Matthew Austen LLM, Chartered Fellow (CISI)’s Post

Last week I was awarded my 5 year long service award at Providend. This made me reflect on what has happened over that period: - I left Barclays in 2016 and started to help fellow expats. They paid me a small fee and I coached them on basic financial skills, and how to link life goals to their money. - I was driven by helping people avoid using Asian financial advisers and instead go down the DIY route. Too many horror stories of people being ripped off by incompetent sales people from friends and colleagues (including me!). - After 12 months it became clear that half of my coaching clients wanted someone else to manage their money rather than DIY. - That let me to joining Providend in 2018 to become a reluctant financial adviser (the irony). Providend was the ONLY firm I found in Singapore that was financial planning led, didn't take commissions and used low cost tracker funds. Everything I had been coaching people on for 18 months. - Fast forward 5 years and I now oversee $120m SGD for 40 families. Providend has grow from managing $244m when I joined to crossing over $1bn in Dec 2023. - 5 years on and the financial adviser landscape hasn't changed much. Many firms have disappeared and started...but its the same people rotating around firms, with the same business model. However we are starting to see some individual advisers trying to move towards the fee-only model which can only be good for consumers in the next 5 years. I took what felt like a big career change risk back in 2016, and in 2018 I was worried that the fee-only model perhaps wouldn't work in Asia (why else was no-one doing it!). Looking back I'm proud I made the leaps. Looking forward to the next 5 years!

I'm thrilled to share that I have been honored by AdvisorHub as an Advisor to Watch under $1 Billion and ranked at #52 out of 1,816 total nominations! The ranking is focused on three key areas: Quality of Practice, Year-Over-Year Growth, and Professionalism & Character. This honor reflects the commitment to excellence, dedication to clients and the efforts of an incredible team. Grateful for this recognition and look forward to continuing our journey with our amazing clients! If you or a friend is interested in learning more about our process or discussing your financial goals, please feel free to reach out. I'd be delighted to connect and explore how we can support your financial journey. ***The 2024 AdvisorHub 250 Advisors to Watch under $1b ranking is based on an algorithm of criteria, focused on three key areas: Quality of Practice, Year-Over-Year Growth, and Professionalism & Character. The rankings weigh the scores in Quality and Growth more heavily than other areas. Time period upon which the rating is based is from 12/31/2022 – 12/31/2023, and was released on 6/20/2024. Advisors considered have a minimum of seven years' experience, a clean regulatory record with 2 or fewer complaints and no significant judgements, must have been with their current firm for at least two years and in good standing, and have at least $100 million in assets under management. Out of 1,816 total nominations received, 250 advisors received the award. This ranking is not based in any way on the individual's abilities in regards to providing investment advice or management. This ranking is not indicative of advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with AdvisorHub. #RaymondJames #WealthManagement #FinancialPlanning #SanAntonio #BusinessGrowth

The Klausner Duffy & DiSalvo Group at Morgan Stanley is proud to announce that we have been ranked the #2 Wealth Management Team in Indiana by Forbes in 2024. It is an honor for our team to receive this award for a second year in a row, and we are incredibly grateful to all of our clients whom we could not have achieved this without. We remain more dedicated to serving you than ever, and are excited for all that 2024 will bring. Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams Source: Forbes.com (Awarded Jan 2024) Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based for the period from 3/31/23-3/31/24. https://lnkd.in/e7aRp9y3

It has been a couple of weeks since Forbes announced their ‘Best-In-State Wealth Advisors’ award results, and I am still receiving congratulations from many people. I want to express my gratitude to all those who have supported my business. Some young advisors have asked me what my secret was to receive this award from Forbes. The answer is simple: continuously do what you love and aim to help people. I have been following this rule for 28 years, and it has worked perfectly for me. No matter what hardships I have faced, I always try to help others. Only true dedication to your work will pay you back. #sevensaberswealth #financialadvisor #financialplanning

We've got a fantastic event currently going on for finance leaders in our Community on The Relationship Between CFO and Audit Committee! We're exploring how to build a strong working relationship, what effective governance and reporting look like, internal and external audits, and the importance of communication and openness. Speakers Ed Jones, NED, NOW: Pensions and Board Mentor Criticaleye and Michael Tyroller, Partner & Managing Director, AlixPartners will be sharing their insights and personal experiences with attendees! At Criticaleye, we truly believe learning from peers who have experienced the challenges you are facing is the best way to develop yourself as a leader. Sarah Mace, CFO, Personal Group explores why this further by explaining why it is important to benchmark using external reference points as CFO in the video below! #CFO #leadershipdevelopment #benchmarking

Check out what you missed from Christopher Argent, Michael Mills, and Amanda Thurlow in this morning's session - the secrets for a successful nomination for the Digital Finance Function Awards! 🔍 Once you've uncovered all the secrets, why not nominate yourself, your team, or a peer for this year's awards? Remember, nominations close on Monday, 29th! ⏳ Access the nomination form in the comments below 👇 #cfos #financeleaders #accountingandfinance

🔄 In today's fluctuating markets, Aviva's purchase of Probitas stands out, signalling potential changes in the insurance arena. 🌐 The FTSE 100 presented a complex picture today, reflecting global economic concerns, particularly within financials and resources sectors. However, Aviva's acquisition of Probitas steals the spotlight, underlining their ambition to scale within the challenging Lloyd's market. This strategic move highlights resilience and ingenuity in an unpredictable economic environment. Despite general market dips, Aviva's decision is more than a small disturbance; it represents a commitment to growth and adaptability that all industry leaders, and especially those in #HR and #Leadership, should consider. It's a call to action for fostering inclusive practices and cultivating diversity at all management levels for a representative corporate Britain. Let's keep pushing for robust discussions that promote expansion, value diversity, and prioritise inclusion. #DiversityInLeadership #InclusiveGrowth #BusinessResilience 🚀

Recently, my husband and I were listening to a debate on #CNBC around who should pay the buyer agents commissions in a #realestate transaction. This conversation lead us into the subject of #value, #healthinsurance and #brokertransparency. The world I live in & discuss often. Thought I’d share an old, yet important article around the Consolidated Appropriations Act (broker compensation disclosure act). Every #leadership team should evaluate their broker team from time to time to ensure that they are getting the most value for the business and their #1 clients-their employees!

With financial year end not far away, organization's are reviewing the numbers, their strategy and as a result the capability on the Board and Executive team. There is a tremendous amount of re-structuring and changes in senior leadership about to take place. This summary highlights the recent moves, but it seems difficult to believe senior heads won't roll in the near future as performance slips. Time for some leadership.