North, one of Australia’s leading wrap investment platforms, has strengthened the breadth of its client offer with the addition of six new managed portfolios from global investment manager BlackRock.
Advisers on North can now access the iShares Enhanced Strategic Index Portfolios range, providing clients with exposure to a diversified portfolio of over 4000 global stocks and bonds.
Additional risk profiles have also been added to the Lonsec Listed Managed Portfolios series and the Russell Investments Sustainable Managed Portfolios range to provide advisers with more choice and flexibility.
According to the 2023 Adviser Technology Needs Report by Investment Trends, North’s product and investment choice is the key reason why two in three advisers on North continue use it as their main platform.
Currently, North offers a carefully curated and evolving investment menu of over 1,000 options, delivering access to over 520 managed funds from 80 investment managers.
Responding to adviser feedback
North’s investment menu has been further strengthened with the addition of National Australia Bank (NAB) as a new term deposit provider.
The term deposits will be accessible from North next week and have been added to the platform in response to feedback received from advisers.
AMP data shows interest among both aligned and independent financial advisers in term deposits has more than doubled over the last 12 months as client allocations seek safe haven defensive assets in a rising interest rate environment.
As of 31 August 2023, total funds held in term deposits on North increased to $1.93 billion, up from $967 million last year.
Greater transparency and flexibility
Advisers on North can now offer greater transparency and flexibility across their growing client book thanks to a series of platform enhancements unveiled today.
The new functionality means advisers can now set upper limits for fixed-term costs on super and pension accounts, ensuring fairness and simplifying compliance for ongoing advice provisioning.
Advisers can nominate a dollar cap when setting up the fee agreements on North and our Investor Directed Portfolio Services, in line with investment growth and additional contributions.
This makes the ongoing task of managing fees significantly less onerous and ensures advisers remain in line with their fee agreement, keeping costs lower for their clients.
For more information about North’s new features and its expanded investment menu, please see our Investment Options page here or visit https://www.northonline.com.au/adviser/investment-options
Group Executive, Platforms Edwina Maloney, said:
“AMP continues to strengthen the breadth of investment menu choice and options on offer through North.
The addition of these offers from BlackRock, Lonsec, Russell Investments and NAB reflect the feedback we get from advisers on the financial solutions that give them and their clients most value.
We recognise the importance of staying responsive to our clients' evolving needs. This is why we continue to invest in North’s platform functionality to provide an industry-leading platform that gives advisers greater choice, flexibility and transparency in the market.
This expansion of North's investment menu aligns with our vision for providing a broader spectrum of opportunities that enhance the experience for advisers on the North platform.”
NAB Executive, Markets John Bennett, said:
“We are very pleased to announce the addition of NAB Term Deposits on the North platform. Platform Term Deposits are an important part of our business, and we are delighted to have this opportunity to work with North.”
