Wrapping up the last year and looking ahead to 2026, Viola was full of optimism for the direction of both his firm and the profession as a whole.
2025 wrap-up
What was the most significant thing (good or bad) to come out of this year?
Very hard to go past the events in Bondi. It was heart breaking. We have many Jewish clients, and their world has had a hole torn in it. But more than that, for all of us as Australians, a place where my grandparents immigrated to from Italy 75 years ago because it was the land of opportunity peace and acceptance of all people. I have seen firsthand the devastation in the eyes and words of those in that community. I hope the response is swift and appropriate.
How has the profession grown over the year?
Every year it grows. After the turning around of the industry as the education standards were put in place and advisers leaving in their droves, we are very much seeing that now turn around and we are having an influx of well educated, driven professionals. The PY program is a great one to ensure advisers are buddied to experienced peers. We don’t compete in our world, as there are enough clients for all of us.
So, the profession has grown but so has the professionalism of it.
What was the biggest achievement for the profession this year?
We have heard very little about scandal or consumer unrest. As education standards increase, so does professionalism and consumer protection. I do think that education around alternatives has also risen immeasurably and we are seeing a much better infirmed investor.
What shocked you this year?
The reaction to private credit. Seriously. People have been lending money to others to buy and build things since 400BC. That market remains heavily regulated and remains a good place to invest where manage selection and fund selection is done properly.
How do you wind up business for the year?
We don’t really. We do 31/12 reporting for all our clients, so despite a few days off for some ham, turkey and beer, we will stay at it and have a break in Feb.
What was the biggest achievement this year?
We are so very proud of the business we are building. We completed on our MBO in September, so this year we have moved premises, solidified the Viola Private wealth brand in the marketplace, add over $600 million of FUM in the calendar year, seen one of our associates move to a fully fledged adviser. It’s been a massive year for us. We have the best CIO in the market in Daniel Kelly, we have just hired a gun head of marketing, it’s all upside and we are proud and excited about what we’re doing.
2026 look ahead
What are you hoping to come out of next year?
We want to maintain this momentum we have. We have taken a lot of new client relationships on, and while that’s exciting, the real work is three to five months after they join where you start to really deploy the capital and you have to work hard for them.
We will keep working hard on our market presence, but more so on our client delivery.
How are you feeling about the year to come and why?
I am super excited.
Markets have sold off a little, so we have a good opportunity to add value now into a bit of weakness. We are seeing a heap of really interesting private market opportunities that investors didn’t have access to even four or five years ago. We have another of our associates ready to take on PY, and I love nothing more than watching our people, especially a guy like Daniel Todorcevski, who has been with us since he was just out of school progress and build a career.
So, in the main I am excited about what it will bring.
What do you think needs to be a top priority for 2026?
I don’t think this ever changes. We will keep listening to clients and adding value best we can. Buying good assets at the right time and the right mix is all we really do. It’s not rocket science. So, we will keep prioritising really understanding their needs and ensuring we have the best portfolio mix available through deep due diligence.
What is your main goal as an adviser for the coming year?
Just to do the right thing by the client. The rest will follow.
We see a heap of new inbound enquiries, when I ask why they chose us, the answer virtually 100 per cent of the time is ‘so and so said they knew you, and you seem normal…’ Normal and human is all we want to be. And I think that makes us extraordinary.
Where do you see the advice profession heading in 2026?
I think the trajectory continues on the up. Better advisers coming out of PY then the ones falling off the other side. Better investment knowledge, and I also thing as reg tech and fin tech gets better, better client solutions.
