Changes in 2025

• We welcome a new judge Deanne Baker from Lonsec - please note that all judges from the 2024 Awards judging panel have continued for 2025
  
  
• SQM Research are now sponsoring the Innovation Category
  
  
• The Investment data collection and processing is being provided by SuitabilityHub https://www.suitabilityhub.com
  
  
• Please note that the Awards entry form for the Innovation category only is being received and processed by IMAP
  
  
• We have introduced a new category "Retirement Portfolios"
  
  The Retirement Portfolios is a new category introduced as a result of the rapidly expanding demand, and more complex features to meet retirees' needs in times of inflationary living costs, investment volatility etc.
  
  Many of these investors have been saving in compulsory superannuation for their whole working life, and now will value receiving advice about how to manage drawing down on savings.
  
  From an investment perspective this category is becoming broader and the criteria for this Awards category aims to recognise both the well proven offerings of annuities, account-based pensions, and also new strategies and portfolios that aim to meet a broad range of investor goals including: steady regular income, liquidity, capital growth, and importantly, capital protection.
  
  Your submission will describe how you manage these multiple objectives.

JUDGING CRITERIA

General Criteria:

The portfolio needs to be offered through a managed account structure with the following features:

• Recognised legal structure – registered MIS, MDA, IDPS Like, IDPS model, IMA and SMA
• Investments directly held by or on behalf of each investor i.e. not a pooled structure
• Model based
• Clear discretion held by the portfolio or investment manager

The portfolio needs to have a clear objective and a benchmark

Submissions which outline a related fund rather than a managed account structure will not be considered

If the managed account is operated entirely as an outsourced arrangement, it must be provided uniquely to the entrant.

Multi Asset Class portfolios including Responsible Investing Portfolios:

Please note that for the Multi Asset Class, and Responsible Investing Portfolio submissions, only Balanced Portfolios or equivalent “median client” portfolios should be submitted.

Judging will take into account:

• Performance over time periods of 1 and 3 years
• Risk measures including SD and Sharpe ratio
• Weighted average cost of investment both directly and considering the underlying investments
• Qualitative criteria including the resources available to the portfolio management organisation and the structure
• Investment Management structure and resourcing

Licensee and Boutique LIcensee Managed Account Portfolios

Please note that for the Licensee and Boutique Licensee Managed Account Portfolio only Balanced Portfolios or equivalent “median client” portfolios should be submitted

The judging criteria used for all the Investment Asset Class portfolios will apply to these other portfolio types, however, in addition the judges will consider

• The investment committee structure and resourcing
• The way in which the portfolios reflect the advice firm’s investment philosophy and appear to be integrated with it
• How the Managed Account Service fits with the Client Advice proposition
• Supporting materials, in particular the client and adviser communications about portfolio management and portfolio changes

Boutique Licensee Managed Account Portfolio
The criteria for being a Boutique licensee is having 60 or less authorised representatives or advisers, and Funds under Management "FUM" of no more than $750 million held via Managed Accounts, and be operating a Managed Account Program on which the entry submission will be based.

Retirement Portfolios Category

The Retirement Portfolios is a new category introduced as a result of the rapidly expanding demand, and more complex features to meet retirees' needs in times of inflationary living costs, investment volatility etc.

The criteria for this Awards category aims to recognise both the well proven offerings of annuities, account-based pensions, and also new strategies and portfolios that aim to meet a broad range of investor features goals including steady regular income, liquidity, capital growth, and importantly, capital protection.

Your submission will describe how you manage these multiple objectives.

Innovation Award
This is a broad category which recognises those activities which have been designed to improve the:

• Operation and process of managed accounts
• Adoption and resulting effective and efficient use by Advisers and Licensees
• Investment options availabke
  
• Technologyinnovations used to support managed accounts and the Adviser community
  
• Other functions the judges think worthy of recognition as innovative
  
  If you wish to clarify whether your development meets the criteria please get in touch with us  

1. PLEASE REGISTER & SELECT THE CATEGORIES YOU WISH TO ENTER & PAY THE ENTRY FEE

Register your company and contact details and please advise how many logons you require to the Awards entry system (hosted by SuitabilityHub).

Please note that you may enter more than one category but a separate submission is required for each category that you enter. Only one entry per category is allowed, except that you can enter more than one of the sub categories in the investment asset classes.

• Innovation in Managed Accounts
• Licensee Managed Account Portfolios
• Boutique Licensee Managed Account Portfolios
• Investment Asset Classes

(Australian Equities / Australian Equities Small Cap
International Equities / Multi Asset / Fixed Interest)

• Responsible Investing Portfolios
• Retirement Portfolios

Then please complete your registration by paying the entry fee of $245 plus GST for each category or sub-category you enter, and accepting the terms and conditions of entry. 

Note: SuitabilityHub is an independent third party. The award entry fee is entirely retained by IMAP, and IMAP does not pay SuitabilityHub. As part of participating in the IMAP Awards, you receive a complimentary fund profile listing on SuitabilityHub – gaining the broader benefits of being featured in their research. SuitabilityHub charges managers only if they wish to use the software for purpose of peer research or as a sales assistance tool.

2. COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE ON SUITABILITYHUB
Within 48 hours of registering, SuitabilityHub will send you a welcome pack detailing how to complete your Manager Profile and the Awards Criteria. This is an entirely digital process. For assistance, please contact .

3. PRESENTATION TO JUDGING PANEL 
A presentation to the Judging panel may be required of the Finalists in these categories only:

• Licensee,
• Boutique LIcensee, and
• Innovation 
  

You will be contacted by the IMAP Awards team if a presentation is required from you.

 2025 IMAP Managed Account Awards - Terms & Conditions of Entry

We are delighted that you would like to participate in the IMAP Managed Account Awards (‘Awards’).

This document is our ‘Terms and Conditions’ (‘Terms’), and if you would like to enter and participate in the Awards, you will need to adhere to these Terms.

The Awards are conducted by the Institute of Managed Account Professionals Limited (ABN 57 125 794 274), of 10 Willawa St, Balgowlah Heights, Sydney NSW 2093 (‘IMAP’, ‘we’, ‘us, ‘our’).

Any reference to ‘you’ or ‘your’ in these Terms includes you in your personal capacity, as a representative of the business, as well as your business being entered into and as a participant of the Awards.

Who can enter?

The IMAP Managed Account Awards recognise that different investment approaches mean different portfolio types. So, the Awards are open to:

• all legal structures – SMA / MIS, MDA, Wholesale MDA, IDPS, IDPS Like
• all investment types – direct stocks, managed funds, ETFS; and
• all portfolio managers – including investment managers, AFS Licensees / dealer groups and research house managed portfolios.
  
  Note: This includes portfolios which are managed by a licensee but which are sub-advised by one or more investment managers or asset allocation specialists.

You need not be the Responsible entity, MDA Provider or IDPS Operator of the managed account portfolios to enter the Awards. However, you must disclose all the parties involved in advising on asset allocation, portfolio management or security selection or similar in the portfolios you enter.

Ground rules

In order to enter the Awards, you:

• Must comply with these Terms;
• Must hold an AFSL;
• May enter in your role as portfolio manager, investment manager or similar for one or more portfolios which are presented as Managed Accounts;
• Agree that the judges’ decision is final and will be arrived at using such assessment or methodology which they believe is appropriate to meeting the objectives of the Awards program and may include material or information in addition to the material you submit;
• Warrant to us that the information you provide is, to the best of your knowledge, accurate in all material respects; and
  Agree that we may request confirmation of any information you provide, for example in the form of reports or meeting minutes.
• Agree that material submitted after the deadline of 5.00pm on 23rd May 2025 will not be considered unless requested by the judges
• Agree that only submissions completed as per the instructions will be accepted
• Agree that only one submission per category per entrant will be allowed
• Agree that only balanced portfolios or equivalent are to be submitted in the multi asset class, Licensee and Boutique Licensee Managed Account portfolio categories
• Data is to be supplied to IMAP in the spreadsheet template provided.

At our sole discretion, we reserve the right to declare your entry into the Awards ineligible, or disqualify your entry if:

• You have not complied with these Terms;
• Your entry form is incomplete;
• You are unable to represent or promote the Awards in an appropriate or satisfactory manner;
• The information you have submitted to us is misleading, false or provided unlawfully; or
• We believe for whatever reason in our sole opinion that you or your business are involved in conduct or activity that is fraudulent, illegal and/or may harm us and our reputation.

Privacy and Confidentiality

We collect your information, including personal information as defined under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), in order to conduct the Awards.

Our privacy statement will apply for your involvement in the Awards. You’ll find our Privacy Policy at https://imap.asn.au/privacy-policy.

As part of your participation, we collect all kinds of information relating to you and your business, including your responses to the entry forms.

We will share this only with the judging panel. By entering into and participating in the Awards, you consent that those with access to your information to use it to judge or administer the Awards, however, the fact that you have participated may be made available to our subscribers and sponsors.

If you would like to access or correct the information that we hold about you, or wish to withdraw your consent to receive Awards material then please contact Jenny Phimleut Program Director at IMAP on e:

Intellectual property

All intellectual property rights related to the Awards, including the information and data we collect, belong to IMAP. This does not extend to any intellectual property rights you already owned prior to entering the Awards which remain your intellectual property. Any data or other material which you provide will only be used for the purpose of judging the Awards.

The judges may be subject to conflicts of interest and will tender declarations to that effect. Any affected judge will be excluded from consideration of the conflicted entrant.

You agree that we may use your logo and name in any material which promotes the Awards. You agree to allow us and the Sponsors to contact you to provide comments about the Awards, to take photos or video footage of you, your business and your representative(s), and use any of the material collected as part of your participation. If we do use any of the materials listed above, you grant us a royalty free license to use the materials for promotional purposes in relation to the Awards.

Use of the IMAP Managed Account Award Logo

If you are a Winner of an Award, we will grant you a royalty free license to use the relevant trophy device for promotional purposes, so long as you use it in the form which we provide you.

In addition to the above, there is an option at a cost of $6,000 + GST  (discounts apply to IMAP subscribers) for you to receive the IMAP Managed Account Award Winner's media package which consists of, but not limited to;

•      Presentation at Australia’s Best – Managed Account showcase
•      Use of the Award Winner's seal
•      Subscription to IMAP
•      Exclusive EDM to 34,000 financial services professional subscribers
•      Tickets to Australia's Best - Awards showcase for 6 guests
•      IMAP Webinar presentation
•      Website directory listing
•      Promotional Linkedin Vignette
•      Extra Winner's trophy

If you are a Finalist in an Award category, we will grant you a royalty free license to use the relevant trophy device for promotional purposes, so long as you use it in the form which we provide you and so long as you are a financial subscriber to IMAP.

To become a financial subscriber please click here to go to this information area on the IMAP website

Please note that IMAP uses the Stripe payment gateway to process credit card transactions

The small print

To the extent permitted by law, neither IMAP (including its officers, employees and agents) nor the judges will be liable for any loss (including indirect or consequential loss), damage or personal injury suffered or sustained in connection with the Awards. You will indemnify us and our officers, employees and agents including the judges against any loss or liability from any claim or action that arises as a result of a breach of these Terms by you, or your use of the materials or information supplied by you under these Terms.

By entering the Awards, you agree to submit to the laws of New South Wales, and the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of that place and the courts of appeal from them.

If you have any questions on the Awards please contact

 2025 IMAP Managed Account Awards

If you have any questions please contact the IMAP Awards team

email:  

Phone:+61 2 8003 4147