Integro’s Travis Edwards has joined as a Partner of the firm, based in Bunbury Western Australia. He brought within him a team of staff and decades of experience supporting families in regional Australia with their wealth management needs. Read more about his journey below.
What drove you to become a financial adviser?
I grew up with a dad who was a country accountant and a mum who worked as a bursar (financial administrator) at a local school, so I was always around numbers. Both were great role models who instilled in me the importance of treating everyone well and that if you can help someone, it’s only natural that you should.
After studying, travelling and working across a few different industries, a close friend who was a financial planner described how he worked with clients to help them achieve their financial and life goals. That conversation sparked my interest. I pursued study in the area and have never looked back. It was a natural fit.
My wife and kids joke that a ‘quick trip to Bunnings’ is never, ever quick, because I love bumping into clients and catching up about everything that is happening. I like being able to provide them with a sense of security knowing that their financial future is being looked after professionally by someone that truly understands them.
What does your role as a Partner at Integro Private Wealth entail?
I’m delighted to have joined Integro at such an exciting time, not only for the business but also for clients across the industry. Over the years, I’ve seen financial advice shift toward higher qualification standards and more client-focused practices, resulting in significantly better-quality advice.
I joined Integro because I strongly believe in both of these values. As a Partner in the firm, I am focused on supporting existing clients in Bunbury and the South West, while also looking at how we can grow our national presence and improve our services to provide better outcomes for our clients. This includes harnessing new technologies to improve efficiency and financial modelling, as well as looking at how we can provide clients with access to emerging investment opportunities like private equity.
What area of advice do you specialise in?
Being based in Bunbury, I have built extensive experience in supporting farming and agricultural families, as well as small and family businesses. These are both large and growing client bases for our team and the work focuses on succession planning, managing both on and off farm assets and financial modelling for their businesses.
Many of my clients are in the pre-retirement stage, so we also focus on defining and articulating wealth accumulation goals as they move into retirement phase, particularly for superannuation structures and pension optimisation. Comprehensive, holistic advice is the key and it’s important to acknowledge that every family has unique needs.
What is your favourite part about being based in Bunbury?
My wife and I moved to Bunbury more than 17 years ago when our boys were very young and an opportunity presented itself to take over a book of clients from a Senior Adviser who was retiring. We wanted to make the most of everything the South West has to offer and Bunbury has been a great base for that.
Over the years, we’ve enjoyed a range of outdoor activities including camping, boating, mountain biking and countless terrific adventures. We love being “in the country” while still having access to all the benefits of a large, thriving regional hub: good schools, restaurants, medical care and business growth opportunities. There’s a lot of opportunity in places like Bunbury.
What trends are you seeing among clients seeking financial advice today?
The recent Federal Budget in May proposed a range of tax changes on property, investments and family trusts. We are now seeing many of our clients come forward to understand how the changes will impact their personal finances, both on past investments as well as upcoming decisions that have been planned. This is a live situation that we are still working through on an individual basis.
Another key trend is that more clients are wanting access to private market assets for their investment portfolios and this trend has continued to increase in recent years. This is being driven by the fact that these investments are now easier to access, they help diversify risk and recent returns have been strong. At Integro, we sit down with each client to understand whether these investments are right for them.
As Integro expands its national footprint, Travis Edwards is working with clients and professional partners across the southwest in Western Australia. If you’re interested in learning more about Integro’s approach to wealth management or exploring partnership opportunities, contact Travis at [email protected]