Schedule and agenda

Given the Adviser Innovation Summit 2025 falls in the immediate aftermath of the election, our MC will start by contextualising the regulatory implications of the election result. This opening address paints the broad policy directives and specific regulatory frameworks impacting financial advice in the post-election landscape before asking the question: where to from here?

We live in a fracturing world where rising threat levels from geopolitical risk have created an uncertain investing environment. For some, the frequency and severity of geopolitical shocks is reason enough to preference more tangible trends. Others recognise historical patterns in the present and are deploying capital to climb through the chaos. In this session, our panellists will explore innovative approaches to assembling a resilient portfolio. Together, we will:

• Explore how changes in global politics and economic policy are affecting the investment environment.
• Devise innovative strategies for capturing opportunities emerging from uncertainty.
• Discuss how to factor global politics into your risk management strategies to build resilience and prepare your portfolio for geopolitical events.
• Share strategies for maintaining a long-term view through tumultuous times.

A torrent of new technologies have assailed the financial advice landscape, tempting advisers to defy logic and integrate more tools in the pursuit of simplicity. But before introducing new layers of complexity, advisers need to optimise the first technologies in their technology-first practices. This session will set the foundations for a coherent tech stack that flexes as your practice evolves. Rather than interrogating new technologies, our panellists will strip back the layers to optimise the essential functions that underpin your success. Together, we will:

• Reveal how to strip back layers in your tech stack to understand which essential functions are driving your success.
• Weight the benefits of consolidation versus customisation in congested technology ecosystems.
• Consider how to leverage big data for tailored solutions, creating ultra targeted strategies for niche client demands.
• Identify common inefficiencies that can slow your workflow and solutions to address them.
• Craft a strategy for ongoing technology optimisation that adapts to your practice’s evolving needs.

The vast amounts of personal information relied upon to provide tailored financial advice makes advisers an attractive target for malicious actors. While trust and security are top of mind for clients, there remain significant discrepancies in security posture among advisers. Against a backdrop of regulatory consultation and technological advancement, we ask how advisers can improve the sophistication of their security practices to better handle sensitive information at scale.

Together, we will:

• Consider the security ramifications, both positive and negative, of calls to extend access of the ATO's online portal to financial advisers.
• Explore how platforms are driving security advancements for advisers, from client authentication through to fraud protection education initiatives.
• Adopt a long-term lens and consider how information is retained in systems to ensure you are protecting your clients now and in the future.
• • Recognise that humans are the weakest link in any security architecture, and set about creating a culture of vigilance and reinforcement.

From cryptocurrencies through to collectibles, alternative asset classes are commanding greater attention and investment from clients. The ability to understand and integrate these alternatives into client portfolios has direct bearing on an adviser’s standing as a comprehensive and trusted partner. In this session, our panellists will dispel the myths surrounding alternative asset classes, arming attendees to broaden the scope of their practice. Together, we will:

• Explore diversification opportunities through non-traditional asset classes that have garnered strong interest from clients.
• Learn to communicate both the potential and risks of alternative assets effectively to clients.
• Break down the regulatory and tax considerations for alternative investments in Australia.