Programme
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Registration opens
Register and fuel for an exciting day ahead with coffee and pastry in hand - gain first access to the exhibition hub - start making valuable connections and reacquaint with friends and familiar faces.
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Editor's introduction and welcome
Editor’s introduction and welcome
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Headline sponsor remarks
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Plenary: Getting your business fit for the future
Join us in discussion with two prominent industry voices for a view on the year ahead. What do they think the markets will look like, where will investment opportunities be found, how will the smart firms prepare for and boost business, and what will this mean for managing your company and clients?
Speakers
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Protecting your business from a cyber-attack
Cyber-attacks are one of the biggest concerns and a major risk for an adviser business, with disruption to business, stolen data, and damaged client trust at stake. Security of your business and client information is a top priority. We take a practical look at how you can protect your business by understanding your own security maturity, the tools you can utilise to determine your strengths and weaknesses, considerations around security due diligence, and strategies for developing stronger operational resilience and better business continuity.
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Refreshments and networking break in exhibition hub
Be part of the buzz and engage with fellow attendees over a cup of coffee in the exhibition hub - discuss your challenges with exhibitors to find out how they can help and catch up on latest news and updates.
Stream chair: Lee Robertson, Managing Director, Octo Members Group
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Understanding the saleability of your business
If you are considering selling your business, you need to understand its value. What factors will impact this and how can you prepare your business and your clients before selling? Crucially, what is the new market reality for valuations and what are the best strategies and options to consider?
After attending this session, delegates will be able to:
- List the drivers and market dynamics of advice consolidation
- Describe the key metrics acquirers use to identify target firms and return on investment
- Decide whether these practices are good for the market and if your business is prepared
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Retirement Income - time for a new approach?
Over recent years, many clients have experienced significant gains in their portfolios. But this is not without risk, especially for those in decumulation. During 2022, the economy experienced a number of shocks that have been reflected in high levels of inflation and interest rates. As we contend with the consequences, there are three key challenges clients face:
- Facilitation of more income to keep up with rising costs
- Sustaining income over the longer term
- Improving legacy benefits
In this session, we will look at what can be brought into the mix to offer innovative features for a range of situations.
After attending this session, delegates will be able to:
- Describe the impact of the economic environment on retirement income portfolios
- Discuss the impact of markets on financial resilience and sustainability
- Summarise the market developments in guaranteed income
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Panel: Retaining talent to improve business resilience
In this panel discussion we speak to the very best in the businesses and learn their secrets. How do they invest in staff, what does good training look like, how do they incentivise teams beyond compensation, and what does a good career pathway look like to ensure a return on the capital invested in training and development? How can you look after the resilience and wellbeing of your teams? What skills do the next generation of advisers need and what do they need to know before running and taking over a business?
Speakers
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Lunch and networking break in exhibition hub
Grab a spot of lunch with peers to share highlights and lessons from the morning’s sessions - discuss your challenges with exhibitors to find out how they can help and catch up on latest news and updates.
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Presentation: Consumer duty – getting your business over the line
Consumer Duty is an opportunity to check that you are doing the right thing for your clients - but how do you do it in a way that benefits your business beyond ticking a box? This case study will address the implementation challenges and demonstrate how to get your business over the line, running it effectively and making it bombproof to the regulator.
After attending this session, delegates will be able to:
- Explain the Regulators current guidance on best practice within Implementation Plans
- Articulate the keys areas of concern within the Consumer Duty
- Summarise a suggested approach to demonstrating your Consumer Duty proposition
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Presentation: How to be a happy adviser
Highlighting a practical approach to ensure that you, your business, and the people working within it are happy, thriving and able to deliver.
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Sustainable Disclosure Requirements (SDR) and sustainability investment – the impact on financial advisers
Long awaited requirements on fund labelling will tackle greenwashing and help advisers to have clearer conversations with clients. We consider the evolution of the regulatory environment, the timeline for implementation of SDR, how the asset management industry is reacting to these changes, practical implications for advisers as they integrate sustainability matters into their investment advice and look at some of the additional considerations when researching sustainable funds.
At the end of this session, delegates should be able to:
- Explain what new regulations will mean for advisers and their clients
- Describe how Sustainable Investment is evolving and its importance to investors
- Describe what factors are important to consider when researching Sustainable funds
Stream chair: John Lappin, Freelance editor, journalist and consultant
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Presentation: Using multi asset strategies to diversify and protect portfolios
What allocation strategies are multi-asset managers using right now to help protect portfolios against rising inflation and further volatility? What is the objective, role and opportunity for alternatives and how can diversified portfolios be created without increasing costs?
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Presentation: Investment tails and tax dogs
2022 was certainly an eventful year for all especially in the investment world. The mini budget followed by an almost complete reversal and then the Autumn Statement.. In this session, M&G Wealth will discuss the changes made in the Autumn Statement and how this may impact clients moving forward. They’ll take a look at the impact of the reduction in CGT annual exempt amount and the reduction in the dividend allowance. Finally they’ll revisit the planning opportunities for financial advisers using investment bonds in the new tax year.
After attending this session, delegates will be able to:
- Describe the taxation of bonds and collectives and the impact of the November 2022 Budget
- Explain the role that wrapped investments and unwrapped investments play in financial planning
- Identify the planning opportunities for advisers to demonstrate added value to their clients
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Panel: Enhancing client retirement wealth and wellbeing
Addressing the challenges of designing a sound retirement strategy in the current market environment. What are the essential ingredients of a secure retirement plan and how do you approach and build investment portfolios that enhance income and protect against inflation?
Speakers
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Lunch and networking break in exhibition hub
Grab a spot of lunch with peers to share highlights and lessons from the morning’s sessions - discuss your challenges with exhibitors to find out how they can help and catch up on latest news and updates.
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Getting estate planning done – recommending a solution with confidence
We all know about the need for advice when it comes to estate planning. Many families in all regions across the UK face a potential inheritance tax liability.
And we all know about the importance of estate planning to fulfil your duty as a financial adviser and to ensure positive outcomes for your clients.
So let’s talk about solutions and how you can recommend a strategy with confidence.
After attending this session, delegates will be able to:
- Explain why inheritance tax is a growing concern and understand the solutions available for clients with different needs.
- Describe how Business Relief can help and how you can recommend Business Relief-qualifying investments with confidence.
- Provide a range of practical tips and approaches to help clients make positive decisions about leaving their estate to loved ones.
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Presentation: Tax and estate planning and the role of the onshore bond
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Panel: Talking investment and tax
Inflation pressures, slower growth rates and tighter monetary policy have investors concerned. In this climate of market uncertainty how do various growth and income investment strategies compare? What other asset classes might come to the fore? How do you optimise portfolio construction? What are the most effective uses of tax planning to protect these investments and help clients achieve their goals?
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TIME to reconsider investing in AIM?
The Alternative Investment Market is home to a broad range of growth companies that operate across a variety of sectors, attracting both institutional and retail investors. But despite raising over £115 billion of capital since its launch in 1995, the AIM Market is generally less understood by clients than other FTSE markets. TIME Investments will explore some of the misconceptions held about AIM investing and outline the opportunities for discretionary managers and retail investors through the lens of portfolio diversification and in relation to estate planning considerations.
After attending this session, delegates will be able to:
- Outline reasons for companies listing on the AIM Market
- Identify clients for which an AIM BR service may be an appropriate investment
- Describe potential benefits and risks associated with investing on AIM
Speakers
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Why are digital assets now important in the wealth transfer story….and do you need to take action?
Bitcoin and more recently NFT's is now disrupting all areas of traditional finance. Understand what digital assets are and why are they becoming more mainstream. What are the issues and opportunities for your business? What actions might you take to support client conversations?
After attending this session, delegates will be able to:
- Explain what crypto assets are and why they are becoming more mainstream
- Identify if this is an issue for your business or are there opportunities
- Define what action you might take to support client conversations
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Presentation: ‘The rational case for optimism’: How entrenched pessimism not cautious optimism is the scourge of good financial planning
After a year of economic shocks it is easy to become despondent about the future. Indeed leading economic figures have been telling us that the future will be bleaker than the past for years to come. Albemarle’s Charlie Parker will argue that overly negative investing, and financial planning, is far more likely to stop client’s reaching their goals than cautious optimism. But to understand why we need to hear how today’s problems are just the echo of history.
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Lunch and networking break in exhibition hub
Grab a spot of lunch with peers to share highlights and lessons from the morning’s sessions - discuss your challenges with exhibitors to find out how they can help and catch up on latest news and updates.
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Protection – are your clients fully taken care of?
The importance of good protection has skyrocketed during these uncertain and volatile times. This panel will look at the role that protection plays in a full and comprehensive service and why there are no excuses for leaving it off the table.
Speakers
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Presentation: Client wellbeing – how can advisers identify, assess and act upon vulnerable clients?
Guidance on how best to support clients who may be vulnerable. How do you identify clients that are vulnerable, what are the core skills needed when talking to these clients, and what do you need to do to collect and present data to evidence appropriate action and outcome.
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Panel: Taking platform due diligence to the next level
How to assess investment due diligence of providers in line with Consumer Duty? How do you hold providers to account? How can you quantifiably measure, assess and review the providers that you work with?
Speakers
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Refreshments and networking break
Refuel and finish the day strong for the day’s closing keynote sessions.
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Panel: The art of the possible – how data and technology can help deliver best customer outcomes and inform better business decision-making?
Wrapping up the data challenges that have been identified throughout the day’s sessions. Examining how firms are using best practice to overcome these challenges, the technology that is being used, what is working and what is not going so well.
Speakers
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Closing Keynote: The cost of political chaos
Considering the consequences of politics in the UK and the new economic reality.
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Conference closes