Regional financial services firm wins national award

A Hawke’s Bay brokerage has won the Grosvenor KiwiSaver award for the seventh year running.

Financial services firm Cole Murray has continued their seven-year winning streak, taking home the Grosvenor KiwiSaver Practice of the Year award after competing against contenders nationally. 

Cole Murray director Mike Murray told NZ Adviser their team has a passion for the Kiwisaver scheme. 

“We see it as being very important in getting people going and starting their savings which they’re going to need in retirement,” Murray says.

“If you can help some people now when they are in their thirties and forties, it’s just going to make their lives so much easier going forward.”

The contenders are judged on the number of members they introduce to the KiwiSaver scheme as well as on the level of support and service they provide.

Grosvenor’s head of sales and marketing Diana Papadopoulos says the needs of KiwiSaver members are changing.  

“It’s no longer simply about joining a scheme, it’s about understanding how to get the most from your KiwiSaver account. This is where the benefit of quality financial advice comes in.  

“Cole Murray has shown a relentless commitment to working with clients and promoting the benefits of KiwiSaver.  For many New Zealanders, KiwiSaver will be vital to ensuring they have the comfortable retirement they deserve and Cole Murray has demonstrated on-going dedication to helping people on their journey,” says Papadopoulos.

“Grosvenor believes it’s incredibly important that KiwiSaver members have access to good independent advice. The fact we are recognising advisers around the country who make a huge contribution in this area gives us confidence that KiwiSaver is truly working for members of our Scheme.”

With Murray’s background in mortgage broking and his business partner Jeremy Cole’s life insurance experience, they decided to create a firm that offered the full suite of financial services to the customer, to make it easy and convenient to cater for all their financial needs.

One of Cole Murray’s insurance advisers, Roseann McConnel also received an Advisers Institute award win.