Sponsored by DST
The winner the judges said was best exemplified by a series of eight articles examining the various factors and issues arising from systems re-platforming written from the perspective of clients and advisers.
Highly commended: Katie Marriner
• David Moffat, executive director, DST
• Clive Waller, managing director, UKPA
• Tom Ellis
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Dynamic Planner
The winner of the award is the platform that received the highest average score across a four service categories in a survey run throughout the summer by the PFS and promoted by Professional Adviser. The survey attracted over 1300 votes.
In second place: Old Mutual Wealth
• Clive Waller, Managing Director, UKPA
• Ben Goss, CEO, Dynamic Planner
• David Tiller, Head of Adviser & Wealth Propositions
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Professional Adviser
The judges looked at the extent to which the service advances the overall platform proposition, paying particular attention to improving the customer’s experience. They are aware that this is low margin business and that automation and APIs are key. The winners get this.
In second place: Pershing
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Simone Broadhurst, events director, Incisive Media
• Alex Kerry, head of Winterflood Business Services
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Calastone
Our winner is clearly head and shoulders above its competitors and won the most business in the previous 12 months
In second place and highly commended: Mobius
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Jon Willis, chief commercial officer Calastone
• Shahid Sultan, Allfunds
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by The Lang Cat
Our winner employs technology to help people save more in an innovative but simple way; thus, they radically reduce the cost of individual member’s advice or the employer’s if they wish to provide it
In second place: Aegon
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Mark Polson, CEO, The Lang Cat
• Philip Blows, sales director, Wealth Wizards
• Simon Binney, business development director, Wealth Wizards
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Fundscape
Our winner, the judges felt, offered competitive pricing, whole of market access and made dealing and trading easy.
In second place and highly commended: Raymond James Investment Services
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Heather Hopkins, head of Platforum
• Verona Smith, head of platform, 7IM
• Tom Sheridan, CEO, 7IM
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by FE
A set of criteria was created by the leading DFM consultancy Discus, on which 20 leading discretionary managers then voted.
In joint second place and highly commended: Novia and Transact
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Gary Wheeler, sales director, FE
• Jenny Davidson, head of platform investment solutions, Standard Life
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by SEI
Our winner has a really clear, client-focused wealth management offering, combining a diverse investment proposition to a defined customer with full transparency of charging structure.
In second place: True Potential
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Brett Williams, managing director, SEI UK
• Peter Wyatt, head of platform sales
• Zoe Baird, digital proposition manager, Seven Investment Management
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by GBST
This is a truly innovative winner. They found a problem; did their research and did something different - bringing behavioral science into investment, working successfully with big high street brands.
In second place: Scalable Capital.
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• David Simpson, head of EMEA, GBST
• Mike Free & Neil Bage, co-founders, Be-IQ
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Bravura
The winner was found by asking those who use these applications, the advisers, to vote – an amazing 1300 of them did so.
In second place: FE
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Tony Klim, Group CEO, Bravura
• Ana Georgiou, product manager, Morningstar
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Envizage
The winners have continued to develop an exciting app that puts planning into the hands of the client, yet increases their engagement with their adviser. In addition, the app now links with market leading practice management system, Intelliflo.
In second place: True Potential and Canada Life
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Vinay Jayaram, director, Envizage
• Susan Allen, head of platform service team
• Neil Williams, Technical Connection
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Dunstan Thomas
The winner does what the customer needs, ensuring income payments are paid into their bank accounts on a set date. As simple as that!
Second and highly commended: AJ Bell
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Ehab Sigh chief operating officer, Dunstan Thomas
• David Tiller, head of adviser & wealth propositions, Standard Life
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Altus Consulting
The winner combines complexity of solution, for example offering 23 categories on a value at risk basis, with streamlining of the onboarding process to make the customer’s life easy
Joint second: Intelliflo
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Simon Bussy, principal consultant, Altus
• Adam French, CEO, Scalable Capital
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by RSMR
The judges liked the way two firms worked well together to deliver technology that benefits adviser AND end investors. This is a solution potentially ahead of regulation showing the value of integration
In second place: Digital Keystone and Multrees
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Geoff Mills, Director, RSMR
• Ian Cooke, CEO, Fusion Wealth
• Brett Williams, Managing Director, SEI, UK
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by FNZ
The winner combines detailed financial planning with a sophisticated model portfolio service, outsourcing all that is not core. The winner is a member of the multiple award winning Best Practice network and runs on the Fusion Wealth platform powered by SEI
In second place and highly commended: Thomas & Thomas
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society,
• Christopher James, managing director, FNZ Wealth Services
• Claire Phillips, partner, First Wealth
• Robert Caplan, partner, First Wealth
• Kerry Burgess, practice manager, First Wealth
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Aegon
This winner continues to impress; they employ their group’s own technology to enhance the client proposition and drive down client cost, a firm three steps ahead.The winner also runs on the Fusion Wealth platform powered by SEI
In second place: True Potential
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Andy Coleman, managing director of retail, Aegon
• Ian Cooke, CEO, Aspect 8
• Brian Potter, director, Aspect 8
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Fundscape
The winner was found by asking those who use the platforms, the advisers, to vote. Over 1300 did vote on the PFS website
In second place:Elevate.
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Emma Napier, head of distribution, True Potential
• Bella Caridade-Ferreria, CEO, Fundscape
• Kate Silverton
• Sean Montgomery, head of platform operations, True Potential
Sponsored by Winterflood Business Services
The winner was found by asking those who use the platforms, the advisers, to vote. Over 1300 did vote on the PFS website
In second place: Transact
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• Alex Kerry, head of Winterflood Business Services
• Eilidh Laverty, head of advice marketing
• Caroline Miller, head of strategic relationships and industry engagement, Standard Life
• Kate Silverton
Sponsored by Schroders
The winner has a clear focus on the leading criterion - the customer; they have a clear strategy for their business; they are circumspect in their choice of adviser; they are ahead of the regulatory curve; they have a technology focus; and they have doubled their growth with no increase in staff
In second place and highly commend: AJ Bell
In third place: 7IM
• Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
• James Rainbow, Co-Head of UK Intermediary
• Chris Macdonald, Regional business development director (Scotland), Nucleusg
• Kate Silverton