My Dealer Services (MDS) has teamed up with Colonial First State (CFS) to deliver technical support to its network of over 400 self-licensed financial advisers.
Namely, MDS’ self-licensed advisers will be able to access technical guidance across a range of advice topics from CFS’ FirstTech technical services team.
This includes up-to-date online technical reference and strategy guides covering superannuation, tax, self-managed super funds (SMSFs), aged care, social security and estate planning, according to Alexander Euvrard, founder and director of MDS.
Moreover, MDS members will gain access to CFS FirstTech podcasts, webinars, monthly bulletins and fact sheets that can be passed on to clients.
The educational partnership with CFS marks MDS’ fourth new or enhanced service offering to its adviser network as it enters a strategic growth phase to service more self-licensed advice professionals.
MDS’ head of strategy, Ashley Mahadeea, who joined the self-licensed specialist last October, said the business remains focused on offering a broader suite of services to its advice network.
“Our educational partnership with CFS is a great example of how we do this. We go out on behalf of time-poor smaller adviser groups and find the best and most innovative providers in their field to support them as needed at competitive rates,” Mahadeea described.
“Over the coming months, we will be launching additional services and reaching out to more advisers to share our core belief that self-licensing is nothing more than removing a layer to allow advisers and practices to run their business their way, with the client front and centre of everything they do.”
Other recent announcements by MDS include a partnership with Australian fintech Claras so advisers can access an artificial intelligence-powered software that turns recorded client conversations into comprehensive file notes.
In collaboration with Broker Support Global, MDS also launched a new paraplanning and administration service for its members seeking statement of advice (SOA) creation support.
Furthermore, the firm introduced a new licensee compliance portal to keep members updated with key compliance dates and requirements.
Commenting on Mahadeea’s appointment last year, Euvrard said the head of strategy’s experience working with advisers and involvement in industry initiatives would help MDS achieve its growth agenda of supporting more advisers and expanding its service range.
The founder said: “Ash’s role is to help drive this growth through strong client relationships, product innovation and developing solutions to advisers’ problems.
“Over the coming months, we will be reaching out to more advisers to share our core belief that self-licensing is nothing more than removing a layer to allow advisers and practices to run the business their way, with the client front and centre of everything they do.”
