Colonial First State accelerates managed accounts leadership
with $20bn milestone, MST Financial partnership and international menu expansion

Tuesday 23 September 2025 

Colonial First State (CFS) today announces that over $20 billion is now invested in CFS Managed Accounts, cementing its position as one of the fastest-growing managed account providers in the market. 

“Surpassing $20 billion invested into CFS Managed Accounts reflects the benefits financial advisers are realising from our significant investment in managed accounts infrastructure, expertise, and broad menu options,” said Frances Taylor, Executive Director of Managed Accounts at CFS. 

“Our ambitious roadmap is focused on providing advisers with managed account solutions that provide them with efficiency, transparency and enable them to deliver better outcomes for their clients.” 

CFS now offers managed accounts from 59 portfolio managers and is expanding its international managed accounts series with the Fidelity Global Top 50, which will be the eighth international option available to advisers when it launches in November. 

To continue supporting advisers with dynamic, data-rich insights for client conversations on managed accounts, CFS has launched new digital reporting functionality on CFS Edge, with CFS FirstChoice going live in early October. 

CFS also announces a new strategic partnership with MST Financial to introduce Sandstone Insights – a premium research platform designed to equip advisers with ASX 200-listed equity research and streamlined tools to help them deliver faster insights and greater value to clients. 

“In an environment flooded with market data, this collaboration helps advisers cut through the noise – offering clear, digestible research to support confident conversations with clients about Australian shares,” added Ms Taylor. 

Through the platform, advice professionals can create personalised watchlists with alerts, access buy, hold or sell notes for all companies under research coverage, view in-depth company ratings with monthly updates on Sandstone Insight’s top-rated investment recommendations, and get trading ideas that highlight short to medium-term opportunities based on market trends or other events. 

“We are delighted to be partnering with CFS as they continue to innovate and develop new ways to help advisers deliver the best possible outcomes for their clients’ investment portfolios,” said John Meagher, Manager for MST Financial’s Sandstone Insights.  

“We hope that our stock research and market insights will support advisers with ideas and information as they navigate the Australian equity market.” 

The Accelerate Series of managed accounts on CFS Edge also continues to gain momentum with advisers, licensees and portfolio managers due to the benefits it provides to clients through reduced investment fees and discounted platform administration fees.  

Steven Reilly, Director External Communications, Colonial First State

steven.reilly@cfs.com.au

• The Accelerate Series is a full-service managed account solution which enables advisers to blend low-cost solutions with sophisticated investment options in a single account, allowing them to service different client segments from a single platform.