Getting to Know: Brian Coker

Who are you and what do you do?

I am a certified financial planner CM and authorised financial adviser coming from a background specialising in estates, trusts and high-net-worth clients with over 25 years experience, initially working for a law firm and then a trustee company. Currently, I work from Christchurch as a financial planner and investment adviser with Saturn Portfolio, a non-aligned financial advisory firm based out of Auckland. 

If there was one thing you would like to change about the financial advice industry, what would it be?

A simplification of some of the compliance and disclosure requirements. Although we are now required to provide clients with much more paperwork, for most clients (including professional trustees) it still comes down to a matter of trust in their adviser. Although regulators may not like that, and the intention is that clients will actually read all of the PDS documents and disclosure material, the reality is that most don't, and it still comes down to a matter of "if you recommend it as best for me, then where do I sign?" I don't take that client trust lightly and regard many of my clients as friends. I continually ask myself, "Would I be comfortable recommending this investment to my mother?" as a check for many of my elderly clients.

What's the best advice you have ever received?