Symmetry

Our DFM capability provides IFAs and their clients with robust, research-driven portfolio solutions. We deliver off-the-shelf and customised solutions tailored to each practice’s needs, supported by a disciplined investment and manager-research process. Our scale enables competitive fees, while our portfolios have consistently delivered top-quartile performance across all measured periods.

The right team

Symmetry’s leadership oversees a robust investment solutions business supported by strong governance and a disciplined investment framework. The executive committee is made up of 80% black and 60% female members, while the 18-member investment team is made up of 12 black members and eight women, averaging nine years of experience.

At Symmetry, we are continuously increasing allocation to black-owned asset managers. We are a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor through Old Mutual. Our DFM won the Citywire Transformation, Mentorship & ESG Initiatives award in 2025, underscoring our commitment to these principles. Our capability is powered by dedicated DFM investment professionals responsible for portfolio construction, asset allocation and ongoing management. They are supported by Symmetry’s central manager research team, which applies rigorous quantitative and qualitative due diligence, factor analysis and holdings-based testing across asset classes.

A dedicated macroeconomic and valuation specialist provides insights on capital-market assumptions, macro trends and SA-specific risks to inform portfolio positioning. Each DFM partner practice is supported by a dedicated portfolio manager and investment team, acting as an extension of the advisor’s practice.

The ideal client

Our ideal clients are advisors and advisory firms who want long-term, collaborative partnerships designed to grow and scale their businesses, rather than a transactional outsourced investment service. We work best with practices that want to focus their energy on financial planning and client relationships, while relying on Symmetry for disciplined investment management, robust research, macroeconomic insight and operational execution.

Our value proposition is built around a comprehensive, seven-step partnership journey that spans client-need analysis, strategy curation, customised model-portfolio design, transition support, business-growth enablement, corporatisation, fund creation and succession planning.Advisors benefit from our investment expertise, manager research, macro-economic guidance, world-class advice tools, accredited training, tax-optimised solutions, detailed reporting and ongoing portfolio monitoring – all designed to close the advice execution gap and drive sustainable growth.

We aim to serve as an extension of each advisor’s practice, partnering with firms who are ambitious about expansion, improved efficiency and long-term success.

At your service

Symmetry’s DFM provides a comprehensive suite of investment services designed to meet the diverse needs of advisors and their clients. Our core competencies include investment consulting, fund research, macroeconomic research, portfolio construction and implementation, forming the foundation of our disciplined investment process. We focus on delivering consistent, reliable returns through risk-managed, research-driven investing.

We design customised model-portfolio solutions tailored to each advisor’s practice structure, client segmentation and strategic positioning, using a multi-managed approach informed by detailed client-needs analysis. Advisors also gain access to unique asset classes housed within Symmetry, including private markets, hedge funds, alternative strategies, global funds and more.

Why Symmetry?

Financial advisors choose Symmetry because we offer a true growth partner-ship, powered by the scale and balance sheet strength of the Old Mutual Group. This gives advisors institutional-grade access to world-class strategies and alternative investments, including private markets, hedge funds and global funds, all within Symmetry.

Our Group backing enables continuous investment in technology, AI-driven analytics and modern portfolio-construction tools, supporting a high level of sophistication for advisors.

Our DFM portal delivers reporting and insights, while our best-in-class capability, supported by Russell Investments, and a dedicated portfolio manager helps advisors differentiate, scale and deliver superior client outcomes.