MyAdviser gains scale benefits from IOOF stake

IOOF completed a compulsory acquisition of Plan B – the majority owner of MyAdviser – late last year to become the 93 per cent owner of MyAdviser.

Sheehan said that in retaining a 7 per cent stake in MyAdviser she still has a voice on the board.

The group is fortunate to have been bought by IOOF rather than by another institution since the group has a history of buying and holding, and offers scale benefits without dictating how the business must be run in terms of the approved product list and other contracts.

One of the biggest and most immediate benefits has been a scale advantage in share trading rates thanks to related IOOF groups that specialise in stockbroking and direct investments.

“All of a sudden we’ve got scale,” Sheehan said. “Our clients are actually benefitting by IOOF being in the picture rather than the other way around.”

The group also provided resources in terms of campaigns, rather than MyAdviser having to write and develop everything in house, she added.

Sheehan described the relationship as “so far so good”.

“Just the fact that I can halve the trade rate that I can get today just by being part of a network is a huge value-add to the end client. Even if the adviser charges a fee over the top of that it will still be cheaper than what the trade rate used to be.”

This aspect is especially beneficial given that clients are increasingly turning from managed funds to direct investments, which can be allocated either by the adviser or more often through an in-house model portfolio, she added.