This Month
Australia must heed turning tide of banking regulations abroad
APRA’s regulatory mission creep is unlikely to help banks and insurers compete more effectively against nimble start-ups and tech giants expanding into financial services.
Billionaire Nicola Forrest appoints UBank boss to run family office
The country’s second-richest woman has been building up the charitable and investment sides of her family office, Coaxial Foundation and Coaxial Ventures.
February
Job losses at MS Wealth Management amid ‘strategic pivot’
The investment solutions team will merge with the wealth management research team, and the Chinese wall between the two divisions will be done away with.
Three’s an unusually big crowd in a $3b leveraged buyout; buyer beware
When PE firms push each other to the limit, the buyer often lives to regret it. Insignia Financial is a fascinating test.
Escala’s Sydney power duo defects to rival HNW advice firm
Rival wealth advisory firms rivals have been steadily picking off advisers from the embattled firm over the past 18 months.
January
The $18.4trn reason to listen to BlackRock’s three lessons in 2025
Wall Street and its biggest investors like the global investment giant influence the ASX more than anything else. That’s why you need to listen.
December 2024
Santa quashes Bain Capital’s big Aussie buyout, for now
Behind the flurry of statements, there’s a game of M&A chess. Insignia Financial is this year’s Christmas special.
Hospitality entrepreneur backs ex-BofA operative to hang out his shingle
Alex Pikoulas is busy establishing his own wealth management shop backed by Anthony Sullivan of Quantaco.
PE giant Bain Capital zeros in on $2b Insignia; BofA on hand
Street Talk understands Bain Capital is running the ruler over ASX-listed over $2 billion ASX-listed financial services giant Insignia Financial.
PwC client Perpetual now the ATO’s crash test dummy
It would be funny if it weren’t for Perpetual’s succession of own goals that have already turned it into an Australian funds management laughing stock.
The eight postcodes with more than $1 million invested outside of property (Hint: they’re not where you think)
Search the interactive map to find out where Australia’s biggest investors live, and how your suburb stacks up.
Nine private wealth advisers defect from Perpetual
Street Talk understands nine advisers resigned from the 138-year-old investment group on Friday.
November 2024
Inside the advice shop putting wealthy Australians into private equity
Australian private equity is only really starting to crack the holy grail – wealthy families. How are they doing it? One name keeps coming up.
The start-ups challenging big banks on loans and payments
These top 5 fintechs on the Fast Starters list have found gaps in the market where the big banks fear to tread.
New CEO takes a turn to ‘Make MLC Great Again’
The last owner to make good money out of MLC was Lendlease, more than two decades ago. But it is coming back.
Case closed: Escala loses bid to restrict defecting partners
Paul Sealey and Jonathan Vickers‑Willis defected to rival LGT Crestone in 2023 amid a spate of departures.
October 2024
The inconspicuous investor in bed with Australia’s biggest super funds
Global asset managers swarm to Australia’s super system like bees to a honeypot. Few pick up mandates as big as Dimensional.
Ex-Macquarie, CBA wealth boss joins Jun Bei Liu’s shop
Todd’s contact book is chock-full of private wealth types and should give Liu additional firepower to further grow her $1.7 billion Alpha Plus fund.
What about me? UBS, Credit Suisse tech integration misfires with advisers
Street Talk understands wealth advisers are fired up about a global edict that will keep them wedded to the Credit Suisse platform.
September 2024
Buyout maverick Crescent Capital shakes up private equity
One of Australia’s most successful private equity firms, Crescent Capital, like its founder Michael Alscher, is happiest operating below the radar.