of the ifa podcast, shadow minister for cyber security and shadow minister for countering foreign interference, Senator James Paterson joins Phil Tarrant (director - Momentum Media) and MAJGEN (retired) Dr Marcus Thompson to discuss the regulatory impediments preventing Australia from becoming a leader in cyber security. The group begins the podcast discussing the cyber sec...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Haydn van Nek, operations manager at Kelly Wealth from Cairns. Haydn joins the show to talk about a variety of topics and issues causing grief to regional advice businesses. He addresses the experience of running an advice firm in today's uncertain legislative environment coupled with the vast remoteness of its regional s...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by founder and director of Forte Asset Solutions, Steve Prendeville, to chat about the current state of the advice industry. Mr Prendeville shares why he believes the possible return of superannuation funds and banks to the advice industry could be a "welcome addition", and why he doesn't see them as competitors. "I actually...

Camilla Love started F3 — Future Females in Finance to bring more women into the financial services industry. The program — which won the Women's Community Program of the Year award 2022 from the Women in Finance Awards 2022 — aims to educate young women about careers and finance and nudge as many of the next generation of female talent into financial services as possible. In this episode, partner...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by her predecessor, James Mitchell, to chat about the state of the industry and why, perhaps, advice isn't meant to be affordable. James compares the state of the industry today versus when he was at the helm of ifa, and delves into some of Michelle Levy's more controversial proposals, such as the return of the superannuatio...

In this episode of the ifa podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic sits down with Tristan Hochwallner, head of sales at Asendium, to chat about how tech is allowing advisers to spend more time with their clients. Tristan shares the latest on the current state of the advice tech world and why advisers should review their technology solutions today. "If we look at what a lot of people are using today,...

Host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Corey Wastle, the founder of independent financial advice business Verse Wealth, to talk about the adviser exodus and why proactivity matters. Corey and Maja attempt to answer one of today's most prominent questions — how to attract new entrants into the industry. Corey talks about raising the awareness of advice as a career choice, why existing advisers ne...

Host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by the winner of Fintech Leader of the Year at the Women in Finance Awards and head of the wealth channel at myprosperity, Karolina Kuszyk, to talk about her win and what to expect from advice technology in the coming year. Talking to Maja, Ms Kuszyk spoke about how technology providers can ease the advice burden. "2023 is going to be the year of technology wh...

Host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by the CEO of WOW Women's Group, Tracey Sofra, to chat about the changing landscape of advice and why self-care is more important than ever. Speaking to Maja, Ms Sofra talked about how client expectations are shifting to reflect the changing global environment. "There is no panic. It's just: "What do we do now, Trace? What's our next move?" "As the professiona...

The financial services industry has historically been male-dominated but encouraging more women into the space is not only good for society, but good for business too. In this episode, partnered by Mortgage Choice, Anthony Waldron, chief executive of financial services and Mortgage Choice at the REA Group, outlines how the industry can move away from being "male, stale and pale" and encourage more...

Host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by 9Rok Consulting's Kim Payne to chat about what advisers shouldn't be doing if they want to be more valuable. Speaking to Maja, Ms Payne said advisers first need to ensure they have "the basics right", noting that everything — even how they greet a client — influences their perceived value. "There are so many little things, it's not even the big stuff that n...