CFS Edge strengthens leading position in managed accounts with launch of international equities and Accelerate Series menu expansion

Colonial First State (CFS) today announces the launch of international signature managed accounts on the CFS Edge platform and an expansion of the Accelerate Series menu. 

The new additions enable advisers and their clients to access international markets through global equity managers T.Rowe Price, CBRE Investment Management, ClearBridge, and Lazard Asset Management.

The menu expansion takes the total number of managed accounts on CFS Edge to more than 150 with over $14 billion invested in CFS managed accounts across the Edge and FirstChoice platforms.

“CFS Edge was designed with managed accounts at its core. These new options give advisers and their clients easy direct access to global markets while benefiting from the efficiency of a managed account structure,” said Bryce Quirk, CFS Group Executive, Distribution.

Australia represents just 2.5% of global markets, meaning client portfolios which focus solely on the domestic market may be missing out on some of the world’s best investment opportunities.

“Advisers and their clients benefit from true diversification by spreading risk across different countries, sectors and asset classes. International signature managed accounts on CFS Edge cut through the complexity of international equity trading and foreign exchange management with innovative currency wallet technology which enables advisers to transact and invest in twelve currencies,” said Frances Taylor, Executive Director of Managed Accounts at CFS.

"As a leading global asset manager, T. Rowe Price is pleased to extend our investment capabilities to more Australian investors through CFS Edge's managed account platform. Our successful track record in the global equity SMA space has demonstrated the value we bring to investors, and we welcome the opportunity to make our strategies more accessible," said Jonathon Ross, Head of Intermediary Distribution for Australia at T. Rowe Price.

The expansion of the CFS Edge Accelerate Series menu sees the addition of new portfolio managers AZ Sestante, InvestSense and Mercer, and the introduction of 21 new managed accounts. Several of these new options are also available on the FirstChoice platform, providing advisers and their clients with ever greater flexibility and choice.

The Accelerate Series is a full-service managed account solution which enables advisers to blend low-cost solutions with sophisticated investment options in a single account, allowing them to service different client segments from a single platform.

CFS has also launched new managed account options with four new CFS Dynamic portfolios which have a four-star SQM rating and expanded the CFS Index Portfolios with additional risk profiles.

The launch of the new options is complimented by a new CFS whitepaper, International Investing Through Managed Accounts, which is available to download on the CFS website.