WP Award Nominees Share the Alts Strategies that Earned Them Their Honours

Why It Matters

Alternative investments are moving from niche to core, offering advisors a proven lever to enhance portfolio resilience and client satisfaction in a low‑yield environment. The WP award spotlight validates these strategies and encourages broader industry adoption.

Key Takeaways

• Advisors use alts to lower portfolio volatility for retirees
• Education and CAIA pursuit underpin advisors' alternative expertise
• Private real estate and equity dominate Canadian advisors' alts allocations
• 20% alts allocation can generate alpha and smoother returns
• Objective‑based classification (market, yield, defense) guides alts selection

Pulse Analysis

Alternatives have migrated from a peripheral curiosity to a central pillar of modern wealth management, driven by institutional pioneers and a persistent search for diversification beyond the classic 60/40 mix. The WP Awards, now in their 2026 edition, spotlight advisors who have successfully translated pension‑fund‑style alts into private‑wealth contexts, signaling to the broader advisory community that sophisticated, non‑public assets are no longer exclusive to large funds. This shift reflects a broader market trend where clients, especially those nearing retirement, demand smoother return paths without sacrificing growth potential.

A common thread among the nominated advisors is relentless education. Morrison’s pursuit of the CAIA designation, De Goey’s decades‑long immersion in private real estate, and Starratt’s objective‑based classification framework all underscore the need for deep product knowledge and clear client communication. By demystifying liquidity constraints, issuer risk, and performance expectations, these professionals turn complex alternatives into understandable building blocks, fostering client confidence and higher adoption rates. Their methods illustrate that disciplined learning translates directly into better portfolio construction and risk‑management practices.

Performance data and behavioural outcomes reinforce the strategic value of alts. De Goey cites a 2022 scenario where a 15‑16% market decline left his clients in the green thanks to a 20% alternative tilt, delivering both alpha and emotional comfort. Starratt’s market‑yield‑defense model further shows how targeted alternative exposure can generate single‑digit, stable returns that align with retirement goals. As more advisors emulate these practices, the industry can expect a gradual elevation of risk‑adjusted returns, reduced drawdowns, and stronger client‑advisor relationships, cementing alternatives as a staple of future portfolio design.