In this episode of Relative Return Unplugged, hosts Maja Garaca Djurdjevic and Keith Ford, along with special guest Steve Kuper, discuss a whirlwind start to US President Donald Trump’s second term that all but kicked off a trade war.

We explore the lay of the land following a flurry of executive orders, abrupt policy changes, and escalating tensions that seem to have no clear end in sight. The tariffs on Canada and Mexico are paused for now, but China did not experience the same sudden reversal.

Trump’s leadership style has so far led to volatility in global markets as investors grapple with the significant uncertainty and a potential market correction on the horizon.

Tune in to hear:

• The case for tariffs as bargaining chips and if this is ultimately a chaotic approach to diplomacy.
• Whether volatility is here to stay as a feature of Trump’s presidency.
• What kind of flow-on impact tariffs could have on the Australian economy.

In this episode of The ifa Show, we share a discussion between host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic and associate professor Nathan Eva, from Monash Business School, on the global implications of US President Donald Trump's "me-first agenda" on organisational culture, including within Australia.

Eva breaks down Trump’s executive orders rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and clean energy efforts, and how these moves could flow through into the domestic landscape.

Listen as they discuss:

• The risks that come with deprioritising diversity and how Australian leaders can resist these trends.
• What organisations can do to stay committed to fairness, equity, and sustainability amid political and social upheaval.
• The leadership qualities needed to navigate this challenging new era.

There has been significant movement in the digital advice space over the past decade. As the industry accelerates its efforts to address the undersupply of financial advice, digital solutions are essential to meet the demands of Australia’s 12.9 million financial advice beneficiaries.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser podcast, host Keith Ford talks to David Barrett, an independent consultant with a wealth of experience in the industry, to delve into the evolving landscape of digital advice for SMSFs.

Barrett highlights a recent partnership between a digital advice provider and a major institution, showcasing the industry’s progress. While the initial iterations of digital advice have been simplistic, they have laid the groundwork for more complex solutions in the future. However, when faced with complex scenarios such as defined benefit schemes, digital advice may still require human intervention.

Listen as they discuss:

• The role of digital advice in SMSFs.
• Challenges and drawbacks of digital advice.
• Legislative agenda and future considerations.

The emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up that claims to have built an advanced large language model in just two months for under US$6 million, sent shockwaves through the AI world and cratered US tech stocks.

In this episode of the Relative Return Unplugged podcast, Professor Geoff Webb from Monash University’s Department of Data Science and AI unpacks what the emergence of a Chinese challenger to established US AI players means and whether scepticism over its claims is warranted.

We discuss how markets have responded to DeepSeek’s arrival, whether tech giants are overspending on AI, the possibility of other challengers popping up around the world, and the security concerns when dealing with Chinese tech.

Tune in to hear Webb’s insights on how these new developments are going to impact the future of AI.

In the latest episode of The ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by academic and consultant Dr Katherine Hunt to dive into the barriers that are holding advice firms back from bringing on young advisers and why overcoming them is important for the future of the profession.

Reflecting on conversations with advisers who have decided working with professional year (PY) advisers simply doesn’t fit their business model, Hunt outlined why this is an area where advice firms can take on more responsibility for improving the overall profession while still gaining value from a new adviser’s skills.

Listen as she discusses:

• How to reposition the value proposition of a PY adviser as a positive for your clients.
• Why the proposed new class of adviser could be reason for optimism and lead to growth in adviser numbers in the long-term.
• How to get the most out of mandated ethics continuing professional development rather than just ticking a box.

Donald Trump’s presidency has already begun reshaping the corporate and political landscape in the US, with executive orders rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and clean energy efforts.

In this episode of the Relative Return Unplugged podcast, associate professor Nathan Eva from Monash Business School discusses the global implications of Trump’s “me-first agenda” on organisational culture, including within Australia.

We explore the risks of deprioritising diversity, and how Australian leaders can resist these trends, as well as what organisations can do to stay committed to fairness, equity, and sustainability amid political and social upheaval.

Tune in to hear Nathan’s insights on the leadership qualities needed to navigate this challenging new era.

In the latest episode of The ifa Show, host Keith Ford sits down with founder and director of Forte Asset Solutions, Steve Prendeville, to break down what’s happening in the financial services mergers and acquisitions (M&A) space.

With activity high across the board, including multiple bidders attempting to take over Insignia Financial, Prendeville shares his insights on the growing international interest in Australian financial services firms and why this is happening.

Listen as he discusses:

• The impact of offshore ownership on the domestic financial services market.
• Why 2025 is set to be a busy year for M&A advice firms, driven by a combination of supply and demand dynamics.
• How financial advisers can build better businesses and enhance profitability.

In the first episode of the SMSF Adviser Show for 2025, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn take a look at the hot topics that will impact the SMSF space in the new year.

The pair discuss the upcoming federal election, which is set to dominate the outlook for the first half of the year, as a range of measures related to SMSF advice hang in the balance and are unlikely to be decided until the polls are closed.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why litigation over estate benefits is expected to continue to grow.
• How a strong focus on retirement outcomes will take centrestage in 2025.
• The possibility of accountants being given a larger role in providing financial advice.