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Viridian promotes to investment team, launches Infinity
|Viridian Financial Group announced three promotions to its investment leadership team as it merges its asset management and private wealth businesses under a single unit called Infinity.
Fight between SMC and FSC on super rages on
|The Super Members Council (SMC) has called out the Financial Services Council (FSC) on making selective claims about performance and costs of 'platform' super funds compared with performance-tested mainstream MySuper funds.
Global X launches global SMID ETF
|Global X ETF has expanded its international equity range with the launch of the Global X MSCI International Small and Mid-Cap ETF (ASX: ISMD), offering Australian investors low-cost exposure to small- and mid-cap companies across developed markets outside Australia.
Super Consumers appoints former regulator as chair
|Super Consumers Australia (SCA) has appointed former deputy chair of ASIC and ACCC as its board chair.
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Featured Profile
Blake Briggs
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL
Since becoming chief executive, Blake Briggs has renewed the Financial Services Council's influence, expanded the membership base, and strengthened its policy and advocacy credentials. Karren Vergara writes.
The Financial Standard podcast Tune in each week as we discuss the latest developments in Australia's wealth management industry. |  |
The merger does not magically create an independent group. It is just not owned by one of the big four banks.
In many ways these mergers create even more problems for the consumer as CEO's can talk about "maintaining independence" and "letting the adviser flourish", under a banner that looks no different to the genuine intermediaries.
And mergers and acquisition firms who are not sure if a firm is independent or not perhaps should not comment at all. No good for the reputation showing that lack of knowledge
Would love to see ASIC comment on the statements made by this group
In my view, independent advice is not what SFG currently offer anyway. The advisers within this group have very little flexibility at all and are almost forced to use their own in-house products. If anything there is less independence in this group than is offered by the big 4.