Smaller licensees boast more experienced advisers

Mike Taylor

Managing Editor/Publisher, Financial Newswire

8 August 2025

Financial advisers who are self-licensed or practicing under the smallest licensees are generally more experienced, according to new analysis from WealthData.

WealthData principal, Colin Williams said that 81.3% of advisers working under single AFSLs have more than 10 years’ experience and this was the case where two advisers worked under an AFSL

“At the other end of the spectrum, 6,039 advisers are authorised at AFSLs that have 100 or more advisers. This represents 39.28% of all advisers,” he said.

“The number of AFSLs is 30 which is only 1.58% of all AFSLs. The experience level is the third highest with 70.8% having 10 years or more experience.”

Key Adviser Movements for This Period

• Net change of advisers +9
• Current number of advisers 15,373
• Net Change Calendar 2025 YTD (-100)
• Net Change Financial YTD (2025/26) +195
• 29 Licensee Owners had net gains of 43 advisers
• 22 Licensee Owners had net losses for (-36) advisers
• 1 new licensee and two ceased
• 14 new entrants
• Number of advisers active in this period, appointed / resigned: 103.

Growth – Licensee Owners

• Entireti & Akumin Group up by net seven, this included six moving across from Interprac which is owned by Sequoia. Note: The group also moved some 15 advisers from its Fortnum Private Wealth Ltd AFSL to its Fortnum Advice Pty Ltd AFSL.
• Three licensee owners up by net three:
  • Rhombus Advisory with two new entrants and one adviser coming back to advice after a long break
  • Lifestyle Asset Management with two advisers moving across from Picture Wealth and one coming back into advice after a break of several months.
  • Anthony William Borg (Navigate Manly Pty Ltd) with advisers leaving Akumin Financial Planning
• Integrity Financial Planners up by two with one new entrant and another coming back into advice after a break of some five years
• Centrepoint Group also up by two after hiring three advisers, one a new entrant, one from Advocate Advisory and one from Paragem, and losing one adviser to Templestone
• A tail of 23 licensees up by net one including Oreana Financial, Lifespan and Canaccord.

Losses – Licensee Owners

• Sequoia Group down by five, after losing six to Entireti as mentioned above and gaining one adviser who has come back into advice after a break of several years
• Australia Pacific Funds Management down by three
• NTAA also down by three
• Six licensee owners down by two:
  • Count Limited, losing four advisers and gaining two. One gained from Fortnum Private Wealth and the other is an adviser coming back after a break of 12 months
  • Infocus, with one moving to Personal Financial services owned by Entireti & Akumin Group and the other yet to be appointed elsewhere
  • Janus Financial, Ord Minnett , Politis Investment and Valor Financial Group all losing two adviser each and none appointed elsewhere to date.
• A tail of 13 down by net one each including Morgan Stanley, Togethr Trustees and Unisuper.