World Investment Advisors Launches Managed Account Platform

Financial advisory firm World Investment Advisors, LLC is launching World Managed Account Platform, its new open-architecture, multi-custodial investment and portfolio management platform. The new solution is designed to help advisors save time, grow revenues, optimize outcomes for clients and provide added flexibility in how they manage their businesses.

Initially, WorldMAP will consist of a model program that includes strategies created and managed by World’s in-house investment team. Additionally, it will feature automated and individualized tax management, and the ability to personalize models for clients at scale. Advisors will also have access to models offered by other industry-leading strategists, and a diversified lineup of separately managed account (SMA) managers.

“The launch of WorldMAP is a revolutionary step for our wealth platform, indicative of the investments we are making to create an elevated experience for our advisors and their clients,” said Troy Hammond, CEO of World Investment Advisors. “Clients today – especially high-net-worth investors – are increasingly demanding solutions tailored to their goals and circumstances. WorldMAP delivers on our pledge to provide advisors with all the tools, services and solutions to differentiate themselves in the current hyper-competitive landscape.”

World’s in-house models will be branded Cota Street. Chief Investment Officer Nate Garrison and the rest of the firm’s investment team will oversee the curated selection of multi-asset, equity and fixed-income strategies.

At launch, Cota Street will offer 10 strategies and more than 50 models. The suite of Cota Street model strategies includes options for client portfolio needs and will be offered alongside other industry strategists and SMA managers. Advisors who want to continue to manage their own models will also be able to add those to the platform with access to top-tier service and support.

World will continue to add strategists and models to the platform in the future. Later this year, WorldMAP said it will add a second program offering that will simplify investment management for advisors who want to act as their own portfolio managers and continue to trade and rebalance client accounts.

“It has become crystal clear over the years that an advisor’s most valuable commodity is time,” Garrison said. “Not only does WorldMAP provide advisors with an opportunity to create highly customized portfolios that evolve with a client’s changing needs, but it allows them to economically build more scale in their practice, giving them the opening to better manage existing relationships, cultivate new ones and increase revenue.”

World has named Lauren Yeaton Hunt as senior vice president of Wealth Platforms and Partnerships as part of this launch.  Hunt, with more than 30 years of financial services experience, will help facilitate the launch of WorldMAP and will also be responsible for all business-related decisions for the WorldMAP platform, as well as managing the relationships with industry strategists and SMA managers.

Hunt spent more than a decade at LPL Financial where she held a series of senior vice president roles, and later was vice president of Product Management at Fidelity. Most recently, she served as vice president of Product Marketing at Vestmark.

“I’m excited to join World and collaborate with our advisors to deliver on the value proposition,” Hunt said. “WorldMAP will offer our advisors significant time savings, client-centric service and support, the opportunity to focus on personalized client outcomes and a foundation that supports their growth. As we move forward, we will continue to fine tune the platform by incorporating feedback from our advisors and the needs of their clients.”