Count badges BT multi-manager funds
CountFinancial has further strengthened its ties with BT Funds Management (BTFM) by badging BTFM’s multi-manager range of funds under its Compound banner and recommending the range on its wealth-e-account fund menu.
The badged products, to be known as the Compound Investment Range, will be available live to market in April. Count’s adoption of multi-manager funds is a strong indication that the group is moving away from single-manager diversified portfolios.
Count Financial managing director Barry Lambert says the adoption of the BTFM co-branded multi-manager funds ties in with Compound’s business strategy to support selected products under the Compound banner.
“The wealth-e-account menu has been lacking a well-researched product that incorporates leading managers from around the world, and we are pleased this situation has now been rectified,” Lambert says.
As part of the badging, Count has recommended for all Count Wealth Accountants and Compound Investments advisers, totalling more than 1,000 advisers nationwide, to use the badged products.
Lambert says advisers are seeking a range of more sophisticated investment options to meet demands from increasingly investment savvy clients, and the best of breed approach used in the multi-manager products would give that product offering to advisers.
At present, the Compound Multi-Manager series will provide access to around 15 fund managers across a range of asset classes, fund managers and investment styles.
BTFM head of retail Rob Coombe says the strategic alliance highlights the successful ties between Count and BT and the wealth-e-account product, and demonstrates BT’s support for the growth and development of the Count wrap platform.
In line with the ongoing relationship between the two groups, Count renewed its contract with BT Portfolio Services for the administration of Count’s wealth-e-account last month.
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