Angus Watt Advisory Group - Celebrating 20 Years

CELEBRATING CLIENTS’ SUCCESS

The Angus Watt Advisory Group Celebrates More than 20 Years of Service Written by Nerissa McNaughton | Published by Layla Jama

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he Angus Watt Advisory Group, established in 2002, has always been a consistent, reliable, focused partner in managing wealth for Canadian families. They are part of National Bank Financial Wealth Management, which is supported by the National Bank of Canada, ranking as the sixth largest bank in the country. The Group’s founder, Angus Watt, carries almost half a century of experience in financial services and has led a remarkable team of professionals for more than 20 years.

The organization has grown from a very small shop with Angus at the helm to include three additional partners and more than a dozen staff members. The team consists of senior wealth advisors, wealth advisors, senior wealth associates, associates, three CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals, one of whom is also a CPA, CMA, and MBA. Additionally, there is a director of operations, an operations coordinator, and an administrative coordinator.

For the man behind the institution that bears his name, his role in the lives of Albertans is one he takes very, very seriously.

“Someone once said that what we sell is financial comfort,” says Watt. “It is true; trust, clarity and heart have been the foundation of my, and our team’s, work. People trust the Angus Watt Advisory Group because of the clarity we bring to their financial situation, but it is the heart that truly sets us apart. I believe in taking care of our clients as if they are our own family.”

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Angus Watt

Angus Watt Advisory Group Partnership: Jane Alm, Jim Watt, Angus Watt and Jan Frederickson.

He’s proud that the Angus Watt Advisory Group has been an essential part of Edmonton and Alberta’s financial services sector for decades.

“We have always been driven by the core principles of personal accountability, professional excellence, and community investment,” Watt points out. “For more than 20 years, those principles have helped us build a solid reputation as a team that shows up, does what we say we will and delivers positive outcomes.”

What exactly does “showing up” mean? Watt is happy to explain.

“Trust: our team works hard to ensure that clients know we are always available to support them in achieving their wealth management goals. It is about clients first – always. Clarity: our team strives to ensure our clients know what we are doing, how we are doing it, what we are aiming to achieve with them, and that we have an understanding of what our client needs for their success. Heart: our team is a group of caring, client-focused, community-minded, solution-oriented professionals who have our clients’ backs.

“Each client has a story that is unique and specific to them, and we need to know their stories. They know we genuinely care about them and their families too. We recognize that wealth is far more than money; investing in the relationship yields far more than just the return we show them on paper.”

The Angus Watt Advisory Group is deeply committed to giving back to the community. Beyond their financial services, they invest their time and resources into many philanthropic endeavors, encompassing support for children, women in leadership and mental health initiatives. They partner with several charitable organizations such as YONA, Stollery Children’s Hospital and CASA, among others. They also support women in leadership roles through their participation Angus Watt Advisory Group || 20 || 2

Top (L-R): Stella Thompson, James Carter, Angus Watt, The Right Honourable Stephen J. Harper.

Bottom (L-R): Max Foran, Honourable Claudette Tardif, Her Honour, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, AOE, BSc, LLD (hon), His Honour, Dr. Zaheer Lakhani CM MBChB FRCPC FACP FACC FRCP (London), Audrey McFarlane and Joe Lukacs.

in initiatives like Edmonton Women in Finance and National Bank Financial Wealth Management’s Women’s mentorship program. Their commitment to mental health is evident through their long-standing support for The Support Network and the Canadian Mental Health Association. The Group believes in the prosperity of all and understands that a thriving community goes beyond financial wealth. Their dedication to their community has earned them the National Bank Financial Wealth Management Award of Excellence for Social Commitment in 2019 and 2020.

Watt is firm about maintaining a strong community presence and outside of the Group is personally actively involved with many charitable pursuits, the most recent being the successful Cross Cancer Institute Capital Campaign. His efforts helped to raise millions for that campaign and further demonstrate his dedication to community service. He inspires his team to give back to the community daily; a value which has been enthusiastically embraced by the Group.

“A longstanding charity that we have also supported is Be Brave Ranch. Jim Watt, my son, supports the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, and chaired their 2023 golf tournament,” he says. “I have also been involved with many charitable organizations and recently co-chaired the Alberta Cancer Foundation fundraising campaign to raise more than $30M. In recent years, the team created The Glass Cliff, a first-of-its-kind event in Edmonton, selling out the Winspear Centre. In fact, I consider hosting The Glass Cliff a milestone – a truly memorable team event – in my career.”

Watt is also proud of the thousands of broadcasts the group has done over the years on Global TV and CHED, where they, as a community service, educate listeners about financial matters and wealth management.

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In recognition for decades of outstanding client and community service, the Group has been a recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. Watt has been honoured with the Alberta Order of Excellence and was inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. He is also a recipient of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal & Platinum Jubilee Medal. Additionally, he has been recognized for his philanthropic efforts in the We Cross Cancer Campaign on National Philanthropy Day and is a past recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow awarded by the Rotary Club of Canada.

As a team, they have been recently named as one of Canada’s Top Wealth Advisors in the 2021 and 2022 Globe & Mail’s Report on Business/Shook. They were also recognized as the National Bank Financial Wealth Management Team of the Year in 2021, both nationally and regionally and they received the same recognition regionally in 2022. Their social work has been acknowledged with the National Bank Financial Wealth Management Award of Excellence for Social Commitment in 2019 and 2020, further highlighting their dedication to serving their community beyond their financial advisory role. These recognitions affirm the team’s dedication to excellence in their field and their impactful contributions to society.

As he muses over his long career, Watt says, “The Angus Watt Advisory Group’s greatest challenges in the coming years will revolve around leadership transition and the changing landscape within our industry. However, one of the most rewarding things about the Group is seeing clients achieve their goals and being able to support clients through milestones. For example, when a client has planned for retirement for many years and then they contact us to confirm their retirement date and their next plans, we get to celebrate with them.”

His life is changing, as life always does. The man that entered the profession with all the drive and ambition needed to change the lives of Albertans for the better is ready to pass the torch and facilitate a successful transition over the next few years. As always, the team, the clients and the community will remain at the forefront; and so will his consistent, humble nature.

“It must be said that none of the work we do as individuals could not have happened without the people that helped get us here – in our business and in our community work: our mentors, our business partners, our clients, our friends, our peers, our proteges and most importantly our families,” smiles Watt. “I would especially like to thank my children, Jim and Kate, their families and my dear wife, Heather, for being by my side and supporting me through these many years.”

Watt and his team have built the Group by staying true to their core beliefs of trust, clarity and heart. Their dedication to their clients’ needs and their personal care and attention is a hallmark of their professional practice. They go the extra step in every instance to help clients and their families to navigate life’s milestones with trusted financial advice along the way, while robustly supporting the communities where the team and their clients live, work and play.

To learn more about the Angus Watt Advisory Group or how you can benefit from their expertise, visit them online at www.anguswatt.com.

The Group is also active on LinkedIn, where you will find corporate updates along with pertinent information about investing and wealth management.

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