CREATING AN IDEAL FINANCIAL ADVISOR-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP BASED ON INTEGRITY

The best relationships are those where both parties are genuinely aligned to accomplish a common purpose and work together with mutual understanding and respect. But, alas, most relationships are not naturally made in this mould and often end up being win-lose or, at the very least, sub-optimal relationships that leave one or both parties dissatisfied.

- SURESH SADAGOPAN

In financial advisory too, two pillars matter most: trust and competence, both essential for long-term success. Competence can be relatively easily verified through qualifications, track record, or experience in the field. Trust, however, is far harder to test or measure, yet it remains absolutely crucial to building enduring and meaningful partnerships over time.

A good advisor should be properly qualified—registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), independent, vendor-agnostic, and experienced in handling clients across different ages, backgrounds, and financial profiles. But above all, they must be genuinely aligned with the client's best interests and long-term goals.

That's where the fiduciary standard becomes critical—an ethical and legal obligation to put the client’s well-being ahead of everything else. Such advisors act much like doctors or lawyers, where professional ethics and responsibility demand that the client’s interests always come first, even over their own.