Australia’s managed accounts sector is booming, with over $250 billion invested and rapid growth projected as the nation moves toward becoming the world’s second largest pension market. But with growth comes complexity—particularly in Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs), where inconsistent data standards and reporting pose real challenges.
That’s why Adviser Ratings and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) are proud to announce their successful joint funding application under the Australian Government Department of Education’s National Industry PhD Program. This coveted grant will support a PhD research project focused on advancing transparency, standardisation, and trust in the rapidly growing SMA segment of Australia’s wealth management sector.
Why It Matters for Advisers
SMAs are shaping the future of personalised, transparent investing, but inconsistent data formats and reporting standards can hinder clear comparisons and informed decision making. This project aims to:
- Develop AI driven tools to bring consistency and clarity to SMA reporting.
- Improve transparency and trust in investment outcomes.
- Help advisers deliver better, more confident advice to clients.
The Research Initiative
The project—“Developing AI Driven Tools to Maintain Data Standards and Empirically Validate Investment Outcomes for the Managed Accounts Sector”—is one of only two UNSW linked projects awarded in this funding round, out of 177 submissions nationwide.
It’s a unique collaboration between academia and industry, with a PhD candidate embedded in the real world wealth management ecosystem, working alongside Adviser Ratings’ data and technology experts.
The research will be supported by UNSW’s School of Computer Science and Engineering and the UNSW AI Institute, leveraging advanced expertise in data science, machine learning, and finance. The goal is to deliver AI solutions that set a new benchmark for the managed accounts sector—here in Australia and globally.
Here’s what this means for the advice community:
- Standardisation: Consistent, credible reporting across the SMA market.
- Innovation: AI powered tools designed for advisers’ real needs.
- Trust: Increased transparency to strengthen adviser–client relationships.
“This isn’t just about compliance,” says Angus Woods, Managing Director of Adviser Ratings. “We’re building the infrastructure to create trust at scale.”
Our Role in Driving Change
This initiative reinforces Adviser Ratings’ commitment to driving innovation and transparency across the wealth management landscape. From ProductRex to the SMA Standard™, and now this national research partnership, we’re helping advisers, licensees, and platforms navigate complexity with confidence.
Stay tuned for updates as the project progresses—we’ll share insights and findings that help you deliver better advice and improve client outcomes.
In the meantime, learn more about industry efforts to improve transparency and consistency in managed accounts through the SMA Standard™.
For advisers navigating platform and managed account choices, ProductRex offers tools to simplify comparisons and support informed recommendations for clients.
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