Melbourne Capital Group receives multiple accolades at the Investment International Awards 2026

Melbourne Capital Group has been recognised at the Investment International (II) Awards 2026, winning;  

• Company of the Year (Advisers), Asia

• Excellence in Client Service (Advisers), Asia

• Best Emerging Talent (Advisers): Adam Kinsey.

The firm also achieved ‘Highly Commended for Excellence in Client Service (Advisers), Global and was shortlisted for Excellence in Trust and Estate Planning. Christopher Holman, a paraplanner, was also finalist for the Unsung Hero Award.

Now in their 27^th year, the II Awards are among the longest-running and one of the most prestigious awards in international financial services. Winners are decided by both a panel of judges and, in some categories, by readers votes.  

Chris Crowe, Director, commented; “To have won across multiple categories is testament to our amazing team and steadfast focus on professional excellence as we continue to strive to be a bastion of best practice in the region. We thank the both the II judges and readers for their recognition and look forward to continuing to provide an outstanding service to our clients, helping them achieve their financial goals.”  

“It’s fantastic to see Melbourne Capital Group recognised for its continued commitment to excellence. Their dedication to delivering outstanding client service and developing talent is a real credit to the entire team. A huge congratulations to everyone involved on a thoroughly deserved achievement.”

— Dan Charles, Head of Digital, Investment International & International Adviser

Reflections on each award

Company of the Year: five years of deliberate growth

In five years, Melbourne Capital Group has grown from a startup into a multi-office international wealth management firm. That growth has been deliberate. We’ve built a regulatory position few firms in the region share and invested steadily in technology, including tools we’ve developed in-house. We’ve also pushed hard on professional standards, as a CII International Professional Partner Firm, a FEIFA member, and a founding member of Plannex International.

Most of all, we’ve invested in people. Through our Adviser Academy, team members have joined from paraplanning, career changes and graduate entry, and gone on to become fully qualified Private Wealth Managers.  

“Winning Company of the Year for Asia is a proud moment for everyone at Melbourne Capital Group. When we started five years ago, the aim was simple: build a firm that internationally mobile clients could trust, and a place where talented people could build a real career in financial planning. This award recognises the whole team: the advisers, paraplanners, client service and operations staff who make that happen every day. Our focus doesn’t change. We’ll keep raising standards, investing in our people, and putting our clients’ long-term interests first.”
— Chris Crowe, Director, Melbourne Capital Group

Excellence in Client Service: the heart of what we do

Winning Excellence in Client Service for Asia, and being Highly Commended globally, means a lot to us. It builds on the same award we won in 2025, and it reflects something we work at every day.

Our clients are internationally mobile, and their lives rarely sit neatly in one jurisdiction. Our job is to listen carefully, give clear and considered advice, and stay alongside them as their circumstances change. It also means making advice easy to reach wherever clients are, with the right tools and a trusted network of more than 50 partners. And it means helping clients stay informed: over the last year we hosted more than 20 webinars, reaching over 1,200 people.

We’re grateful to every client who has trusted us with their wealth and taken the time to tell us how we’re doing.

“Client service at Melbourne Capital Group has never been about one big moment. It’s about the hundreds of smaller ones: answering a question properly, following up when we said we would, and making sure clients feel looked after wherever they are in the world. To be recognised in Asia, and highly commended globally, is a real credit to the team. It’s also a reflection of our clients, whose feedback shapes how we work.”
— Mark Owens, Head of Strategic Growth, Melbourne Capital Group

Best Emerging Talent: Adam Kinsey

We’re especially pleased for Adam Kinsey, who won Best Emerging Talent (Advisers).

Adam joined us from a UK graduate scheme in 2024, when we opened our office in Penang, and was one of the first advisers based there. He brought UK-standard, cashflow-led planning with him. Every conversation starts with a client’s goals rather than products, and that approach has helped shape how we advise across the firm.

Many of Adam’s clients are retirees who have moved to Penang, and many are decades older than him. That has turned out to be one of his strengths. Clients value his empathy and willingness to listen, and he has often become a trusted sounding board for whole families, including on multi-generational estate planning. Adam also built a carefully vetted local network of lawyers, visa specialists and other professionals so his clients can get joined-up support. Outside client work, he runs financial literacy workshops in Penang schools.

“I’m really grateful for this award. Moving to Penang to help open a new office was a big step, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of the team at MCG and the clients who have put their trust in me. Most of my clients have spent their careers building towards this stage of life. My job is to make their finances feel simple and well looked after, so they can enjoy the retirement they moved here for. I’m looking forward to continuing to learn and grow, and to supporting more families in Penang and beyond.”
— Adam Kinsey, Private Wealth Manager, Melbourne Capital Group

A nod to one of our youngest talent

Christopher Holman was  named a finalist for the Unsung Hero Award. Chris joined the firm as a paraplanning intern in November 2025. Through the Adviser Academy, he has become a paraplanner supporting eight advisers across the firm, and has earned his CISI Level 4 Diploma along the way. His careful, detailed work happens behind the scenes, but it makes a real difference to client outcomes.

Congratulations to all the winners, highly commended firms and finalists at this year’s II Awards. You can see the full list of winners here.

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