Rich new association for researchers

Theformer managing director ofMorningstar Australia, Graham Rich, has formed a new association for dealer group and master trust researchers.

Rich, who is involved in an ongoing legal tussle with Morningstar over his dismissal from the research house last year, says the association will provide a voice to a muted segment of the planning industry.

“My perspective is that these researchers have a crucial influence on what financial planners do, but there is no association of these researchers,” Rich says.

Membership of the association, to be called the Researchers’ Roundtable, will be by invitation only.

However, Rich says the association will aim to be as representative as possible of the whole gamut of researchers working within the financial planning industry.

“We welcome all individuals who are responsible for investment product and/or portfolio research within financial planning companies, dealer groups and master funds, regardless of other roles they may also perform, as is often the case for small organisations,” Rich says.

The association will hold its inaugural meeting in Sydney this week to coincide with theFinancial Planning Association’s (FPA) annual convention, although the Researchers’ Roundtable is not associated in any way with the FPA.

Members of the Roundtable, which will hold quarterly meetings in Sydney and Melbourne, plan to elect a five member steering committee to guide the direction of the fledgling association.

“Given their significant role and influence over investment selection, it is surprising that there [has been] no association for dealer groups and master fund researchers,” Rich says.