Frontier Advisors has been ranked ‘outright’ first among asset consultants in the recently released Peter Lee Associates survey. Frontier was ranked the sole leader overall and first across a majority of categories measured.
Now in its 21st year, the highly regarded Peter Lee Associates Investment Management Survey collated the thoughts and opinions of around one hundred Chief Investment Officers, Chief Executive Officers and other leading Australian institutional investors.
In the all-important Relationship Strength Index, which effectively sums and weights the most important attributes respondents rate in their asset consultant, Frontier scored the highest mark of all firms. This is a return to the top position for Frontier after being ranked as equal first, though nominally behind Willis Towers Watson for the last two years. This is the seventh year in a row Frontier has been ranked first, or equal first.
Frontier was also ranked first, or equal first, in eight of fourteen categories examined by the study. This included first in the likelihood to recommend, or ‘net promoter score’, also for the seventh consecutive year, and first in ‘quality of service’ for a record eight years in succession. Our net promoter score of 67 was well clear of all other firms.
Managing Director of Peter Lee Associates, Sandhya Chand, observed a shift in this year’s results after two years of pandemic challenges and broader industry evolution. “The global pandemic and ensuing market volatility has heightened the importance of advisers and of course sharpened the focus on service as we’ve been working remotely for so much of that period. There is perhaps a renewed recognition in the role asset consultants can play and Frontier’s consistency and adaptability over several years is clear in the data,” said Chand.
Frontier CEO Andrew Polson is particularly pleased with the report card from investors. “It is wonderful to now have seven years of such strong recognition from the market. In particular, areas like quality of service and capability of consultant, where we have been strongly endorsed over many years in a row, is vital in a people business, like ours.
“Three quarters of our clients scored us 9 or 10 in terms of being likely to recommend Frontier. That is incredibly pleasing, and humbling. And, a great reflection on our team. This year, we’ve also has strong results in terms of our advice around risk assessment and regulations which point to our ability to help our clients manage key areas of their operations,” said Andrew.
The 2022 survey revealed the three areas of strongest demand for advice for investors relate to data analytics of ESG exposures, advice on sustainable investment policy and strategies to achieve net zero targets. In terms of the Relationship Strength Index, scores fluctuate between larger and smaller investors’ ranking of some consultants, and also between super and non-super asset owners. However, Frontier remains on top across all of these groups.
A total of 98 individual asset owner organisations participated in this year’s study.
Frontier ‘number one’ results for 2022:
Relationship Strength Index
Capability of consultant
Quality of service
Performance against benchmarks
Digital research and analysis tools
Reasonable fees
Risk assessment and advice (=1)
Advice on YFYS and regulations
Net Promoter Score
