In 2026, markets and geopolitics are shifting at remarkable speed. Equity markets have seen record highs, gold has surged and retreated, and questions continue to surface around the durability of the so called “AI bubble”. Against this backdrop, investors are navigating a world that feels very different from the last decade. In this session, Marcus Brookes, Chief Investment Officer at Quilter, will examine the forces reshaping the global landscape and what they mean for investment decision making. He will explore whether traditional investment principles remain fit for purpose, and outline how to maintain a disciplined, long term approach when unpredictability becomes the norm.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Understand the key geopolitical and market factors driving current volatility and how these differ from the environment of the past 10–20 years.
• Recognise the potential risks and opportunities arising from themes such as elevated equity markets, commodity swings and rapid technological change.
• Apply a clear, principles based investment approach suited to navigating uncertainty and supporting long term client outcomes.
  

Markets rise. Markets fall. Headlines panic. Clients call. Whilst uncertainty can be uncomfortable, it’s also where opportunity lives. In this session, Mike Coop, Chief Investment Officer at Morningstar, shares how to construct robust portfolios; designed not just to withstand market downturns, but how they should continue to reach your clients goals. This session will cover:

• How to build portfolios to withstand a range of outcomes.
• Real world examples of how the team’s turned volatility into opportunity.
• Helping clients stay invested when emotions run high.

Walk away with ideas to strengthen client conversations and communicate how Morningstar’s portfolios are built to perform, whatever the headlines say. Because the goal isn’t just to survive volatility, it’s to work with it.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Understand how market volatility creates opportunities and why it should be viewed as a strategic advantage rather than a threat.
• Develop stronger client communication skills to help investors stay calm, remain invested, and understand how Morningstar’s portfolios are built to perform through booms and busts.
• Learn how to construct robust, resilient portfolios that can withstand a wide range of market conditions and continue to deliver on your clients expectations.
  

As the financial advice landscape shifts from investment selection to holistic financial planning, Managed Portfolio Services (MPS) have become the engine room of the modern advisory firm. However, the "one-size-fits-all" approach is rapidly disappearing.

Our panel of experts will dissect the current MPS ecosystem to evaluate the merits and trade-offs of the different solutions and discuss how these best align with the operational scalability of your business and needs of your clients. We will explore how current regulation is re-shaping the investment proposition, and we will analyse the key drivers shaping these managed services to predict where MPS is headed next.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Analyse the structural differences between MPS types to determine the best fit for your firm’s DNA.
• Map your investment proposition against current regulatory expectations to ensure robust compliance.
• Identify emerging trends, such as ESG integration and tech-driven personalization, to future-proof your client offerings.
  

The advisory sector is undergoing significant change in 2026, driven by regulatory reform, shifting adviser demographics, and evolving client expectations. Regulators are increasing their focus on consumer protection, product governance and demonstrating greater transparency. At the same time, for some, succession planning continues to be a priority as many advisors’ approach retirement, creating pressure on firms to put structured, future proofed plans in place to protect client continuity and business value. Despite these challenges, 2026 presents opportunities. Changing market conditions, demographic trends, wealth transfer and the pace of technology development can open the door for firms to differentiate through operational efficiency and stronger client engagement. Vanguard can support advisors through delivery of investment solutions, practice management expertise, and tools designed to help firms scale effectively and deliver improved outcome.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Analyse adviser challenges by identifying core drivers, risks, and operational implications,
• Understand how these insights can be applied to inform day to day business practice, long term planning and effective client engagement strategies.
• Describe how Vanguard’s investment solutions, and practice management can support address advisers’ evolving needs by aligning challenges with appropriate resources.

This session explores how wealth advisers can demonstrate and evidence value amid evolving consumer expectations and regulatory change. We’ll combine fresh insights from our Meaning of Value research with the Advice Guidance Boundary Review (AGBR) and the Targeted Support (TS) framework, showing how clearer rules, greater transparency and improved client understanding can strengthen adviser propositions. We’ll highlight the human impact of advice in a tech enabled world, why a better supported and financially resilient society increases demand for guidance, and how previous ambiguity created provider inertia that AGBR and TS now aim to resolve.

The era of "pensions as the ultimate IHT wrapper" is ending. With the government confirmed to bring unused pension pots into the taxable estate by April 2027, and a new £2.5 million cap on 100% Business Property Relief (BPR) arriving in April 2026, financial advisers face a fundamental shift in how they must structure client wealth.

This panel brings together experts to explore the current IHT environment, the behavioural dynamics behind client decisions, and the practical strategies advisers can use to deliver clarity, confidence, and meaningful long term outcomes.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Understand how the 2026–2027 reforms are reshaping core estate planning.
• Implement practical, client ready strategies to mitigate emerging IHT risks.
• Support clients to make informed decisions on intergenerational planning.

Clients are increasingly turning to AI tools to find financial advice—so how do you show up in their search? This session explores how firms can optimise visibility, credibility, and digital presence in an AI-driven discovery landscape.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Learn how AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot are influencing client search behaviour. 
• Discover how to optimise your firm’s online footprint for AI and search engines. 
• Understand how to manage digital reputation through reviews, content, and compliance.
• Explore how to future-proof marketing strategies for AI-enhanced client journeys.

The UK financial advice sector faces a talent crisis driven by an ageing workforce and the disappearance of traditional entry points. For small and medium-sized firms, the fear of investing time and resources in new talent only to see them leave is a major barrier to addressing the skills gap and succession planning. As the advice profession evolves, firms face mounting pressure to attract fresh talent, equip them with relevant skills, and foster long-term career engagement. In this panel discussion we speak to the very best in the businesses and learn their secrets for creating a culture and workplace that reflect the future of financial planning, and where the where the next generation of advisers will thrive.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Discover proven outreach strategies to engage students, career-changers, and access diverse and non-traditional talent pools.
• Learn how to design training pathways that blend technical competence with emotional intelligence and client-centricity.
• Explore retention techniques that align with Gen Z and millennial values, including flexibility, purpose, and progression.
• Understand how to embed inclusive culture and mentorship to future-proof your firm’s talent pipeline.
  

As more clients enter retirement, firms are recognising that accumulation focused CIPs no longer provide the stability, risk control, or income framework needed during decumulation. This seminar explores why 2026 marks the shift toward Centralised Retirement Propositions (CRPs) - purpose built to manage sequencing risk, income volatility, and longevity challenges. We’ll show how trend following strategies help protect retirement portfolios from deep drawdowns by adapting to market conditions, thereby reducing the biggest threat to sustainable withdrawals. We also examine how investment journey smoothing - through risk managed approaches and diversified return sources - creates steadier performance, improves client confidence, and supports more predictable income planning. Attendees will leave with a clear view of how CRPs, enhanced by trend following and smoothing techniques, create a more resilient, compliant, and client friendly retirement experience - far beyond what a traditional CIP can deliver.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Understand why decumulation requires a purpose-built CRP framework and how trend-following strategies help mitigate sequencing risk.
• Learn how smoothing techniques can stabilise the retirement investment journey, improve behavioural outcomes and support sustainable withdrawals.
• Explore how combining CRPs, trend following, and smoothing can create a more robust, compliant, and client friendly retirement proposition than a traditional CIP.

When approaching retirement a persons wealth is likely at, or close, to its peak. At this time, financial objectives likely pivot from growth to income, or to passing that wealth on to future generations. Our presentation will begin by articulating the risks that a client faces as they begin their retirement journey. Encouragingly, many advisers now consider natural income solutions a cornerstone to their CRP, and our presentation will begin by reminding us why. But is natural income confined only to the role of generating income to spend, or are there other ways in which this type of income solution can be used? And are all income funds created equally? As the title suggests, we will share some innovative ways which may challenge a perception that income funds are only to be found in a CRP, and that they may have a much wider role to play in helping to meet the varying needs that customers face throughout their financial journey. We’ll then conclude our session with a practical checklist, helping you to identify income funds that are fit for purpose.

By the end of this session attendees will be able to:

• Explain key risks when planning for retirement and how natural income can help.
• Consider alternative roles that a natural income solution can play.
• Describe how to perform robust due diligence on an income fund.
  

Our survey says: advisers who start estate planning conversations earlier unlock more strategies, build deeper relationships and deliver better client outcomes.

In a rapidly evolving estate planning landscape following the Autumn 2024 Budget, starting sooner has never mattered more. Join this session to reveal the top answers on where advisers are getting stuck - plus, we'll discover how the right estate planning strategies and intergenerational engagement can move clients into action.

Retirement is no longer a fixed destination—it’s a dynamic phase shaped by longer lifespans, evolving client goals, and shifting regulatory landscapes. Advisers must navigate complex decumulation strategies, rising client expectations, and the emotional dimensions of later life. This session explores how to deliver retirement planning that’s holistic, adaptable, and aligned with modern realities.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Learn how to structure flexible retirement income strategies that balance sustainability, tax efficiency, and client lifestyle.
• Explore how to incorporate longevity risk, health costs, and changing family dynamics into retirement planning.
• Understand how to use behavioural insights to support confident decision-making in the decumulation phase.
• Discover ways to align retirement advice with Consumer Duty by evidencing value, suitability, and client understanding.

Retirement planning is no longer just about drawing an income. It’s about balancing three competing risks: longevity (outliving the pot), sequencing (markets falling early while withdrawals begin), and inflation (protecting spending power). In this session, David Rolland (Investment Specialist) shares a practical framework for building a resilient “regular retirement income” using a flexible, multi-asset, global approach. We compare annuities and drawdown through the lens of income reliability versus capital flexibility, show why stabilising income can matter more than stabilising capital, and explore how diversification and dividend growth can help support real income over time.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Identify the three key decumulation risks (longevity, sequencing, inflation) and select a practical mitigation action for each during the session.
• Evaluate retirement income approaches using a simple trade-off framework (income reliability, inflation resilience, capital flexibility) and explain the preferred option for a given client scenario during the session.
• Explain two ways a global approach can support a growing retirement income and identify one practical implication for portfolio construction.