For nearly 30 years, Dixon Advisory has helped thousands of Australians realise their retirement dreams and helped to secure their financial futures – yet Canberra still remains at its core.
For many Canberrans, the prospect of a fulfilling retirement can seem unattainable; with the ramifications of the GFC still palpable, constant legislative reform, budget cut-backs and increasing health and aged care costs, it can be hard to picture a smooth journey from work to retirement.
Partnering with like-minded locals
A valiant presence in the Canberra financial landscape, Dixon Advisory has been helping Canberrans take control of their financial futures since 1986.
Established in McKay Gardens by Daryl and Kate Dixon, the firm has provided financial, investment and strategic advice to more than 10,000 local families and thousands of public sector employees.
In 1994, after trialling and enjoying significant success with their own self managed superannuation fund, Daryl began offering advice to like-minded investors, and Dixon Advisory “The smart superannuation alternative”, was born.
To this day, the company mantra remains, “the advice we give is advice we follow ourselves”, underpinned by a single goal in mind: to educate Australians about how to protect their wealth, and to empower them to achieve the retirement of their dreams.
Understanding policy
An economics graduate from Cambridge & Queensland Universities, Daryl built his expertise working for the International Monetary Fund in Washington, the Australian Treasury, the Department of Finance and the Social Welfare Policy Secretariat.
As his experience in the financial industry grew, so too did Daryl’s passion for financial education as a path to financial autonomy.
“Daryl is undoubtedly in my mind the foremost expert on superannuation, particularly when it comes to public service superannuation in this country,” Australian financial analyst and journalist, Ross Greenwood states.
Critical qualifications
Dixon Advisory has advocated for higher education standards for advisors for many years and does not subscribe to the low entry point requirements that have been in place across the advice industry.
Education is Dixon Advisory’s cornerstone. The Dixon Advisory community consists of some of Australia’s smartest and most qualified super & investment minds who look globally for the best investment opportunities, while being based right here in Australia.
The firm’s leading university graduates, their highest qualified accountants, investment and financial advisors help to grow the firm by providing customised advice that suits individual clients.
Finding “you” in retirement
Retirement ideology is different for every Australian but control over finances has been a key factor for many people to ensure the security of their retirement.
In the early 1990s, Daryl had the foresight to realise that the relatively new concept of a self managed superannuation fund would help achieve this control. During the following decades, including the unstable times of policy changes and global financial stress, this prediction proved correct, with a widespread growth in self managed superannuation funds – now the retirement tool of choice for around one million Australians.
Over many years providing financial advice, it became apparent to Daryl that no two would-be self-funded retirees shared the same view of retirement. This led Dixon Advisory to develop tailored strategies to support its clients. These include:
* Splitting the traditional role of advisor between strategic advice and investment advice, enabling a more focused approach for these important areas.
* Creating an integrated suite of other services available in house and as required by clients, such as: estate planning, life insurance and property and mortgage services.
While the road to retirement can at times be an unsteady path, it’s good to have an ally to help you maintain control of your investments, provide sensible, informed advice, deliver personal attention and be there to offer encouragement and support.
Such strategies have enabled Dixon Advisory to address the unique requirements of every individual and help support their retirement goals.
Anticipating risks and leveraging opportunities
The GFC has left many people feeling uncertain about whether their super would survive the battering the global economy was taking. During this period, trust was hard to find in the financial industry, yet at this time, Dixon Advisory remained focused and strategic.
Dixon Advisory formed an Investment Committee in 2002 to be the “eyes and ears” on global risks and opportunities for its clients. Headed by Chairman Patrick Broughton since 2013, the Investment Committee is made up of the firm’s (and some of Australia’s) most respected and
regarded investment and financial figures, including Daryl himself, Max Walsh, Alan Dixon, Chris Brown, Lyle Meaney, Alex MacLachlan and Nerida Cole.
Dixon Advisory’s Investment Committee uniquely:
* Has the courage to take contrarian views when there is the belief that these views are in the best interests of clients
* Has a global line of sight across a broad range of asset classes (currently 9) – so has been significantly less Australian share focused than many advisors/investors
* Has the ability not just to recommend, but also to create investment opportunities for its clients, where none exist or are inadequate – in many cases they are ahead of the market
* Lives by the mantra, “the advice we give is advice we follow ourselves.” The Dixon family, executives, staff, family and friends are collectively the biggest Dixon Advisory client. They invest significant amounts of their own savings in the same products and on the same terms as their clients.
Remaining a true Canberra success story
The firm has come a long way from the small office in McKay Gardens, to become one of the few independently owned advice firms in Australia. Dixon Advisory now has more 330 employees supporting clients locally from offices in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, as well as the New York investment office, which is headed up by Alan Dixon.
Many of Daryl’s original Canberra clients have remained with Dixon Advisory since its inception, heralding Daryl’s loyalty to their unique vision for their own retirement as the key attribute for remaining with the firm: a very good reason our Canberra legacy will always be a part of the Dixon Advisory story.
Dixon Advisory fundamentally believe that your retirement journey should be rewarding. “You need to enjoy the transition to retirement, as much as when you’re living it. Planning and saving can be stressful, but it’s important to enjoy the process of building your wealth,” Daryl says.
Further information: Telephone 1300 305 661 or visit the website www.dixon.com.au