Conference Programme

Supporting success through technology.

September 15th London, September 17th Manchester

 

 

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9:00am Chairman’s Opening Comments

Holly Mackay – Managing Director of The Platforum

 

9:05am Keynote speech - Jon Everill –Proposition Director, Bluefin

Many IFAs haven’t adopted platforms into their businesses, yet suffer from an inability to provide an efficient and valued “service proposition” to their clients. Introducing platforms to your business can be a tricky and time consuming exercise, but the benefits can be life changing – to both advisers and their clients.

 

9:40am Platforms: Moving into the mainstream?

Platforms have huge potential to transform our industry for the better, rebuilding our reputation and increasing trust in what we do. They can help advisers engage better with clients and drive efficiencies in their business. But platforms have not yet been truly embraced in much of the advice sector, so what are the issues hindering the adoption of a platform? This presentation will look at three key areas:

Ian Thomas – AXA Distribution Services

 

10:20am Aligning interests of client, adviser and provider

This session will look at how advisers considering platform adoption or increased platform usage can profitably ensure that the interests of adviser, client and provider are aligned. It will cover how getting the basics right in defining a proposition can have unexpected business benefits from easier and quicker platform adoption to becoming sale ready - whether you are considering sale or not - and what kind of support you have a right to expect from your platform provider.

Mark Polson – Head of Customer Management, Standard Life

 

11:00am Coffee

 

11:15am Due diligence, risk management and value enhancement

The key issues in running platforms are centred on making the right initial choice of provider, and using the technology in line with your business model. Here we take a step back to put the process into context, highlighting the regulatory background, and positing a systematic approach to platform evaluation.

Geoff Mills – Partner, Rayner Spencer Mills

 

11:55am Discretionary vs. Advisory - the role of platforms

More and more advisers are now considering the move to operating a discretionary management service as being the best way to offer a Financial Planning and wealth management service to their clients. Præmium introduces a session discussing the reasons for this change and how platforms are now evolving and changing their focus to a more investment orientated proposition.

 

12:30am What can UK advisers learn from the US experience?

Mike Linskey looks towards the USA to determine what might lie ahead for the UK. With the development of new technology and online advice, how can an adviser avoid being cut out? How can an adviser embrace these emerging technologies to open up new ways of doing business?

Mike Linskey – Director, Fincision

 

1:00pm Lunch

 

2:00pm Session to be introduced by Shaun Sandiford, Ascentric

In this session, Shaun Sandiford will focus on platform due diligence and look at the impact the RDR paper will potentially have on this. Also being considered are future platform trends and the move towards greater choice, ETFs, corporate bonds, structured products and fixed terms deposits, and the rise in IFA own-branding, offering seamless integration between the adviser's own front-end system and the platform.

Shaun Sandiford - Ascentric

 

2:40pm Strategies for migration and registration

Those that have experienced migration know that it is a painful process involving a great deal of paperwork for even a modest portfolio. It is often suggested that the inability to transfer tax wrapped assets ‘in specie’ is a barrier to migration between platforms, but this is only part of the problem. This session offers some strategies for managing the transition to a single platform model.

Clive Waller –Managing Director, CWC Research

 

3:15pm How do I improve earnings quality by owning the client proposition?

As adviser and wealth management organisations seek to improve both client service and the quality of their earnings, many are increasingly looking to move into the manufacturing space through both Distributor Influenced Funds (DIFs) and white labeled platform propositions.

David Moffat – Group Executive, IFDS

 

3:45pm Coffee

 

4:00pm ‘Dragons Den’ - Panel

Four providers present a 7-minute live demo of their product. Following immediately after each provider’s presentation, the panel will have 5 minutes to ask questions about the product. Afterwards, the providers will form a panel and take questions from the floor.

Panelists:

 

5:00pm How can you use social media marketing to add value to your IFA business?

Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social networking websites are rarely out of the press - but do they have any relevance to the financial advice business. In this startling presentation from IFA internet marketing expert Philip Calvert, you'll discover the truth about social media marketing and how and when you can use it as part of your communication mix. You'll discover:

Philip Calvert – Founder of IFA Life

 

5:30pm Chairman’s closing comments

Holly Mackay – Managing Director of The Platforum

 

5:35pm Networking drinks



You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view the program.