Introducing our new Australian Financial Services Licence

Author Annie Lillico Lewis

Expert Reviewer Paul Kearney, CPA, CFP®

Kearney Group today announced that its nationally recognised Financial Planning division, Kearney Financial Planning, will begin operating under its own Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) Imagineering FS Pty Ltd, ending the firm’s 20 year affiliation with Securitor Financial Group.

Kearney Financial Planning has been licenced by Securitor since the firm’s inception in the 1990s.

Group Founder and CEO, Paul Kearney, noted Securitor’s foundations in professional accounting and its “arms-length” support services were what initially attracted his attention.

“When we were first setting up our financial planning division,” says Kearney, “we wanted a licensor that understood or at least appreciated our multidisciplinary service. We liked Securitor’s accounting background which gave a level of professionalism and an ethics framework to their offering. This is no small thing given financial planning, as a profession, was truly in its infancy. And ultimately, we wanted ‘arms-length’ licensee services that would allow us to make recommendations, genuinely in the best interests of our clients and without interference from the big banks or product providers. Securitor ticked those boxes for us at the time.”

Kearney Group to self-license by November.

After two decades, Kearney Financial Planning will dive headlong into self-licensing in only a couple weeks’ time.

“The business is now much larger and more mature. Our needs have changed,” said Kearney. “It’s been our view for some time that licencing and advice will decentralise. Given our current position, our desire to help shape the future of financial advice in Australia and the ever-changing landscape of our profession, we thought it was the right time to make our next move.”

“We’ve had a great 20 years with Securitor,” Kearney added, “We’re thankful for their support as we’ve grown and we look forward to taking on this new challenge.”

Kearney Financial Planning will begin operating as a Corporate Authorised Representative of Imagineering FS Pty Ltd ABN 41 627 350 636, Australian Financial Services Licence 510873 on 2 November 2018. Kearney Financial Planning will simultaneously cease affiliation with, and operations as a Corporate Authorised Representative of, Securitor Financial Group Pty Ltd. Imagineering FS Pty Ltd will be responsible for all future advice and activities undertaken in relation to the financial planning services provided by the firm.