Mark - Partner Firm 4

Partner Firm 4 is an accounting, business advisory, and tax firm in Sydney that provides additional wealth management, superannuation, and partnered solution advisory services. Mark joined the firm in 2018 as the business was looking to transition its existing licensing due to compliance issues. Mark was aware of the value of SMAs and knew Akambo as an early adopter of the model.

“At that time, our wealth client portfolio was minimal, with around 10 clients. We had ongoing issues with the licensee and needed a compliant, properly organised alternative. Akambo was an attractive option. They had excellent systems in place and offered the services I sought. They had a solid reputation and came highly recommended,” Says Mark

Over the last seven years, the wealth portfolio has grown to over 100 active clients with AUD $150M in funds under management. It is an impressive result.

Mark had extensive industry experience in the commercial and private banking sectors before joining Partner Firm 4. His exposure and thorough understanding of the investment environment were pivotal to the firm’s choosing the most suitable licensing and investment partner.

Mark was attracted to Akambo for two primary reasons.

Firstly, the licensing arrangement was very professional. It provided a modern, well-automated system that is highly efficient and flexible, providing operating conditions that suit entrepreneurial advisers. The quality of compliance and back office support is that of a market leader.

Secondly, there were the SMAs, which aligned with his view of portfolio management:

“I was an advocate for SMAs and managed accounts at that point. I thought it was where the world was going. Akambo was one of the early adopters of SMAs.  And I liked that idea.” Says Mark.

Akambo enables financial advice providers to scale without sacrificing service.
The intelligent automation frees up time and capacity to focus on strategic and goal-based advice to clients.

“Much of the client base can be somewhat automated to allow you to provide more strategic advice and focus on goal-based advice.”

The SMA portfolios cover broad-based investment needs with skill; however, Akambo does not limit advisers to just those tools. They enabled Mark to build hybrid investment models by incorporating alternatives:

“We’ve been able to introduce or add alternative or wholesale investments to complement the listed portfolios that Akambo runs. Certain high net worth clients want to feel like what they’re getting is much more bespoke, and we need to be able to roll out those services, which we can do with the Akambo model.”

Mark explained that some advisers hesitate to join licensees focused on managed accounts, fearing they will be locked into cookie-cutter models.

“One of the big fears is, ‘I’m going to come into a business that specialises in managed accounts and I’m going to be told to do things one way.’”

The Akambo SMA model is not constraining.

“You can run the business your way, and Akambo will support you.”

While the operational side is essential to ensuring Mark and his team can confidently move the business forward with the licensing and investment models, cultural alignment was also a motivating factor.

Akambo’s flat hierarchy and leadership stand out. Mark emphasised that from client service officers to top executives, everyone is accessible and willing to collaborate. He was buoyed by the direct access to the investment team for advisers and clients. With professional compliance, paraplanning support, and a values-driven culture with no ego-driven dynamics, advisers feel supported rather than scrutinised.

“You can pick up the phone and talk to anybody in the business, from the managing director down. And everyone will be happy to have that chat and talk to you. You do not constantly need to follow people up or chase return phone calls or emails.”

“If the cultural fit’s not there, they don’t even go there. So I think that’s super important in building a good culture and business. Making sure people are aligned and working with good people was important to us.”

Mark can categorise his clients into the three primary personas.

• Young accumulators. This group is seeking aggressive growth.
• Mass affluent pre-retirees, focused on strategic retirement planning.
• High net worth individuals requiring tailored investment solutions and estate planning.

Akambo has the scope to tailor service delivery to each segment. It offers goal-based strategic advice, high-touch personalised service for sophisticated investors, integrated estate planning, and intergenerational wealth strategies.

Accessing the systems, models, and, importantly, people who understand Mark’s client base and work collaboratively and flexibly with him is why his firm has grown from fewer than 10 clients to over 100 client groups and more than $150 million under management.

Akambo is more than a licensee; it is a strategic partner for financial advisers like Mark.

As Mark says

“Everyone’s in the same boat, swimming in the same direction and trying to achieve the same thing. The cultural fit has been right from day one and hasn’t changed.”

Akambo offers finance advisers, advice firms, and accounting practices tailored licensing and investment solutions that remove the administrative and compliance burden while enabling the business to maintain its autonomy. We nurture long-term partner relationships focused on success and transparency.

Contact us today and get back to doing what you do best.