Our goal is to develop deep multi-level relationships with high quality planners.” van Eyk has maintained a market share in research of more than 50 per cent for the best part of the past 10 years, although the competition from groups such as Mercer and Lonsec seems to be getting stronger. While van Eyk reviews and rates more funds management products than its competitors, and does not charge for ratings or to advertise the ratings, its client service from the managers’ perspective could be improved. In the latest Money Management annual survey of managers’ views on the ratings houses, published last month, van Eyk receives mixed responses on methodology, transparency and the quality of the experience. More than 8,000 planners subscribe to van Eyk’s research on managers, asset allocation and markets.

The firm also advises the investment committees of some of the large dealer groups and helps with education and professional development days for planners. The main funds management product is the Blueprint multimanager suite of funds, which totals about $1.5 billion under management. Kerr is joining a “special situations” sub-committee for Blueprint, which Thomas formed last year to explore “deep value” investments for the fund. Kerr has an office next to Thomas’ at the firm’s Sydney headquarters and he sees himself spending about two days a week there. He will maintain his offices in leafy Woollahra as well. “I think van Eyk can become one of the strongest businesses in the financial planning part of the market,” he says. “It already has a great platform and now it’s a question of enhancing that.”