Count grows member community

Count has continued its growth with the addition of Sydney-based advice firm, Critique.

Critique was previously licensed through an Insignia-owned licence and has a team of two financial advisers.

Established in 2004, Critique’s focus is on applying strategic financial advice tailored to the client’s individual circumstances.

Jason Abrahams, director and financial adviser at Critique, said the decision to join Count was based on the support on offer.

“We went through the evolution of advice within aligned channels and came to a point where we simply weren’t able to dedicate enough of our time to our clients’ needs – so that was a big motivation to join Count,” said Mr Abrahams.

“More immediately though, and most striking to us, was the refreshing perspective and collaborative culture Count has, which we witnessed through many meetings with different members of the team. These interactions reminded us why we wanted to be advisers in the first place.”

Andrew Kennedy, chief advice officer at Count, welcomed Critique’s appointment to its member community, highlighting their strong capability and experience.

“Jason and Robert Wolski are outstanding advisers who bring a combined 50 years’ experience and deep strategic expertise to our network. More importantly, they are a strong cultural fit with our community and we’re excited about working together to support their clients.”

Last month, in its first quarter update for the 2023–24 financial year, Count took a bullish stance on its outlook, with chief executive Hugh Humphrey pointing to acquisitions and adviser growth as pillars of its roadmap moving forward.

“Count is uniquely placed to take advantage of consolidation in the accounting and wealth sectors. We have identified ourselves as the clear leader in the profession,” Mr Humphrey said.

The firm noted that with 379 advisers under its umbrella as at 30 June 2023, it has bucked the industry-wide trend of losses. This represents a growth of 36 per cent compared with FY2022, with much of the growth coming through the acquisitions made in FY23.

Mr Humphrey also noted that the business is well positioned for ongoing growth as a result of client demand for integrated wealth and accounting services, while also pointing to a number of recent acquisitions as avenues for increased earnings.