InvestNow launch KiwiSaver scheme

Investing platform InvestNow have announced they will enter the KiwiSaver space with a large multi-fund offering.

Tuesday, October 13th 2020, 6:00AM

by Daniel Smith

(Left to right) InvestNow director Anthony Edmonds and general manager Mike Heath.

Director, Anthony Edmonds told Good Returns that their entering into the KiwiSaver space is the “logical next step in the evolution of the platform”.

Rather than dipping their toe in the water with a couple of fund offerings, InvestNow has jumped in head first with a large scheme offering 28 fund options on launch, managed by nine expert fund managers. Edmonds says that the funds run the gamut of “diversified funds; single-sector funds covering all the major asset classes including shares, fixed interest; index funds; active funds; and socially responsible funds”.

Edmonds has said that the KiwiSaver offering has been on the cards for InvestNow ever since their launch in 2017. Central to the thinking of InvestNow when developing these funds is allowing the maximum level of choice and flexibility for the investor.

He says that choice “gives investors the freedom to build portfolios that match with their values. This platform gives investors the opportunity to self manage their portfolios. At the same time we are offering one stop diversified funds for people who don’t want to manage their portfolios. The platform provides the flexibility to meet the need of different kinds of investors.”

And investors aren’t the only ones who InvestNow are hoping to please with this scheme. Edmonds said that “we think that the InvestNow KiwiSaver scheme will naturally be attractive to advisers. The flexibility of choice that it offers to investors could be used by an adviser to tailor portfolios to their clients' specific needs.”

Edmonds admits that with the initial launch advisers are not the key target but he believes that “we naturally see ourselves working with them over time in this space. As advisers become aware of the scheme we can work with them to further provide the tools that they need to manage their clients' KiwiSaver portfolios.”

The flexibility and range of options available to investors offered in the fund is exciting for Edmonds who says that offering “Leading managed funds like Harbour, Mint, Milford sitting alongside low cost index funds within the same KiwiSaver platform is great. We think that both active, passive and responsible investment are all great ways to manage portfolios. It’s really down to investor choice as to which path you want to go down.

“We are happy to empower people to have that freedom of choice in managing their portfolio to their personal preference.”

Tags: InvestNow KiwiSaver