Valant Capital was established in response to adviser demand and a “strategic decision” made by the Synchron board to broaden the dealer group’s value proposition, the firm said in a statement.
The new firm is now distributor of the High Wrap Investment Account, Superannuation Account and Pension Account. Further, 10 Valant Capital model portfolios are available through the High Wrap platform.
The broader investment menu of the High Wrap platform is intended to allow Synchron advisers to recommend direct shares, managed accounts, managed funds and the Valant Capital model portfolios to clients.
“This strategic move gives advisers and their clients the trifecta – access to an additional, optional platform which offers very good model portfolios; great functionality for advisers; and, most importantly, savings for clients in the form of very competitive fees,” John Prossor, director of both Synchron and Valant Capital, said.
Powerwrap Limited was chosen as the High Wrap platform administrator and will provide a tailored version of its full-service, next-generation wealth management platform to Synchron advisers, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Lonsec Investment Solutions is the asset consultant to the Valant Capital Investment Committee for the model portfolios.
Valant Capital director John Morrison said: “We are delighted with the outcome. The inclusion of Lonsec Investment Solutions and Powerwrap allows Valant Capital to provide optimal solutions for Synchron advisers and their clients at very competitive prices.”
The Valant Capital investment committee comprises Mr Prossor, Mr Morrison and Lonsec Investment Solutions chief investment officer, Lukasz De Pourbaix.
Well said, Neil. We’re potentially classified in the IFA space as we have our own Licence with other like-minded professional advisers with no product over rides or alignment to institutional interests, but can see no issue with every other form of dealergroup, depending on how they treat their clients and make their decisions under the best interests act.
Even though their model doesn’t suit my style of business, I have previously applauded Don Trapnell and Synchron on several of their stances, and believe they do a lot to reinforce positive public perceptions of our profession.
Certain individuals on here should concern themselves less with preaching their own mantra, and look further at the facts and where all the pieces fit in the puzzle before laying undue criticism.
Cheers Don, based on the information on the Valant website, there’s nothing at Valant that I haven’t seen available elsewhere. At first I was excited to see a section titled “The Valant Difference”, but the excitement soon disappeared when I realised that it’s very similar to many other “competitive” and “non-aligned” platform and investment offerings. Good luck with everything
Good morning Matthew.
As I stated to Bento above, Valant is open to Synchron and non-Synchron financial planners. There is no financial incentive whatsoever for Synchron advisers to utilize Valant and Synchron retains its publicly stated position of being totally non-prescriptive about which platform advisers utilize. It is the underlying assets that must comply with the Synchron approved product list.
If you would like to know more about Valant Capital please email Valant Capital director Dr John Morrison at j.morrison@valantcapital.com.au or visit the Valant Capital web site http://www.valantcapital.com.a…
Hi Bento.
If you would like to know more about “competitive” pricing, please email Valant Capital director Dr John Morrison at j.morrison@valantcapital.com.au. I am sure he would be delighted to give you a full breakdown of all costs and charges.
BTW, there is no financial incentive whatsoever for Synchron advisers to utilize Valant and Synchron retains its publicly stated position of being totally non-prescriptive about which platform adviser utilize. It is the underlying assets that must comply with the Synchron approved product list. Valant is open to Synchron and non-Synchron financial planners.
Thanks Katherine, appreciate the response. Great to hear that there is no financial incentive to use the service.
Curious to know, is the Valant Capital offering available to the market, or only to Synchron advisers?
The difference here is that there is no financial incentive to use this new service. So how is that a conflict? Secondly unlike say a bank or product provider being the ultimate owner of an AFSL etc, Synchron is not owned by the platform, it is simply a service offered on the side. So a Synchron adviser conversation more accurately goes along the lines of….
Client: Hi, what should invest my money into?
Adviser: Once we have determined an appropriate strategy to meet your goals, if an investment strategy is appropriate we can access any investment platform to suit your needs, and there is no financial incentive for us to recommend one over another, so what we recommend is purely based on being best able to meet your needs. You okay with that?
Client of the future: Thanks
Another day, another Synchron press release from IFA. There is very little independence about any of this. Seems they are become a mini-bank VI with “competitive” pricing, and a PR machine on overdrive.
The term competitive is used in financial services to describe something that is usually nowhere near good value to the client.
I have always thought that non-aligned referred to a product provider, not ‘a bank’.
So Synchron you just became aligned in my books and this is a step backwards for financial planning.
Any financial planning firm that has it’s own timber to sell is compromised in my opinion.
Client: Hi, what should I invest my money into?
Adviser: Our product of course. I’ll charge you for this advice and make a slice on your investments too, you okay with that?
Client of the future: Get stuffed…
Non-aligned dealer group? Can we stop the hypocrisy of criticizing aligned and integrated models as we then see dealer groups offer their own platform or limited investment solution. The models all have their place. The hypocrisy does not.