ASIC bans former Sydney portfolio manager


The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has banned former Sydney-based dealer and portfolio manager at Regal Funds Management, Dylan Rands, for five years from providing financial services for his engagement in market manipulation.
The corporate regulator found that Rands had been engaged in manipulative trading in relation to Clearview Wealth shares and breached the Corporations Act when:
- Between December 2018 and June 2019, he entered into 112 uncommercial transactions which created, or were likely to create, an artificial price for the shares of Clearview Wealth; and
- On 27 March, 2018, and 31 May, 2019, he created a false or misleading appearance of active trading in Clearview Wealth.
Additionally, Rands’ pattern of trading involved purchasing Clearview Wealth shares which had the effect of increasing or restoring the Clearview Wealth share price shortly following a price fall.
According to ASIC, such trading displayed “an absence of commerciality, in circumstances where Rands’ objective was to exit the Clearview Wealth position he managed at Regal, which he ultimately sold in June 2019”.
The regulator found Rands was deemed “not adequately trained” or not competent to provide financial services and perform functions as an officer of an entity that carried on a financial services business, and he was likely to contravene financial services law.
He had the right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for a review of ASIC’s decision.
In November 2019, Money Management reported that Regal Funds Management was under investigation by ASIC for an undisclosed issue.
Recommended for you
Selfwealth has provided an update on the status of its scheme implementation deed with Bell Financial Group as well as whether rival bidder Svava remains in the picture.
Magellan Financial Group has reported its first half FY25 results while appointing a new chief financial officer and promoting Sophia Rahmani to chief executive.
Schroders Australia has launched two active ETFs and plans to further expand its listed range over the year ahead.
Platform Netwealth has reported its financial results for the first half of FY25, reporting an 80 per cent increase in net flows, with its CEO viewing a “huge opportunity” from private assets.