Advisers Rely More on Analysts for Mutual Fund Choices

Financial intermediaries now do more than one-third of their mutual fund business in products recommended from their home office, according to a survey by kasina and Horsesmouth.

More specifically, financial intermediaries surveyed in October and November reported doing 33.5% of their mutual fund business in the past year in products on recommend lists, according to a release of the survey results.

Also in the previous year, advisers said they did more than one-fifth (21.6%) of overall production in mutual funds on wrap platforms—a slightly larger percentage (19.3%) than when the same question was asked six months earlier.

In the next 12 months, surveyed advisers anticipated doing 27.8% of their mutual-fund business in model portfolios (up from 24.9% the previous year) and 8.3% in unified managed accounts (UMAs) (up from 5.7%).

The results illustrate how home-office analysts are having a greater influence on the decisions advisers make, according to kasina.

“This trend is being driven by the dual desires to limit risk and to increase profitability,” said Lee Kowarski, principal at kasina, in the release. “Advisers are clearly moving in the direction desired by their home offices—partially because they see the benefits of following the experts’ guidance and partially because distributors are pushing advisers to make changes through management and compensation.”

The trend is particularly evident within the traditional wirehouse and bank/trust channels. For instance, surveyed wirehouse advisers did 24.8% of their overall production in mutual funds on wrap platforms, the highest of any of the major distribution channels. Furthermore, advisers in the wirehouse and bank channels anticipate doing the highest percentage of their business in UMAs over the coming year (11.5% and 10.3%, respectively).

Asset management consulting firm kasina surveyed 3,003 financial intermediaries.

McCann Names Former Merrill Exec to Head UBS Advisory Group

Robert McCann, CEO of UBS Wealth Management Americas, has filled out the firm’s leadership team with former Merrill Lynch executives, according to news reports.

McCann, the former president of Global Wealth Management at Merrill Lynch, is now making his mark at UBS, which he joined in October (see “McCann in to Head UBS Wealth Management”). Dow Jones reported that McCann announced in an internal memo Tuesday that Bob Mulholland, a 25-year Merrill veteran, will replace Jamie Price as head of UBS’ Wealth Management Advisor Group. Mulholland will be responsible for the firm’s advisory strategy and will lead UBS’ brokerage force. Price will move to an advisory role at the firm, while he considers “new career opportunities,” the memo said.

McCann also named Brian Hull to the newly created position of head of Wealth Management Partnerships as UBS changes the structure of some of its brokerage divisions, according to the news report. Before joining UBS in November, Hull was most recently head of Merrill’s Private Bank and Investment Group.

John Brown, a 29-year Merrill veteran, will serve in a new role as head of Wealth Management Solutions, responsible for product platform development and strategy, according to the report. Jim Hausmann, previously interim head of Products and Services, will take a leadership role in the new Wealth Management Solutions organization, reporting to Brown.


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