The new celebrity backed dealer group launched by Professional Investment Services (PIS) has set itself the ambitious target of having $10 billion under advice within five to seven years.
As reported exclusively by Money Management last week, Kerrie-Anne Kennerley, the host of Mornings with Kerri-Anne, will promote the business on her show, which airs every weekday morning on Channel Nine.
Ahead of the dealer group’s official launch in Sydney last Friday, PIS chief executive Robbie Bennetts revealed it was Kennerley, through her show, who instigated plans for the new business.
Kennerley and the show’s producers wanted to team up with a planning group, to whom they could refer viewers who wanted access to financial advice.
PIS was chosen ahead of other planning firms, according to Bennetts, triggering the group to launch the new business, to be called myblueprint, to cater specifically for the show’s viewers.
“They looked at a number of groups out there from our understanding and we were selected as the group most suitable for what they were out to achieve,” Bennetts said.
From now on, the show’s viewers who want to meet with a financial planner will be referred to a myblueprint adviser.
One hundred PIS advisers have been transferred across to the new business, which has been issued with a separate Australian Financial Services licence to its parent.
The advisers will use a badged version of the Navigator platform, whose owner, Aviva, bought a 20 per cent stake in PIS earlier this year.
With choice of fund still a new phenomenon, superannuation will be a significant part of myblueprint’s business, Bennetts believes.
“I personally think there will be a lot of enquiries about superannuation and superannuation choice. There will also be a lot of enquiries about asset protection,” he said.
Given the nature of Kennerley’s show, women will also be a key target market for the dealer group.
“Kerrie-Anne is a very impressive person. She is very determined to deliver what her audience is seeking and there are a lot of demand from a lot of independent women who watch the show for financial independence,” Bennetts said.
He added: “The initial target, the long-term vision, is to have $10 billion come in through this system.”
