So the white noise continues with industry commentators all sundry providing their views and penny’s worth on yesterday’s HMT/FCA joint publication of the Financial Advice Market Review – FAMR. As a contributor to the FAMR call for input and with a number of our recommendations included in the report, our blog provides our view with links...

Having attended my first virtual financial services conference organised by Panacea Adviser last month, I thought a blog dedicated to my avatars snappy green suit would be of interest. Seriously though: what an immersive and engaging process. With Panacea Adviser’s invitational to virtually present on our retirement research at their ‘stand’ I was provided instructions...

Research and development is often underestimated with financial and professional services. Indeed, like compliance, it may be viewed as a dull compulsory business strategy. There are those such as the much-quoted Steve Jobs who didn’t necessary believe in research and relied on their intuition as to what consumers want or need. Yet in an era of...

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. For example the criminalisation of alcohol led to a crackdown on small breweries but also created a lucrative trade for the criminal gangs who could afford to produce it and sell it. The famous ‘Cobra effect’ where the British governors in colonial India offered rewards for...

The one distraction that the financial services industry needs to watch as we witness a technological evolution is the white noise that goes with it. There’s always an opinion, it’s generally considered the right opinion (by those offering it) and it generally isn’t based on sound evidence. With the Robo-advice automated investment strategies gaining a...