SMSF Awards: Showcasing final round of investment provider winners
SMSF Adviser has announced the winners of the Australian Equities Fund Manager and Cash and Term Deposit Accounts Provider of the Year.
In the final round of investment category showcases for the 2021 SMSF Awards, SMSF Adviser can reveal that Ausbil has won the Australian Equities Fund Manager, with Macquarie winning the Cash and Term Deposit Accounts Provider of the Year.
SMSF Awards 2021
It has been another changing year for the SMSF sector as it moves past the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year and the resulting economic downturn.
This year has been a time of change for many in the SMSF sector, as super contribution thresholds change and a new era begins for the industry with the implementation of the auditor independence standards.
Superannuation has also seen greater focus on retirement outcomes as highlighted in this year’s array of federal budget changes. Furthermore, the ATO and the SMSF sector have continued to work tirelessly together to address some of the unforeseen issues arising from the current environment.
As always, SMSF professionals and their clients have relied heavily on SMSF service providers to guide them through this period of change. Partnering with firms that are adaptable and agile is critical at the moment and has a direct impact on the confidence and satisfaction of clients.
Now in its eighth year, the SMSF Awards recognises the excellence and innovation of the best-performing operators servicing SMSF professionals. The winners are based on a survey which was distributed to SMSF Adviser’s database of SMSF professionals. The results were collated and determined by an independent analyst.
AUSTRALIAN EQUITIES FUND MANAGER: Ausbil
Highly commended: Macquarie
As with other asset classes, Australian equities have been hit hard by difficult business conditions created by COVID-19. Continuing to generate consistent returns for investors is a significant challenge for fund managers in the current environment.
Mark Knight, director, head of distribution, Ausbil Investment Management
Ausbil are honoured to accept the Australian Equities Fund Manager award by SMSF Adviser.
We are pleased that our support for the SMSF sector is being recognised. During the past 18 months, navigating sharemarkets has not been easy, but we have remained fully invested throughout, which has benefited our SMSF clients. The performance of our flagship Australian Active Equity, Australian Active Sustainable, Active Dividend Income and Australian Emerging Leader (ex 50) strategies has been strong.
Portfolio diversification remains all important to SMSFs, so we have successfully extended our range of investment options to include Australian small caps (ex 100), global small caps, global infrastructure and global resources. We will remain especially committed to investor communication and education.
We will continue to do this via our regular thought pieces, webinars, video recordings, reports and annual investment roadshows. ESG, too, is a growing focus and we will support SMSF advisers on issues such as climate, modern slavery and corporate governance. Corporate engagement on behalf of our investors is integral to what we do.
CASH AND TERM DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS: MACQUARIE
Highly commended: CBA
In the current economic climate, quality cash and term deposit products which support the financial goals of clients are in high demand from advisers. The winner of this year’s award, Macquarie, believes that offering long-term transactional history and data-driven insights with these products is key to servicing the SMSF market.
Olivia McArdle, head of payments and deposits, banking and financial services, Macquarie Group
We’re proud to be recognised with the Cash and Term Deposits award and it’s a testament to the work we’re doing to deliver value to our clients in this space.
We spend a lot of time speaking to advisers and their clients to understand what is important to them and we use that feedback to inform the development of our product offering. At Macquarie, we’ve been providing cash management solutions for more than 40 years, starting back in 1980 when we launched the Macquarie Cash Management Trust to support the SMSF sector.
Throughout this period, we’ve developed a deep understanding of what is important to advisers and their clients when it comes to cash solutions that enable the effective management of wealth.
As a digitally led bank, our focus is on providing transparency and insights while delivering a seamless and intuitive banking experience. Our Cash Management Account (CMA) integrates with more than 70 software providers and programs to give clients and their advisers deep data-driven insights.
We continue to see really strong demand for our cash solutions, and we look forward to continuing to innovate to provide advisers and their clients with a cash offering that is built on functionality, visibility and connectivity.
Tony Zhang
Tony Zhang is a journalist at Accountants Daily, which is the leading source of news, strategy and educational content for professionals working in the accounting sector.
Since joining the Momentum Media team in 2020, Tony has written for a range of its publications including Lawyers Weekly, Adviser Innovation, ifa and SMSF Adviser. He has been full-time on Accountants Daily since September 2021.
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