Established in 2007, Strategic Wealth Management Group was created to offer independent, evidence-based financial solutions to NZ clients.

To understand the history of Strategic Wealth Management Group, our purpose and our values, we have to start with founder Alex Fowler’s career.

Alex began providing financial advice in 1989, helping clients with financial planning and investment strategies. For their investment portfolios he would conduct research to find “outstanding fund managers” to manage client’s assets.

While attending a conference in Australia, an attendee mentioned new academic research regarding investment risks and returns. The studies contradicted the multi-manager strategy he was using. They claimed the research could be applied to client portfolios to increase risk-adjusted returns for clients. Alex decided to investigate further.

Shortly thereafter, Alex flew to San Jose in the US to meet John Bowen, then CEO of Reinhardt Webber Bowen. John helped analyse his client’s portfolios in terms of the research available. This showed the portfolios were riskier than he thought, with lower returns too. The conventional method of portfolio management was not working as it should.

Challenged by the new findings, he had to make a decision. Throughout his career, he believed the multi-manager strategy was best for his clients. Now he knew it was not and had to decide how to move forward. Alex decided to create a new business, built on the the principle of applying peer-reviewed research to investment strategies.

In 1996, investment products based on academic research became available in Australia. Alex was among the first advisers in Australia and NZ to offer these funds to clients. Now there are more than 50 advisers within NZ with over $1B NZD under management. More than two decades later, these funds remain key building blocks in our client’s portfolios.

Phil joined Alex’s business in 2004 as a client service representative. Shortly after, this business merged with an Australian adviser company. The idea was to improve value to clients by combining services over a larger client base. However, the company eventually decided to begin providing their own products as well as advising, compromising the independence of advice in Phil and Alex’s eyes. It was at this point they decided to create Strategic Wealth Management, to have full control over the values of the business.

In 2007, Strategic Wealth Management Group was created with the goal of providing truly independent financial advice to NZ clients.