The New Zealand arm of Australasian accountancy firm Crowe Horwath is considering adding wealth advice to its range of services, according to Julia Scott, head of marketing.
Scott said while the Crowe Horwath NZ group to date has not provided financial planning or investment advice as sister Australian firm does, it was on the agenda.
“We will bring [wealth advice] to New Zealand,” she said.
Only one Crowe Horwath accountant in NZ was qualified as an authorised financial adviser (AFA), Scott said.
Earlier this month, Crowe Horwath Australasia owner, Findex, announced a restructure of its operating model that will see all underlying firms provide a ‘family office’ style service.
Spiro Paule, Findex CEO, said the change of model – that came with a rebranding – would enable its cluster of businesses to offer “an extensive suite of financial advice and services from a single, trusted source”.
“We believe all of our clients, individuals and corporates, regardless of their size, structure or means, should have access to the advantages of a Family Office – that is, having their financial servicing needs met from a single point of contact in their trusted financial adviser,” Paule said in a statement.
“…This innovative move will allow us the ability to offer our clients not only wealth protection advice and wealth building advice, but also services relating to risk, lending, accounting, tax, specialists SMSF solutions, estate planning, succession and even philanthropy.”
Scott said the NZ division of Crowe Horwath had shifted to the “holistic” business advisory approach – with one person co-ordinating all client needs – without the wealth advice component.
Following the rebrand, all firms in the group’s stable will be stamped with ‘Part of Findex’ alongside their current business names.
Findex, which bills itself as Australasia’s largest privately-owned financial services group, has bundled a number of companies under its banner including: boutique Australian financial planning firms, Centric Wealth and Prescott Securities; online advice business, Movo; as well as accountancy groups Financial Index, MBP and Crowe Horwath.
Crowe Horwath is part of the international accountancy chain of the same name, which is structured as a Swiss verein, similar to a voluntary association.
Each member firm of Crowe Horwath is a separate and independent legal entity, according to the group’s documents.