SUSTAINABILITY DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS (SDR)
CYBER SECURITY
WELLBEING
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) FRAUD DETECTION
THIRD-PARTY RISK
KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER (KYC)
CLIENT ASSETS SOURCEBOOK (CASS)
PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY (PI) TECHNOLOGY
December 2024
The UK’s Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) Regime
BUILDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL FUTURES
The UK’s SDR regime isn’t just another regulatory hurdle—it’s a signal that the investment industry must transform to meet new standards of trust and transparency. The regime is forcing asset and portfolio managers to make substantial changes. While many firms have leaned on established environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks to market their offerings as “sustainable”, SDR raises the bar significantly, demanding a clear, verified, and evidence-based approach to sustainability. For managers, the message is clear: they can’t keep doing what they’ve been doing and expect to qualify for a sustainability label.
A driving force behind SDR is the need to address greenwashing. In response, SDR imposes rigorous criteria for labelling products as sustainable, requiring accurate classification and comprehensive reporting on e.g. real-world impacts, holding asset managers (and soon to be portfolio managers) to a much higher standard than previous ESG frameworks.
Through these strict disclosure requirements, SDR returns the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to its core mandate of consumer protection, ensuring that funds marketed as sustainable genuinely align with sustainability criteria. This framework aims to empower investors to make informed choices by verifying the credibility of sustainability claims and enforcing a high standard of evidence-backed accountability across sustainable products.
Through our work with asset and portfolio managers, we’ve identified two key areas that require focus to ensure alignment with SDR requirements:
Asset managers must now provide concrete data demonstrating whether (and to what extent) their funds have achieved their intended sustainability objective. A recent, much welcomed publication from the FCA provides illustrative ‘good practice’ examples, which are intended to support firms in deciding how to link their objective to supporting data points in their labelled fund disclosures –
something which some firm’s with broader sustainability objectives have found challenging.
The evidence-based standard also represents a significant shift, requiring managers not only to establish robust data-gathering processes and potentially seek third-party verification but also to conduct their own due diligence on data providers. Managers cannot simply rely on third-party data; they must critically evaluate and validate the sources to ensure the accuracy and credibility of their sustainability claims.
SDR’s stringent classification system requires more than a vague alignment with broad ESG themes. Each fund must now reflect precise, and meaningful sustainability goals. This shift forces managers to develop, assess, and document their approach carefully, identifying their fund’s unique role in delivering sustainability outcomes. It’s a far cry from the “square peg in a round hole” approach of attempting to make legacy products fit new labels.
SDR pushes managers to evaluate the genuine impact of their investments and, in some cases, to divest from assets that do not meet rigorous sustainability criteria. At a recent industry event, hosted by the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF), the FCA set the tone, clarifying that they “never expected everyone to get the label”.
What the FCA does expect is alignment between fund objectives, reported KPIs, and stewardship activities - often described as a golden thread. This solution requires genuine alignment between strategy and sustainability outcomes.
For many firms, SDR will bring challenges, especially for those that have traditionally relied on marketing flexibility or softer interpretations of sustainability. Smaller asset managers may struggle to meet SDR’s resource-intensive requirements, such as advanced ESG data gathering, analysis, and continuous reporting. Even if funds choose not to pursue a label, they still need to consider the impact of the naming and marketing rules which may require some redesign.
However, SDR is more than a compliance burden; it’s a transformative opportunity. Firms that rise to SDR’s standards will stand out as credible and reliable in the increasingly crowded sustainable investing landscape.
Lessons Learned from SDR’s Initial Rollout
• Avoiding Greenwashing with Evidence-Based Standards: SDR makes it clear that aligning with broad sustainability frameworks, such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, is insufficient. Managers need to adopt more specific, data-driven standards, possibly aligning with international frameworks such as the EU Taxonomy.
• Implementing Independent Assessments: Independent verification can be challenging, especially for internal ESG teams who may be too embedded in investment processes to provide truly impartial assessments. When conducting independent assessments, our team looks for frameworks that are both evidence-based and absolute in their application. However, delegating these assessments to teams like risk or compliance, which may lack broader knowledge and experience in ESG and sustainability, can lead to gaps in understanding nuanced issues, reducing the effectiveness and credibility of the evaluation process.
• Embracing Transparency through Consumer-Friendly Language: SDR’s emphasis on clear, understandable disclosures means that investment managers must invest in education for both clients and advisers, creating materials that demystify sustainability for retail investors. SDR’s alignment with the FCA’s Consumer Duty underscores the importance of clarity, ensuring investors understand the impact—and limitations—of sustainable funds.
While we await further guidance from the FCA on SDR applications for portfolio managers, my colleague recently outlined some essential questions that portfolio managers should consider before launching their SDR implementation efforts in our latest blog, they include:
1. Are you comfortable that you are already compliant with the anti-greenwashing rule and aware of the status of any products you distribute and may need to publish or make available sustainability-related information on?
2. Have you performed an initial gap analysis against the proposed SDR rules to identify where any significant work will be required?
3. Have you assessed your existing products and services to determine whether any will be eligible for a label or caught by the naming and marketing rules?
4. Do you have sufficient resource with sustainability skills and experience to support implementation, including specific activities such as the independent assessment of any sustainability standard?
As sustainability moves from a niche focus to a mainstream expectation, managers who effectively implement SDR can strengthen their credibility,
build resilience, and align with investor demands for transparent, impactful ESG products. Whether or not this drives real world change is yet to be proven, but it is an opportunity for investment managers to contribute to a trustworthy, transparent investment landscape that is set to influence global sustainability investment regulations. The message from the FCA is clear; they have a zero-tolerance policy for those who want to ‘wait and see’ and simply sit on the fenceDon’t wait to get started!
KATIE LAVIN ESG Consultant, Avyse Partners, www.avyse.co.uk
ESG@avyse.co.uk
BUILDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL FUTURES
The wealth management sector is rapidly transforming, driven by emerging technologies, changing client expectations, and shifting regulatory landscapes. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of this evolution, with its potential to improve operational efficiencies, deepen client relationships, and create new service offerings. However, many financial service providers are grappling with the question: How can we effectively integrate AI to unlock these benefits without compromising security, compliance, and human oversight?
While AI has been a popular topic of discussion, much of its potential still needs to be explored in wealth management. Firms that lead the charge in AI implementation have shown that, when properly deployed, AI can automate repetitive processes, improve personalisation, and generate predictive insights that enhance decision-making. But AI isn’t just about adopting new tools—it’s about embedding intelligent systems into the DNA of operations.
The early adopters in the financial advice and investment sector are already seeing results. The applications, which range from automating routine administrative tasks, such as onboarding, to enhancing portfolio management with algorithmdriven predictions, are varied and impactful. However, AI has its challenges. Addressing concerns around data privacy, ethical considerations, and algorithm transparency is essential to maintaining client trust.
Successful implementation of AI spans across several critical areas within wealth management:
Automated Client Service: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can handle routine inquiries, allowing advisors to focus on more complex client needs. This increases efficiency and enhances client satisfaction through instant, round-the-clock service.
Personalised Advice and Investment Strategies: AIdriven platforms analyse vast datasets to generate personalised investment recommendations, helping firms align portfolio strategies with clients’ individual risk profiles and long-term goals.
Predictive Analytics and Risk Management: Advanced machine learning models can detect emerging market trends and risks, enabling firms to adjust portfolios and enhance performance while mitigating risks proactively.
These use cases illustrate that AI’s role is not to replace human advisors but to augment their capabilities. The firms that successfully combine AI’s efficiency with human advisors’ empathy will be best positioned to thrive in the future.
Despite its potential, implementing AI in wealth management has its challenges. The success of AI initiatives depends heavily on the quality of data, integration with legacy systems, and the ability to interpret AI outputs effectively. Moreover, firms must address ethical considerations, ensuring that AI systems do not perpetuate biases or undermine the trust between advisors and clients.
Security is another pressing concern. As wealth management platforms aggregate vast amounts of sensitive financial data, robust cybersecurity frameworks are critical. Adherence to GDPR and other data privacy regulations is paramount to protect client information and prevent unauthorised access. Firms must adopt a "security-by-design" approach when building AI solutions to mitigate risks.
At Figg, we understand that trust is the foundation of the financial services industry. As a wealth tech platform aggregating bank and investment accounts, we prioritise data security and GDPR compliance. While we don’t hold user assets, we aim to empower individuals by providing a clear and secure view of their finances. Our partnerships with regulated platforms ensure the highest data protection standards, enabling users to connect their accounts confidently and make informed decisions.
Building trust through transparency and security is critical for wealth managers and financial advisors, especially when adopting advanced technologies like AI. Striking the right balance between innovation and compliance will enable firms to unlock AI's benefits while safeguarding client interests.
To make the most of AI’s potential, wealth management firms must adopt a strategic approach:
1. Start Small, Scale Fast: Begin with pilot projects to test AI solutions and gather insights. As confidence grows, expand AI initiatives across the organisation.
2. Invest in Talent and Training: Equip staff with the skills to work alongside AI systems. Cross-functional collaboration between technology teams and advisors is critical.
3. Focus on Client-Centric Solutions: Use AI to enhance the client experience, not just operational efficiency. The ultimate goal is to create more value for clients.
4. Ensure Transparency and Accountability: Build AI systems with explainable algorithms and clear accountability to maintain trust with clients and regulators.
Integrating AI in wealth management presents exciting opportunities but requires a thoughtful, deliberate approach. Firms that leverage AI effectively will be well-positioned to deliver superior client experiences and drive sustainable growth. However, technology alone will not determine success—it will come from collaboration between advisors, technologists, and clients.
As the industry navigates this period of change, firms must remember that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human expertise. By combining the best technology and human insight, wealth managers can unlock new possibilities and create a future where technology catalyses better client financial outcomes.
SAHBA HADIPOUR, Founder & CEO, Figgwealth, figgwealth.com
Proactive Fraud Detection in Wealth Management
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The wealth management sector is experiencing a period of rapid digital transformation. The risk landscape has shifted, with fraud methods becoming more advanced and identity verification demands growing. Wealth managers today must tackle new forms of identity fraud, including image tampering, ID document manipulation, and synthetic identities, to maintain both client trust and regulatory compliance. In this evolving environment, where clients expect secure, seamless digital experiences, effective protections are essential.
• Proactive Compliance: Moving from mere regulatory compliance to proactive fraud detection through predictive analytics can enhance client trust and meet evolving regulatory expectations.
• Future-Ready Verification Systems: Wealth managers must adopt adaptable, secure verification systems to counter emerging fraud tactics, including deepfake impersonation and AI-generated synthetic identities.
Below, we examine the emerging threats in fraud and outline the fraud prevention measures wealth managers should consider to safeguard their firms and clients effectively, building resilience against current and future risks.
Safeguarding Wealth Management Against Fraud
• Evolving Threats: Fraud tactics, such as image tampering and synthetic identities, are increasingly sophisticated, demanding advanced identity verification to protect assets and client trust.
• Technology as a Defence: Biometric verification, document authentication, and AIdriven monitoring are essential investments to detect and prevent real-time fraud, especially in a digital onboarding era.
Fraud has evolved far beyond traditional identity theft and document forgery. Today, criminals use sophisticated tactics like image tampering—altering photos on identity documents to trick verification systems—and synthetic identity fraud, where real and fictitious data combine to create seemingly legitimate identities. Given that 40% of clients believe wealth management has become more complex in recent years, due in part to regulatory and technological changes, this is a concerning fact. This shift underlines the need for wealth managers to integrate advanced verification tools, to minimise risk and protect their reputations as trusted advisors.
Consider the scenarios where a high-net-worth client falls victim to identity fraud due to insufficient verification measures during onboarding, or a client is onboarded without proper sanctions screening checks being conducted. These incidents not only result in financial loss for the client but also destroy a firm’s brand. In an industry where relationships are built on trust, even one instance of fraud can lead to reputational damage, client attrition and costly fines. And they’re happening, as seen with the £29m FCA fine against Starling Bank for sanction screening failings.
Staying ahead of modern fraud tactics requires a technology-first approach to identity verification. Biometric verification methods, such as facial recognition and liveness detection, are crucial for real-time fraud prevention, enabling firms to authenticate a client’s identity instantly. Additionally, document authentication technology can flag AI-generated documents by analysing fonts, colours, and embedded security features. This level of scrutiny is essential in a sector managing high-value assets, where 71% of clients expect efficient onboarding experiences, including robust security.
Recent findings show that biometric and AI-powered verification systems help reduce fraud risk, offering a critical advantage for wealth managers facing rising client expectations. As digital and mobile onboarding solutions become standard, especially for younger clients (with 32% of millennials citing digital experiences as essential), the importance of secure, tech-enabled processes will only grow.
Regulatory bodies, such as the FCA, increasingly expect wealth managers to shift from compliance-focused
practices to proactive fraud detection. With 53% of wealth management clients actively seeking additional advice in times of volatility, firms must not only monitor but predict potential risks to maintain client confidence. Implementing real-time monitoring and predictive analytics can help wealth managers detect and address anomalies in client behaviour early on, avoiding reputational damage.
Wealth managers who adopt a proactive compliance model position themselves as industry leaders in fraud prevention, meeting regulatory standards and building stronger client relationships. This shift from reactive to proactive strategies is particularly important, given the increased focus on fraud prevention by governments globally, for example the UK Government’s new failure to prevent fraud offence, coming into effect in September 2025. Suddenly it is less about one individual department being responsible and more about everyone in the organisation being aware of the risk of fraud.
The future of fraud prevention lies in building adaptable systems to counter advanced techniques, such as deepfake impersonation and AI-generated synthetic identities. In an industry where security concerns are high, wealth managers must prepare for potential threats by continually updating verification systems and collaborating with technology providers. The PIMFA WealthTech report highlights that advancements in AI and biometric authentication can support real-time sentiment analysis and identity verification, enabling firms to assess and respond to client needs and behaviours quickly.
Preparing for future threats involves the continuous evolution of verification systems in partnership with technology providers. With a coordinated approach, wealth managers can automate the detection of inconsistencies and anomalies, crucial for digitally onboarding clients and managing increasingly complex fraud tactics.
1. Recognise and respond to evolving fraud techniques: Image tampering and synthetic identities are just a few of the sophisticated challenges that require wealth managers to adopt innovative solutions.
1. Invest in AI-driven verification tools: Biometrics, document authentication, and real-time monitoring are essential for a robust anti-fraud strategy, especially as digital onboarding becomes more prevalent.
1. Prepare for future threats: New threats require adaptable, secure verification systems that evolve alongside fraud tactics.
As wealth managers face increasingly sophisticated fraud threats and regulatory scrutiny, embracing advanced identity verification technology is both a necessity and a strategic advantage. By investing in biometrics, AI-powered document authentication, and real-time analytics, firms can secure client assets and build a reputation for security and compliance, essential in today’s digital age.
Moving beyond compliance to proactive fraud detection positions wealth managers as ahead of the curve, meeting client expectations for security and staying ahead of the regulatory focus on organisation-wide fraud prevention. In a fast-moving landscape, wealth managers who switch to technologies not only protect their clients but lay the groundwork for long-term success in an increasingly complex wealth management environment.
JOURNAL EDITION #29
BUILDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL FUTURES
The Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance market for financial advisers has long been challenging, but recent improvements offer hope. Increasing competition, evolving regulations, and market shifts are driving positive changes, particularly for advisers involved in high-risk areas like Defined Benefit (DB) pension transfers. The landscape is slowly becoming more favourable, with better opportunities to secure PI insurance at more manageable costs. Here’s a closer look at the improving market conditions, the changing claims environment, and how advisers can navigate this evolving landscape.
A significant factor behind the recent improvements is the influx of new insurers, increasing competition in the PI market. Historically, a limited number of insurers were willing to underwrite PI policies, particularly for firms involved in DB pension transfers. This limited competition led to higher premiums and financial strain on advisers. However, as more insurers enter the market, there’s greater pricing flexibility and more coverage options.
Insurers are also increasingly using technology and data analytics to assess risk more accurately. Firms with strong risk management practices and clean compliance records are now able to secure better rates, as insurers differentiate between high- and low-risk clients. This shift is rewarding advisers who invest in compliance and risk management, helping to lower costs for firms that maintain high standards.
Regulatory reforms have also played a role in alleviating some of the pressure in the PI market. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has focused on high-risk areas, such as DB pension transfers, which in the past led to a surge in claims. Tighter regulations and enhanced training requirements
for advisers have improved the quality of advice in these areas, resulting in fewer claims. This reduction in claims is encouraging insurers to re-enter the market and offer more affordable coverage.
The Evolving DB Pension Transfer Environment
DB pension transfers have historically been one of the most contentious areas for advisers, with inappropriate advice leading to a high volume of claims. However, regulatory tightening and improved adviser training have reduced the number of inappropriate transfers, which in turn has lessened claims and payouts for insurers.
The FCA’s stricter guidelines require advisers to provide robust justifications for recommending a DB pension transfer. Additionally, clients are becoming better informed about the risks involved, reducing the likelihood of miscommunications that often lead to claims. As the volume of claims related to DB transfers decreases, insurers view this area as less risky, leading to more affordable PI insurance options for advisers.
Aside from DB pension transfers, other high-risk areas such as inheritance tax (IHT) planning also contribute to the PI insurance challenges faced by financial advisers. Advising on IHT often involves complex strategies and high-value assets, making it more susceptible to claims if advice is deemed inadequate or unsuitable. With rising property values, more estates are falling into the IHT threshold, increasing scrutiny for advisers in this space.
The forthcoming October budget from the UK Labour government may significantly impact advisers offering IHT advice. Labour has hinted at reforms that could raise taxes on wealthier estates or lower the IHT threshold, increasing the demand for IHT planning services while simultaneously heightening regulatory scrutiny. These changes could create a more challenging environment for advisers, as clients may be more likely to contest advice if their tax bills increase. Advisers should prepare by ensuring their advice is well-documented and fully compliant with any new regulations that may emerge.
While the market is improving, advisers need to take proactive steps to secure affordable PI insurance. Here are a few strategies that can help:
1. Emphasize Risk Management:
Firms with robust risk management practices are more attractive to insurers. Document advice thoroughly, maintain detailed records, and invest in compliance frameworks to demonstrate a commitment to mitigating risks.
2. Stay Updated with Regulatory Changes: Regulations, particularly in high-risk areas like DB transfers and IHT, are constantly evolving. Staying up-to-date with FCA guidelines and training requirements helps advisers provide compliant advice, lowering the risk of claims and making them more appealing to insurers.
3. Leverage Technology:
Insurers are using data analytics to assess risk profiles, and advisers should do the same. CRM systems, risk assessment tools, and compliance software can help firms track client interactions and demonstrate their low-risk status.
4. Engage with Specialist Brokers:
Specialist insurance brokers with experience in the financial advice market can help advisers find competitive PI insurance rates. Brokers often have relationships with insurers that are more open to offering favourable terms to firms with strong compliance records.
5. Diversify Service Offerings:
Firms that focus heavily on high-risk areas like DB transfers or IHT planning may face higher premiums. Diversifying services to include lower-risk areas can help balance the firm’s risk profile, leading to better insurance terms.
The PI insurance market for financial advisers is showing signs of improvement, driven by increased competition, regulatory changes, and a more favourable claims environment, particularly in the DB pension transfer space. However, high-risk areas like IHT planning and potential tax reforms from the Labour government could create new challenges. Advisers who focus on risk management, regulatory compliance, and leveraging technology will be best positioned to secure more affordable and accessible PI insurance.
By staying proactive and adapting to market changes, financial advisers can continue providing valuable services to their clients while managing the evolving risks associated with their profession.
KATE ALBERT, CEO and Co-Founder, Kova Professions,
www.kovaprofessions.com Kate.Albert@kovaprofessions.com
WHY DO SO MANY INVESTMENT FIRMS MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH THEIR CASS TEAMS?
JOURNAL
BUILDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL FUTURES
When I first worked in Compliance, there was a ‘them and us’ culture, with compliance teams regularly referred to as the “business prevention unit”. Compliance monitoring teams were often seen as “giving the business a kicking”. In the last 20 years though, things have changed and the vast majority of firms see the value a good compliance function brings to a business. Whether by spotting opportunity to reduce breach numbers or setting the foundations for compliance success by providing early input into change projects, there’s little doubt about the importance of embracing compliance input.
Sadly, it feels like we’ve seen less progress with interactions between Client Assets Sourcebook (CASS) teams and the wider business. CASS teams are often associated with CASS audits and the rigidity that the CASS rules bring. I’ve recently seen cases of operations, treasury and IT teams ignoring requests from CASS teams to provide input to the audit. I’ve seen operations staff amending records to avoid having to report breaches to the CASS team. And I’ve seen CASS teams excluded from change project discussions because the business thinks they will bring blockers for the change they want to make.
Some of the blame for this has to lie at the door of the CASS teams themselves, which can have a tendency to say “no” rather than understanding the end goal and working to get there compliantly. CASS is a technical sourcebook and it’s unique in the scrutiny it receives, with compulsory annual audit results going to the FCA. So sometimes we should forgive CASS teams for sticking with the
tried and tested rather than risking a redesign impacting the audit opinion.
But a lack of collaboration between business areas and CASS teams can impact not just CASS compliance, but also commercial performance and growth potential of the business. It’s time to build better relationships and foster more collaboration on all aspects of CASS. But what are the benefits of making that change?
Good CASS processes can increase efficiency, in turn positively impacting productivity and profitability. But to achieve this, you need the CASS team and business to work together. The CASS team offer technical expertise and insights into industry standards while the business understands what can work in practice for the firm. There’s no point in the CASS team setting expectations for CASS processes if operations teams will struggle to run them. Similarly, the wider business should acknowledge the technical
expertise of the CASS team and welcome their ideas and suggestions. Of course, CASS process design isn’t a one-off project, it’s an area where continuous review and improvement will be needed. So, collaboration needs to continue, and there needs to be open communication with a no-blame culture. CASS teams and the business need to each listen to what the other needs.
Clients and intermediaries are becoming more interested in how firms ensure that the money and assets belonging to investors is protected. CASS teams need to work with front office teams to equip them to have those conversations with clients and intermediaries. This also brings an opportunity for CASS teams to get insight into the type of questions front office teams are being asked, which could highlight areas where the firm could be doing more on CASS compliance.
The FCA will get information on all CASS breaches identified by a firm or by its auditor, and will often follow up on how the firm is remediating, particularly where the breach has contributed to an adverse opinion or has been a recurring issue. CASS teams will need to work with the business to understand root causes and find a way that corrects them on an ongoing basis. Remember, there’s no point having compliant processes if it’s impossible for the business to operate them without failures.
Growth potential
I often see examples of firms that rely on manual processes, usually because the IT systems used don’t fit the business model or haven’t kept pace with industry standards. Manual processes can limit the growth potential of a business because to grow, more people are needed, which will reduce the commercial viability of the growth. If the business and CASS teams can work to develop efficient and effective processes, ideally with some automation, a business can be more scalable. This is another area where the CASS team will need to understand where the manual processes are and where the resource pinch points are, so that alternative solutions can be found.
Getting change right first time
We’ve heard a lot from the FCA about change management and the importance of CASS team involvement from the start of change projects. In too many cases, a business change has unexpected impacts on CASS compliance. If CASS teams are involved in change discussions from the start, they can work with the business to assess CASS impact – direct or indirect. But CASS teams can only get involved if the business lets them know that the change is being discussed.
So how do you go about changing the dynamic between CASS teams and the wider business?
• Tone from the top – it’s essential that senior management are seen to respect CASS teams and to involve them in discussions. Without this, the rest of the business is unlikely to see the need to do the same.
• Robust governance – clear lines of responsibility and accountability.
• CASS teams that listen – if the business has a suggestion for improvement, CASS teams must listen and understand what they need to achieve. An idea should never be dismissed just because it’ll be difficult to implement.
• The business needs to communicate openly – don’t shy away from difficult conversations with the CASS team. Whether it’s a breach report or a change suggestion, the conversation needs to be constructive and open.
CASS specialists are a skilled resource, with a sought-after skill set and likely to come at a significant cost to the business, so it’s time to embrace the opportunity they can bring.
NICKY GREEN, Advisory Director, Square 4 Partners, www.square4.com ngreen@square4.com
BUILDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL FUTURES
Wealth Management has always depended on close and effective client relationships. As wealth begins to shift to a younger, more tech-savvy generation, the industry must adapt to new consumer behaviours and smaller, fractional balances.
But can it? According to recent press coverage, an annual review is costing mid-size advice firms between £1,750 and £2,250 per client. That requires a portfolio value of £200K just to be net even for the service, not even profitable.
To address this issue, industry must address the endto-end fundamentals. The back office often operates like the pre-Industrial Revolution era: disconnected systems, manual processes and outdated technology force staff to scurry around with leaky buckets of data, moving them from one place to another. This situation erodes profit at every turn, unable to provide the seamless experience clients expect in a modern, integrated world.
Solving this problem is crucial to bridging the advice gap and driving down costs for the unserved, yet eligible, investors.
The solution demands a balance of incremental upgrades and disruptive innovations. This dual approach, akin to integrating aged plumbing with smart appliances, preserves legacy systems while enabling the required efficiencies.
In 19th-century London, a sewer system originally built by the Romans was repurposed as part of an 1860s overhaul of London’s sanitation. This wasn’t
about discarding what worked—it was about elevating legacy systems to modern standards. Wealth management firms today face a similar challenge. Legacy systems such as Investment Platforms and core operational tools underpin critical processes. Observing one of these platforms recently, it was marketed as being “underpinned by the latest internet based online technology”: that description certainly dates it as pre-21st century. Rather than abandoning these systems, firms must uplift them by accelerating end-to-end integration, enabled by automation. This can prove-out the value for more disruptive transformation when either they, or the wider market, is ready.
Modern plumbing innovations like dishwashers revolutionised daily life by automating repetitive tasks. Automation in wealth management—via AI, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and API ecosystems—can achieve similar results. Tasks such as reconciliations or portfolio rebalancing can be streamlined, allowing staff to focus on high-value client interactions.
Effective Automation also addresses the issue of talent retention. By reducing or eliminating repetitive and mundane work, firms can improve job satisfaction and help stem the industry’s grassroots talent shortages.
The first step in transformation is challenging the status quo. Entrenched processes often persist due to organisational inertia and a lack of external drivers for change. Fresh perspectives are invaluable here. Other industries, such as legal services, appoint innovation champions from graduate talent pools to challenge norms and drive reform. Wealth management should follow suit, pairing new hires with senior leaders to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Just as washing machines and dishwashers became household staples in the late 20th century, automation in wealth management could represent a shift from timeconsuming processes to streamlined end-to-end workflows. But these innovations have to be plugged into reliable infrastructure in order to be resilient and sustainable.
The industry is crying out for innovation: solutions that address repetitive tasks on a one- to- many basis can address sizeable problems, for example, managing a master Asset Allocation across multiple Investment Platforms. Aside from decisions on substitutions in the event of varying product availability, the rest is simply rinse and repeat.
1. Evolutionary Use Case: A wealth management firm with an old portfolio management system might add middleware to automate data sharing with a modern client portal. Advisors gain real-time insights and clients enjoy interactive dashboards, preserving legacy stability while adding value and enhancing security by removing the risk of inbox hacking.
2. Revolutionary Use Case: Compliance reporting, a traditionally labour-intensive task, can benefit from AI tools that flag anomalies instantly. By integrating such tools with legacy systems, firms can revolutionise compliance without compromising on data integrity.
Dishwashers and washing machines didn’t replace the old underlying infrastructure—they leveraged them. Similarly, modern tools in wealth management amplify the potential of legacy systems. The firms that succeed in this evolutionrevolution harmony will address today’s inefficiencies while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges, creating an ecosystem where data flows seamlessly, technology adds value, and human effort is reserved for strategic decision-making.
In the same way that modern appliances, due to underinvestment and innovation, have to integrate with aged infrastructure, wealth management requires harmony between legacy systems and innovative tools. Firms that strike this balance will reduce inefficiencies, embrace personalised digital services and prepare for a future where smaller balances dominate.
These Firms will be the modern cities of wealth management, where automation and intelligence flow freely, connecting the front office to the back office, clients to advisors, and innovation to tradition. They will be able to serve more clients and deal with the new world of smaller more fractional balances. Getting this right unlocks the allimportant digital services. Services that can be tailored to the next generation of investors, personalised and aligned to female preferences or monitored with AI tools to spot vulnerability signals in near real-time.
Firms Must Collaborate to Innovate
No efficient and scalable system evolves in isolation. The most successful firms will work collaboratively within their supply chains and their peers to streamline back-office operations, freeing time and resources for differentiation in the front office. These efforts will enable firms to serve a broader range of clients effectively.
To evolve, the industry needs to think more cohesively. By improving the plumbing, more straight- through-processes can be unlocked, costs can be reduced and waste can be designed out. The reality is, however, that you have to work with what you’ve got but not be afraid to overhaul it.
TOM WHITTLE, Co-Founder, Tikker,
www.tikker.co.uk
tom.whittle@tikker.co.uk
BLIND SPOTS: ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR BUSINESS EXPOSED?
BUILDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL FUTURES
Uncover the most common blind spots in third-party risk management, from incomplete vendor assessments to neglecting fourth-party risks. Learn strategies to protect your business from operational disruptions, financial losses, and compliance failures.
Third-party relationships are essential for modern organisations, providing access to specialised expertise, scalable resources, and innovative technologies. However, these partnerships also come with risks that are often overlooked until it’s too late. Many organisations believe that signing a contract and setting expectations is sufficient to manage these risks. The reality, however, is much more complex.
Even businesses with some measures in place to manage third-party risks often have hidden blind spots. These can lead to operational disruptions, financial losses, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage. Below, we explore the most common blind spots in third-party risk management and provide actionable strategies to address them.
When onboarding new vendors, organisations often focus heavily on financial stability or service delivery capabilities. While important, these factors alone are insufficient to capture the full spectrum of risks. Overlooking areas like cybersecurity vulnerabilities, data privacy protocols, and regulatory compliance can leave organisations exposed to breaches or fines.
assessments that go beyond financial health to include security measures, compliance history, and contingency planning. Reassess these risks periodically as part of an ongoing vendor monitoring strategy to stay ahead of evolving challenges.
Contracts serve as essential safeguards, but they are not foolproof. A well-drafted agreement cannot predict real-world changes in vendor behaviour or shield against unforeseen operational failures. Over-reliance on contractual obligations without real-time oversight can create significant vulnerabilities.
with continuous monitoring. This could include establishing automated alerts for red flags, such as sudden financial instability or compliance violations. Proactive monitoring ensures minor issues are identified and resolved before they escalate.
Many vendors rely on their own suppliers or subcontractors—known as fourth parties—to deliver services. If these secondary providers face disruptions, your business may also suffer. Focusing solely on direct third-party relationships while ignoring the wider supply chain creates a critical blind spot.
How to Address It: Incorporate fourth-party risk assessments into your overall strategy. Request visibility into your vendors’ supply chains and ensure they have robust risk management frameworks in place. Advanced analytics and supplier risk dashboards can provide deeper insights into potential vulnerabilities.
Risk management often falls victim to siloed operations, with different departments engaging vendors independently. This fragmented approach can lead to inconsistent practices, overlooked risks, and missed opportunities for mitigation.
How to Address It: Foster collaboration by establishing a centralised third-party risk management framework. Share vendor performance and risk data across departments such as IT, procurement, compliance, and legal to ensure a cohesive strategy and quick response to emerging threats.
5) Blind Spot #5: Insufficient Incident Response Planning
In the event of a vendor failure or data breach, an organisation’s response can determine the scale of the impact. Unfortunately, many businesses lack clear incident response plans that include third-party vendors, leading to delays, confusion, and prolonged disruptions.
How to Address It: Develop a comprehensive incident response plan that outlines communication protocols, roles, and responsibilities for both internal teams and vendors. Regularly conduct drills to ensure readiness and identify areas for improvement.
Many organisations conduct compliance checks during onboarding but fail to revisit them afterward. Over time, vendors can drift out of compliance with regulations, exposing your business to risks.
How to Address It: Invest in tools that enable continuous compliance monitoring. This ensures that vendors remain aligned with evolving regulatory requirements, such as GDPR or DORA, and allows for timely corrective action when deviations occur.
Effectively managing third-party risks requires a shift from static, checklist-based approaches to dynamic, continuous oversight. By leveraging real-time data and predictive analytics, organisations can uncover hidden vulnerabilities, anticipate challenges, and mitigate risks proactively.
Emerging technologies like machine learning and advanced risk modelling are making it easier to identify patterns and trends across complex supply chains. Tools that integrate vast datasets from financial health metrics to compliance indicators enable businesses to respond with agility and precision.
Addressing these blind spots is not just about avoiding risks; it’s about building a resilient and adaptable organisation. By embedding proactive risk management practices and leveraging datadriven insights, businesses can strengthen their third-party relationships and turn potential liabilities into opportunities.
Proactively addressing third-party risks today will help safeguard your organisation against future disruptions, ensuring long-term operational resilience and success.
VENDOR
IQ, vendoriq.co.uk info@vendoriq.co.uk
BUILDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL FUTURES
Know Your Customer (KYC) is a cornerstone of compliance and risk management in financial institutions, ensuring adherence to anti-money laundering (AML) laws while safeguarding the integrity of financial systems. Stricter regulations, such as the EU’s AML Directives, the US PATRIOT Act, and FATF guidelines, have intensified the demand for resource-intensive KYC processes. In response, many financial institutions have offshored KYC operations to reduce costs. While cost-saving is a clear benefit, offshoring introduces challenges that compromise KYC effectiveness.
This article explores the pitfalls of offshoring KYC, focusing on data security risks, regulatory compliance challenges, lack of expertise, communication barriers, and reputational damage. Historical examples from Deutsche Bank, HSBC, and Standard Chartered illustrate these issues, highlighting why offshoring is often a problematic strategy for critical compliance functions.
KYC processes validate customer identities, assess risks, and detect illicit activities like money laundering, fraud, and terrorist financing. Noncompliance can lead to severe legal, financial, and reputational consequences. Enhanced by regulations such as the EU’s Fourth and Fifth AML Directives, KYC requirements have grown more rigorous, leading financial institutions to offshore these operations to lower-cost regions like India and the Philippines. However, this approach has its drawbacks.
Offshoring KYC requires transferring sensitive data, such as identification and financial records, to locations often governed by weaker data protection laws than the EU or the US. This increases exposure to data breaches and regulatory penalties.
History has many examples where third parties have exposed personal identification and tax information, violating GDPR, and damaging reputation of the financial institution. Different IT frameworks make it challenging for banks to enforce data security standards fully, leaving them vulnerable to cyberattacks and compliance failures. The EUs DORA and UKs operational resilience both should help reduce instances.
Offshoring complicates adherence to evolving AML and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) standards, which vary by jurisdiction. Banks with offshore operations often struggle to meet stricter local requirements, as illustrated by the Fifth AML Directive (5AMLD) in Europe.
For example, in 2019, a European bank incurred significant fines after its offshore KYC team failed to comply with 5AMLD’s enhanced due diligence standards. Updating offshore teams on new regulations, ensuring consistent compliance across jurisdictions and having overall control on the quality, can be costly and error-prone, exposing banks to enforcement actions.
Effective KYC involves more than administrative tasks; it requires domain expertise in fraud detection, regulatory compliance, and risk assessment. Offshore teams, while efficient in process-driven tasks, often lack the depth of knowledge needed for complex KYC cases, or being able to apply a risk-based approach.
Moving operational tasks to Offshore operations, is more often driven by high-volume, low-margin models, often prioritising speed over quality, but this increases the risk of errors in KYC checks and risk assessments.
Cultural differences, time zone mismatches, and language barriers can impede effective KYC execution.
In 2015, a UK bank faced delays and regulatory scrutiny when its offshore team in the Philippines struggled to interpret UK-specific compliance nuances. Seamless coordination between front-office staff, compliance officers, and risk management teams is vital for successful KYC. Offshore arrangements often disrupt this flow, particularly in critical situations where real-time collaboration is required.
Banking relies heavily on trust. Offshoring KYC can erode customer confidence, especially when data breaches or compliance failures occur.
Reputational damage can also arise from inadequate offshore KYC processes, such as missing red flags in high-risk transactions. For instance, a European financial institution’s offshore team failed to flag suspicious activity involving a politically exposed person, resulting in allegations of money laundering and significant reputational harm.
• Deutsche Bank (2015-2020): Offshore KYC teams failed to detect red flags in the Danske Bank scandal, enabling billions of euros to be laundered. The lack of oversight led to regulatory fines and reputational damage.
• Standard Chartered (2007-2011): Offshore deficiencies in transaction monitoring contributed to their $1 billion in fines for failing to escalate suspicious activities.
Offshoring KYC operations may seem like an attractive option for banks and financial institutions looking to reduce costs, but sometimes the risks far outweigh the potential benefits. Data security vulnerabilities, regulatory compliance challenges, a lack of specialised expertise, communication barriers, and reputational risks all contribute to the shortcomings of offshoring in the context of KYC.
As demonstrated by the experiences of Deutsche Bank, HSBC, and other major financial institutions, offshoring KYC processes has often led to operational inefficiencies, regulatory fines, and significant reputational damage. The sensitive and complex nature of KYC operations requires a level of control, expertise, and regulatory adherence that is difficult to maintain in offshore environments.
Banks can mitigate risks by adopting alternative strategies, such as:
1. Onshoring or Nearshoring: Retaining operations closer to home ensures better regulatory alignment and oversight.
2. Investing in Technology: Automated solutions can streamline KYC while reducing human error.
3. Specialised Training: Enhancing the expertise of onshore teams ensures high-quality compliance.
Banks must carefully consider the risks associated with offshoring KYC functions and explore alternative strategies. This could be investing in advanced technology, nearshoring, or retaining these critical operations onshore, to ensure compliance and protect their reputation in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. A blended approach is usually best, and outsourcing is a useful approach. Retaining knowledge and specialist functions onshore and tools to monitor offshore functions reduces risks, therefore ultimate control of the end-toend process is retained.
KYC is a vital, complex function that demands precision, expertise, and accountability. While offshoring offers cost-saving potential, it often leads to inefficiencies, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage. To succeed in an increasingly regulated environment, banks must prioritise quality and compliance over short-term savings, leveraging technology and strategic operations to build resilient KYC frameworks.
JEFF BATEMAN, CEO and Founder, Hartford Consulting, www.hartfordconsultants.co.uk
Jeff.bateman@hartfordconsultants.co.uk
JOURNAL EDITION #29
BUILDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL FUTURES
The consequences of ignoring poor wellbeing can go far beyond employee health. Stress and negative mental health in the workplace are major sources of errors and omissions, leading to increased risk of professional indemnity claims and financial loss.
By taking steps to manage stress and prioritise employee wellbeing, wealth management firms can not only create a happier and healthier workforce but also improve their employee retention rates, risk profile and, potentially, their bottom line.
The impact of stress in the workplace
Work-related stress, depression or anxiety is defined as a harmful reaction people have to undue pressures and demands placed on them at work. Unfortunately, stress in the workplace isn’t uncommon. According to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) data, an estimated 875,000 employees in Great Britain suffered work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2022/23. In the same year, these factors were responsible for 17.1 million lost working days.
Employees in the professional services sector are particularly prone to stress. Working environments can be high-pressure, with long hours and large workloads. Lack of recognition, inadequate support, discrimination, and even the commute to work are all sources of potential stress.
But it’s not just employees who are affected by stress at work. Firms themselves can also suffer, as
a result lost productivity and revenue; according to a 2024 Deloitte report, poor mental health cost UK employers £51 billion a year. Negative wellbeing and mental health can also impact client work, and may even be detrimental to client experience.
Growing scrutiny of workplace culture
Poor wellbeing at work is not new, but the subject has attracted greater scrutiny in recent years. Regulators are increasingly becoming concerned with the impact of stress, poor wellbeing, and toxic workplace culture.
In October 2024, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) released the results of its first comprehensive culture and non-financial misconduct survey. Among the findings was an increase in the number of non-financial misconduct incidents over the three years surveyed. Bullying and harassment (26%) and discrimination (23%) were the most reported types of non-financial misconduct. Meanwhile, certain firms were found to lack basic procedures to deal with incidents when they occur, including whistleblowing and disciplinary policies.
Recent legislative changes, in the shape of the new Worker Protection Act, are placing further requirements on employers to protect the rights of individuals at work and improve culture. Effective 26 October 2024, the Act requires employers to “take reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Under the new duty, employers (regardless of their size, sector, or circumstance) must take a proactive approach to tackling sexual harassment, the intention being to shift the emphasis from redress to prevention.
Employment practices liability insurers will have a keen interest in understanding firms’ approach to these changes, and the efforts taken to mitigate risk. Failure to respond could lead to claims or regulatory issues for wealth management firms. Firms with a history of claims are also more likely to face higher insurance premiums.
The benefits of positive wellbeing at work
By prioritising employee mental health, wellbeing, and workplace culture, wealth management firms can create a safer and more productive work environment. This translates to several benefits for employees, clients, and for firms themselves:
• Reduced risk of claims: addressing stress can significantly reduce the risk of errors, missed red flags, and communication breakdowns, leading to fewer professional indemnity insurance (PII) claims and potentially lower insurance premiums.
• Fewer sick days and absenteeism. Wellbeing issues contribute to absenteeism, which can hurt productivity. Education and training programmes focused on mental wellbeing reduce stress and burnout, leading to fewer sick days and higher employee availability.
• Improved client service: a happy and healthy workforce is a productive one. Mentally healthy employees are better able to focus, manage complex tasks effectively, and provide superior legal representation to clients.
• Enhanced employee retention: high turnover rates are expensive for firms. Investing in mental health can create a more positive work environment, leading to increased employee satisfaction and retention. Having a stable workforce can also help to eliminate continuity issues and minimise project disruption.
Given these consequences, as part of the insurance renewal process, insurers will be keen to understand to how firms are managing workplace stress and prioritising employees’ wellbeing.
Strategies may include:
• Establish a clear policy on stress, and physical and mental health
• Give employees support in their day-to-day work
• Ensure workloads are manageable and prevent burnout
• Identify potential sources of risk, including reviewing past claims, exit interviews, or employee surveys.
• Establish repercussions for those found guilty of misconduct
• Provide a safe environment for people to raise concerns, and address them promptly
• Train managers to recognise the signs and symptoms of stress, and to manage conflict within teams
• Seek an external review (from an employment law firm or similar professional consultant) of whistleblowing and disciplinary procedures
To ensure employees are adequately supported to manage stress, firms may consider investing in comprehensive employee benefit packages. These typically provide mental health support via an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), often at no cost to employees.
An EAP can be a vital resource for employees to use if feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Access to counselling services can also help and offers support a cross a broad range of topics.
Other benefits that could help manage stress include:
• Salary exchange – in return for cycle-to-work schemes, season ticket loans, and increased employer pension contributions
• Flexible working – reviewing working patterns may save employees money and valuable time, helping to relieve stress
• Buy/sell annual leave – this can give employees more regular breaks to reduce burnout, or additional salary
Firms should ensure all benefits are accessible and visible to employees. This will ensure help can reach those in need at an early stage and prompt faster recovery.
LUCIE GOSLING-MYERS, Senior Client Development Manager, Lockton, global.lockton.com/gb/en
LAURA SKAANILD, Head of Global Financial Institutions, Lockton, global.lockton.com/gb/en
BUILDING PERSONAL FINANCIAL FUTURES
The wealth management industry is shifting toward digital-first, omnichannel experiences as clients demand seamless access to their financial information. The impending generational wealth transfer amplifies the need for advanced digital capabilities – NextGen tech – to cater to younger (and older) clients’ expectations for intuitive platforms. At the core of this evolution are connectivity and as-a-service operating models, enabling firms to integrate modular, API-driven solutions that enhance agility and scalability. How can wealth managers strategically invest in these tools to drive client personalisation, streamline service offerings, and build a strong technological foundation for long-term growth in an ever-evolving market?
Driving Client and Advisor Excellence Through Front-Office
Investors today are demanding seamless omnichannel experiences, with nearly half (46%) regularly accessing their accounts via mobile apps1. This reliance on digital channels highlights an urgent need for wealth management firms to enhance their digital interactions and offerings. Adding to this pressure is the imminent generational wealth transfer, which brings younger clients to the forefront—individuals who value intuitive and engaging digital platforms and are more likely to switch providers if expectations are unmet. However, age alone isn’t the key factor; digital capabilities also heavily influence client decisions, with 35% of millennials and 34% of Baby Boomers ranking this as critical when selecting a wealth manager2
In response, wealth managers are directing significant technology investments into front-office
capabilities, such as advisor/client portals, client acquisition tools, and onboarding processes, which collectively dominate 36% of IT budgets3 . These projects are critical not only for improving operational efficiency but also for personalizing client experiences, an increasingly essential component of modern wealth management. Financial planning, which forms four of the top five technology investment priorities, further underscores this trend.
Personalisation, long a cornerstone of wealth management, is evolving rapidly. Data-driven tools now enable advisors to tailor recommendations based on individual behaviors, preferences, and risk tolerances. Advisor portals streamline repetitive tasks, freeing advisors to focus on strategic client engagement. Meanwhile, client portals with performance analytics and personalised dashboards offer tailored experiences, boosting client satisfaction.
1 https://www.lseg.com/en/media-centre/press-releases/2024/ai-set-to-revolutionise-wealth-management-operations
2 https://www.lseg.com/en/media-centre/press-releases/2024/ai-set-to-revolutionise-wealth-management-operations
3 Celent, Top Tech
Previsory: Wealth Management, November 2024
Digital-first wealth management: Building Strategic
The transition toward digital financial services is set to accelerate in 2025, with seamless digital experiences becoming a non-negotiable expectation among clients. From onboarding to portfolio management, clients increasingly demand platforms that allow them to access financial information, seek advice, and execute transactions seamlessly—integrating digital tools with in-person interactions as needed. This shift underscores the critical need for wealth managers to prioritise frictionless, hybrid engagement models that balance seamless and coherent digital collboration with human expertise.
To meet these expectations, financial firms are ramping up investments in technology, focusing on tools that empower advisors and elevate client interactions. Open architectures are transforming wealth management by enabling seamless integration with innovative fintech solutions. SaaS/ cloud-based platforms and APIs provide the connectivity needed to deliver agile and scalable solutions, enhancing agility and enabling them to adapt swiftly to technological advancements, shifting business priorities, and emerging market trends. These flexible and scalable architectures allow firms to operate with greater efficiency, speed, and resilience in a rapidly evolving landscape.
At the heart of this evolution lies Wealth-as-aService (WaaS), a framework built on modular, API-driven, and cloud-based platforms that unbundle the traditional wealth management technology stack. This modular approach enables
wealth managers to accelerate product and service launches while scaling operations to meet client demands in an increasingly competitive environment.
Adopting as-a-service models and cloud-based technologies allows wealth managers to modernise outdated applications and operations management. These advancements enhance customer experiences and position firms to adapt quickly to industry changes, ensuring agility and resilience in a dynamic financial landscape.
Data as the Foundation for Generative AI in Wealth Management
Data management and platforms are increasingly pivotal for wealth managers, serving as the foundational element to unlocking advanced technological potential. Generative AI, a transformative tool in wealth management, relies heavily on the quality and governance of data to deliver tangible results.
In a recent survey of wealth management executives , 61% identified improved data quality as a key factor in the success of generative AI, while 56% highlighted the importance of robust data governance. These insights reinforce the idea that it is not the volume of data that drives innovation, but rather its effective management, structuring, and refinement. Clean and well-governed data is critical to deploying AI solutions that offer genuine business value.
Despite the central role of data, the most important success factor for AI adoption was organisational and operational buy-in, with 67% of executives recognising it as a critical component. This underscores the importance of aligning leadership and teams to strategically integrate transformative technologies and ensure their long-term impact.
Ultimately, the success of generative AI and other advanced technologies in wealth management depends on strong data platforms, governance frameworks, and a collaborative culture—elements that are not merely enablers of innovation but essential to driving operational excellence across the industry.
The fundamental question remains: can technology make wealth management more human? The answer lies in leveraging these innovations to enhance—not replace—human interactions. By thoughtfully integrating technology with the human element, the wealth management industry can chart a future that is both innovative and profoundly client-centric.
TARIQ
KHAN, Head of Sales and Business Development,
Objectway, www.objectway.com tariq.khan@objectway.com
Alongside updates from PIMFA, the Journal includes several useful inputs from our associate member firms. These articles are an excellent opportunity to gain interesting insights into the wider industry and to learn more about PIMFA associate members.
If you are an associate member and you are interested in contributing to future editions of the Journal then please contact:
Nigel Ross-Scott, Copywriting & Publications Manager (NigelRS@pimfa.co.uk)
Event Name:
PIMFA Women’s Symposium
Event Date:
22 & 23 April 2025
Venue:
PIMFA is delighted to announce the return of the Women’s Symposium for 2025
De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, Holborn, central London
Build relationships with this community: host a personal development or investment and relatedfocused workshop
Create awareness of your organisation: consider the many opportunities for networking, marketing and corporate branding at the event
Align your firm with thought-leadership introduce dynamic, topical speakers and content that challenge thinking, raise awareness and encourage delegates to think outside the box.
We are currently putting together the agenda, and liaising with event sponsors – if you would like to get involved, or suggest a topic or concept to explore, please reach out – our friendly team will be happy to give you the latest.
contact us at events@pimfa.co.uk to get in touch.
