Developing AI-driven tools to maintain data standards and empirically validate investment outcomes for the managed accounts sector

Campus Plus would like to congratulate UNSW and Adviser Ratings Pty Ltd on the launch of a new National Industry PhD Program Project.

This partnership brings together the world‑class data and technology capabilities of Adviser Ratings Pty Ltd and the AI, fintech and finance research expertise of UNSW to explore the development of AI-driven tools that maintain data standards and empirically validate investment outcomes of separately managed accounts (SMAs.)

The project, "Developing AI-driven tools to maintain data standards and empirically validate investment outcomes for the managed accounts sector", will investigate gaps in the emerging Separately Managed Account Standards (SMARS), develop AI-enabled tools for the ongoing maintenance of SMA data standards, and conduct empirical studies using newly standardised SMA data. The goal is to strengthen data integrity, create comparable performance insights, and support evidence-based decision‑making across Australia’s rapidly expanding SMA industry.

The research will be conducted by PhD candidate Mr Frank Shengli Yan with industry mentorship from Angus Woods from Adviser Ratings Pty Ltd and academic support from Professors Rabhi Fethi (pictured together L-R) and Jerry Parwada and from UNSW Business School.

Big thanks to Simon Kalucy and Artha Arthavelina for facilitating this award.