Winners 2018

Past Winners:

  • Platform of the year - 2018

    Winner: Nucleus Financial

    Sponsored by Schroders

    The winner is a start-up that has grown and grown, achieving great success. They continue to enhance their adviser, and, most importantly, their end client proposition by the proactive use of data. They have recently achieved an AIM listing on the London Stock Exchange. Whilst they are by no means the biggest in the land, the judges once again deemed this platform to be the best in the land

    In third place: True Potential

    In second place: Zurich Investment Platform

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Natalie Holt, Content Editor, Nucleus
    • James Rainbow, Co-head of UK Intermediary, Schroders
    • Geoff Taylor, Market Insight Manager, Nucleus
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best Platform Provider (AUM £25 Billion Or More)

    Winner: Standard Life Wrap

    Sponsored by Winterflood Business Services

    The winner was found by asking those who use the platforms, the advisers, to vote.

    In third place: Old Mutual Wealth

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Darren Hepworth, Head of Service and Delivery, Winterflood Business Services
    • Noel, Butwell, Distribution Director, Standard Life Wrap
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best Platform Provider (AUM Under £25 Billion)

    Winner: True Potential

    Sponsored by Fundscape

    The winner was found by asking those who use the platforms, the advisers, to vote.

    In second place: Parmenion

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Terry Finchen, Operations Analyst, True Potential
    • Bella Caridade-Ferreria, CEO, Fundscape
    • Jenny Hall, Head of Operations, True Potential
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Adviser Business

    Winner: Aspect 8

    Sponsored by Aegon

    Judges were impressed that this firm continues to strive to stay ahead of the pack, with technology at its heart via the group’s own tech company. They are expanding into multi-family office and mass affluent sectors. They want technology to do the heavy lifting and want all clients to be digital when they can be. The winner runs on the Fusion Wealth platform powered by SEI.

    In second place and highly commended: Lift Financial

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Laura Eden, Director, Retail Distribution, Aegon
    • Ian Cooke, CEO, Aspect8
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Adviser Practice

    Winner: Thomas & Thomas Independant Wealth Management

    Sponsored by FNZ

    It is just impossible to ignore how much this firm cares for both its clients and its people. They are taking on more professionals to deal with their clients rather than more advisers to grow the business. The judges were further impressed that they are gaining traction with an ethical investment proposition.

    In second place and highly commended: Tavistock Private Client

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Christopher James, Managing Director, Institutional Services, FNZ
    • Lisa Thomas, Thomas & Thomas
    • Darren Thomas, Thomas & Thomas
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best Use of Platform Technology

    There are 2 winners in this category, the platform and their technology partner

    Winner: Raymond James Investment Services and Investment Software Ltd

    Sponsored by RSMR

    LThe judges found good evidence that the technology is robust and reliable. The judges liked the relationship between the platform and the technology partner and plans for future development.

    In second place: Embark and FNZ

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Imran Khan, Managing Director, Investment Software
    • Geoff Mills, Director, RSMR
    • David Strydom, Head of Technology, Raymond James
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Digital Platform

    Winner: PensionsBee

    Sponsored by Altus Consulting

    The judges liked the fact that this proposition looks at the world from a consumer perspective. It has a clear target market; it helps advisers and there is clear evidence of success.

    Runner Up: Nutmeg

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Kevin Okell, Director, Altus Consulting
    • Davinder Kaur, Software Engineer, PensionsBee
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Retirement Proposition

    Winner: Seven Investment Management

    Sponsored by Dunstan Thomas

    The winner has a great investment proposition plus a new in-house SIPP, which is a great move forward, plus lots of others, further helping with costs. The judges emphasised the importance of flexibility of payment date, which not all accommodate.

    In second place and highly commended: AJ Bell

    • Tom Sheridan, CEO, Seven Investment Management
    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Verona Kenny, Head of Intermediary, Seven Investment Management
    • Andrew Martin, CIO, Dunstan Thomas
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Independent Planning Tool Provider

    Winner: Defaqto

    Sponsored by Bravura

    The winner was found by asking those who use these applications, the advisers, to vote.

    In second place: Intelliflo

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Tony Klim, Group CEO, Bravura
    • Zahid, Bilgrami, CEO, Defaqto
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Funds Data Provider

    Winner: FE

    Sponsored by Next Wealth

    The winner was found by asking those who use these applications, the advisers, to vote.

    Runner Up: MorningStar

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Miranda Seath, Next Wealth
    • Lisa Whittle, Business Development Manager, FE
    • Neil Bradford, CEO, FE
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Innovation Award

    Winner: Winterflood Business Services

    Sponsored by GBST

    The judges felt that the implications of the ability to conduct fractional trading, which has been discussed for some time, could shake up the industry and make a real difference to portfolios.

    In second place and highly commended: Wealth Wizards

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Thomas Lowe, Head of Product, Winterflood Business Services
    • David Simpson, Head of EMEA, GBST
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best Wealth Management

    Winner: Fusion Wealth

    Sponsored by SEI

    The winner punches above its weight; enabled by their own technology and powered by SEI, it's a fully integrated proposition.

    Second and highly commended: Seven Investment Management

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Jim London, COO, SEI
    • Ian Cooke, CEO, Fusion Wealth
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Platform for Discretionary Management

    Winner: Seven Investment Management

    Sponsored by Discus

    The winner offers competitive pricing, great trading capacity. They also offer offshore custody. Their proposition really works for advisers with discretionary permissions.

    In second place and highly commended: Raymond James Investment Services

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Verona Kenny, Head of Intermediary, Seven Investment Management
    • Gillian Hepburn, Director, Discus
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Platform for Model Portfolio Services

    Winner: Novia

    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: Standard Life Wrap and Ascentric

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Neil Bradford, CEO, FE
    • Bill Vasilieff, CEO, Novia
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Innovation in Workplace Solutions

    Winner: LifeSight By Willis Towers Watson

    Sponsored by Professional Adviser

    The winner brings a range of solutions, more than other entrants to push engagement with members.

    In second place and highly commended: Moneyhub

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society,
    • David Bird, Head of Proposition, LifeSight
    • Victoria Sykes, Administration Team Leader, LifeSight
    • Matthew Harland, Product Architect, LifeSight
    • Tom Ellis, Professional Adviser
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best Institutional Platform

    Winner: Allfunds

    Sponsored by Calastone

    The winner is an expanding and strong organisation, with commitment to the market, and who went through their buy-out without overt difficulty.

    In second place: Pershing

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Steve Leggett, COO, Calastone
    • Simon Shapland, UK Country Head, Allfunds
    • Kate Silverton

  • Strategic Platform Partner

    Winner: Pershing

    Sponsored by The Lang Cat

    The winners demonstrate breadth and consistency plus an excellent asset and wrapper range

    In second place: Winterflood Business Services

    • Keith Richards, CEO, Personal Finance Society
    • Mark Locke, Communications Director, The Lang Cat
    • Geoffrey Towers, CEO, Pershing UK
    • Kate Silverton

  • Dynamic Planner Best Platform for Adviser Service

    Winner: Parmenion

    Sponsored by Dynamic Planner

    Over 1,000 advisers voted on four different categories of service on a scale of poor to excellent. The winner is the platform that achieves the highest average score.

    In second place: Standard Life Wrap

    • Clive Waller, Managing Director, UKPA
    • Ben Goss, CEO, Dynamic Planner
    • Sarah Lyons, CMO, Parmenion
    • Heather Hopkins, Director, UKPA

  • Leading Platform Journalist

    Winner: Tom Ellis

    Sponsored by SS&C

    The judges praised the winner for demonstrating that he really understands platforms and has done more to advance the understanding of re-platforming amongst advisers than anyone else. He reflects the mood of his readers, and the judges felt that they could brief him on background information with confidence.

    In second place and highly commended: Jack Gilbert

    • Clive Waller, Managing Director, UKPA
    • Steve Caley, Senior Director, DST
    • Tom Ellis
    • Heather Hopkins, Director, UKPA