Coffee Catch-Up
At IAM, we ensure our clients interact with industry experts to get the best value for their investments. We caught up with one such expert, IAM’s Director of Fixed Income Sales, Ian Colyer for a coffee.
Read excerpts from our Q&A below:
Hi Ian! Thanks for taking the time out for this interview. We don’t want to take too much of your time, so let’s dive right in and get started with a little bit about your career.
1.How would you best describe your career journey up till now? Was being in Fixed Income always what you’d planned for your career?
Not at all, my financial services career started with the fast-paced Macquarie Investment Lending division just prior to the GFC. It was a great environment to learn, unfortunately many of them hard lessons, however this certainly shaped my long-term views around the importance of risk management and capital preservation for investors. Fixed Income really appealed due to its structured methodology and more predictable rates of returns. Australia has among the lowest rates of direct bond ownership for OECD countries, so I also enjoy the challenge and opportunity to inform and provide this service to a broader range of individuals, family offices and organisations who would benefit.
2. What brought you to IAM? Talk us through your journey till here.
I previously worked with many of the team, so I already had an insight into the quality and professionalism of the group that had been assembled. There is a genuine commitment to provide a range of client centric solutions. In addition to IAM’s existing options for Cash, Term Deposits, CMA and full-service Fixed Income Broking. I will be working closely with Matt Macreadie (Executive Director of Credit Strategy and Portfolio Management) to grow our Discretionary Managed Account service.
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Speaking of fixed income, let’s look at some of your expertise at work:
3. With the current market conditions pointing towards new horizons for Fixed income investing, what would you say are some of the misconceptions people have towards bond investing and what are your thoughts on that?
Most investors do not appreciate the importance of managing duration in a Fixed Income portfolio and the ability to add alpha through the full interest rate cycle. Most of the industry reporting focuses on long dated government bonds with high duration (simply rates go up, bonds go down and vice versa). Whereas bespoke, active portfolios have more ability to increase or decrease their weighting to fixed or floating rate notes depending on the rate cycle and potentially benefit from both falling and rising interest rates.
4. What is your personal investment mantra?
Be curious.
I believe financial literacy should be taught in schools at an early age as it empowers people to vastly improve their lives and provides the foundations to create financial freedom. In addition to a formal education, there is a vast amount of material available to learn more and remain informed about a whole range of asset classes. Like learning, investing should be a life journey.
And lastly, we’d like to get a peek at after-hours Ian, i.e., We’d love to know how you effectively divide your time with work and family with your busy schedule!
And lastly, we’d like to get a peek at after-hours Ian, i.e., when you’re not picking the best bonds for clients to invest in.
5. Since you’re currently based in Brisbane, what would you say are the best & worst parts about living here?
The obvious answer for most would be the weather, however I’m originally from England so I’ve never truly adapted to the point I’m comfortable wearing a suit in the middle of January. Many a meeting I have fronted up looking like I’ve been caught in a down pour when there’s not a cloud in sight. When not suited and booted, I really enjoy what Brisbane has to offer in terms of lifestyle and outdoor living. It’s a great place to raise a young family and we have so many idyllic locations like the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Fraser Island (K’gari) right on our doorstep. The city itself is continually developing with more dining options and with the new Queen’s Wharf development due next year and Olympics coming in 2032, there is a real vibrancy.
6. What was a memorable moment you experienced this year or something that you’re looking forward to later this year?
My wife recently qualified for the Flight Centre global gathering for her work on key technology projects. Held in Bali, so we grabbed the opportunity to spend some time over there prior to her conference. Kids free!!
Later in the year we will go on our annual camping trip to Fraser Island (K’gari) with a group of close friends. Fully off-grid, remote, beach camping for 8 nights. It’s a stunning setting (exact location to remain a tightly held secret) and a rare chance for people living on the Eastern seaboard to watch the sun set over the water.
