The 2020s have gotten off to a choppy start: a global pandemic and a major war between Russia and Ukraine have caused significant disruption in the global economy and financial markets. Looking forward, it seems that we are now embarking on a period of increased uncertainty compared to the relatively benign period following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Policymakers and investors face a series of challenges that will need tackled, including energy security, ageing populations, a reconfiguration of global trade and commerce, and greater geopolitical risk. It promises to be a difficult market environment.

In this presentation, Rob Clarry from Evelyn Partners will attempt to shed some light on these themes, and provide some ideas for how investors might navigate them.

By the end of the session you will be able to

• Describe how global mega trends are shaping the investment landscape
• Explain to clients about where these assets may be invested and why
• Understand how Evelyn Partners is managing portfolios

Venture capital might not be something you recommend every day, but it warrants special attention. This is a typically underserved sector, where our research shows investors have unmet appetite. Among 200 UK financial advisers, just 17% thought their clients were interested in investing in early-stage companies. Yet when 1,000 UK adults with investments managed by an adviser were asked the same question, 45% expressed interest.1

This session from Octopus Investments will give you five reasons why you should consider adding exposure to early-stage companies to suitable client portfolios. It will also provide some actionable tips to help get you started.

• Learn how you can add value to clients in a challenging economy.
• Evaluate the exciting investment opportunity in venture capital and why it should be considered for suitable clients.
• Understand how Consumer Duty fits in.
• Learn practical next steps to help get you started.

We will discuss how the retirement income landscape has changed, what are the biggest challenges for retirees during these turbulent times, the prospects for future growth, and the opportunity for innovation in the market.

Consumer Duty has been at top of mind and top of the agenda for anyone working in financial services so, post implementation, what’s working, what isn’t, and what are people doing differently now? With the help from data from our Schroders annual adviser survey, we look at the impact that Consumer Duty is having on running an adviser business and the best practices around measurement and benchmarking.

A cyber-attack is one of the biggest concerns and costs to an adviser business, with disruption to business, client stolen data, and reputational damage at stake. Stay on top of this evolving threat by gaining a comprehensive understanding of how cyber criminals are picking and penetrating their targets, why your people are your greatest asset and your greatest vulnerability, partner due diligence and controls to consider to make your business hard to hack, and what you should do if the worst should happen!

Our panel of experts discuss the changing trends in the platform market, the emergence of white labelling, and debate the pros and cons of the different approaches for reducing risk and improving operational efficiency when managing client assets across multiple execution venues.

It has never been more important for regulators, providers and advisers alike to understand how consumers define value. This is a concept central to the consumer duty, but there’s no one size fits all as recent research from Royal London in conjunction with the Lang Cat illustrates. Value is subjective, but by considering how consumers make value judgements, and how these align with adviser assumptions, firms are better placed to meet client needs and expectations.

Investing and navigating Consumer Duty are both challenged by how humans think. What biases might be most troublesome? As evidence of these biases, we can examine examples of them in asset allocation decisions. Recognising these biases can help advisers develop frameworks to help prepare for future scrutiny.

Client wants and needs are varied and complex. So, designing a service proposition that can deliver value across a broad range of clients presents advisory firms with some interesting challenges. This presentation draws on Dimensional’s extensive studies of global adviser businesses and end investors to better appreciate what it is that clients want and use these insights to solve challenges such as growth, business development and the demonstration of value add.

Recent FCA guidance on retirement income advice puts a lot of emphasis on creating a robust plan, showing how to achieve the client’s objectives based on all the information on file. But it’s not just about the hard data - it’s also about knowing the traits of the client, their need for flexibility and various retirement goals. And it doesn’t stop after the initial plan has been implemented. In this session, we’ll explore some ideas as well as industry guidance to show the breadth of issues to review throughout retirement and into later life.

Learning Objectives:

• Examine the key factors in a review process
• Discuss key industry guidance on good practice relating to pension reviews
• Recognise the impact of health, ageing and other client characteristics
  

Managed Portfolio Services (MPS) have grown significantly in popularity over the last decade, as many advisory firms have recognised the benefits they can offer to their clients and business models. In this session, Quilter will discuss the key benefits of MPS, how their WealthSelect proposition has evolved over the last decade, as well as considering what the future may hold for MPS over the next 10 years.

After attending this session, delegate will be able to:

• Understand the key benefits of a Managed Portfolio Service (MPS) as an investment solution.
• Explore the current investment landscape and be able to recognise the influence of regulation on investment propositions.
• Review key industry trends and the possible evolution of the Managed Portfolio Service (MPS) approach.
  

Inheritance Tax receipts have hit an all-time high and are on track to continue rising. During our presentation we will use case studies to explore the many planning opportunities AIM and can offer clients, when used in conjunction with Business Relief, to mitigate Inheritance Tax. We will examine the AIM index and demonstrate how it has changed over time, looking in detail at companies that have chosen to list on AIM.

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

• Articulate the reasons for rising Inheritance Tax receipts. 
• Understand the tax benefits ISAs can offer clients. 
• Identify different types of clients for which it may be appropriate to recommend an AIM Business Relief service.

In this panel discussion we speak to the very best in the businesses and learn their secrets.

• How do they attract talented individuals, 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?
• 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?
  

It is 2034, and time to look back at all that has changed in the advice profession since the epic PA360 event of 2024. Remember when consumer duty had just been introduced and the FCAs retirement review was hot off the press and the SDR was in its infancy? Can you believe that advisers were still using multiple systems with separate data sets? AI was the latest tech development that people didn’t really understand, the future of the platform market seemed up for grabs and the supply chain of solutions being used by advisers was developing rapidly.

Let’s look back and see how far the advice market has come – in terms of tech, regulation, service offerings and of course, delivery against the expectations of end consumers of the UK.

• A review of the latest Spring Budget proposals that relate directly or indirectly to financial planning together with a review of the current and potential future tax context for investment of capital .
• How the current tax context impacts on investment wrapper choice .
• The increased role of the UK investment bond in tax effective planning for Accumulation , Decumulation and Wealth transfer.

By the end of the session you will be able to:

• Describe the changes announced in the Spring Budget Incorporate knowledge of the current tax context into all phases of intergenerational financial planning
• Explain how the frozen tax thresholds and reduced dividend allowance and CGT exemption affect investment wrapper choice
• Understand when an onshore Bond can play an effective part in tax efficient accumulation , decumulation and generational transfer
  

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.

While many financial advisers have built their businesses catering for baby boomers, the next generation of investors have different needs and preferences. Understanding their interests and adapting your digital marketing strategies to attract younger investors is critical for continued success. This session will provide you with tips to help you reach out, engage and appeal to the next generation of clients.