2 retirees, 2 portfolios: Adam Dawes' retirement masterclass

Back in March, we spoke to Adam Dawes, senior financial adviser at Shaw and Partners, about the biggest concern investors have about retirement - how to generate reliable income. But retirement isn't a one-size-fits-all stage of life. The type of retiree you are will affect your choices, your needs and your lifestyle. Research from the University of Sydney Business School identified four retirement archetypes, based on how people balance their old working life with new interests - the Stayers, the Leavers, the Blenders and the Disengaged. In the interview above, we asked Dawes to walk through each archetype and explain why different retirements call for different portfolios. We also challenged him to build a $2m portfolio for the two most popular types, the Stayers and the Leavers. This interview was filmed Tuesday, 29th September 2026. Timecodes: 00:00 - Introduction & The 4 Retirement Archetypes 00:46 - Defining Stayers, Leavers, Blenders, & Disengaged 02:13 - How Archetypes Reflect Real-World Clients 02:57 - Portfolio Considerations for "Stayers" 04:53 - Asset Allocation for a $2M "Stayer" Portfolio 06:04 - Specific Investments & Cash Buffer Strategies 07:18 - Financial Needs & Key Risks for "Leavers" 08:40 - Asset Allocation for a $2M "Leaver" Portfolio 09:41 - Key Takeaways: Why One Size Doesn't Fit All