IFA capability boosted following 2plan approval
We’re set to significantly enhance our IFA capability after gaining final FSA approval to complete the acquisition of leading independent advice firm 2plan Wealth Management.
The change of control will enable us to develop our IFA strategy as part of wide-ranging plans to prepare the business and our advisers for the introduction of the RDR in …
RDR exam support bolstered by Calibrand tie-up
Available to new and existing advisers, the Calibrand Diploma in Professional Finance Advice will form part of our structured 18-month qualifications development programme, which is based around regional study groups of between six and 10 advisers working with local field-based managers.
Following our latest tie-up, advisers joining the development programme will have the choice of studying …
CEO Martin Davis embarks on adviser update meetings
This week, we began a series of meetings across the UK for our adviser-partners on the financial restructuring of the business, which was signed two days ago.
The events started in Birmingham on Monday, and are due to conclude in London on 8 April. They enable me to offer a comprehensive update to our adviser-partners – …
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Openwork enhances RDR support team with new hires
We’ve bolstered our RDR support team with the addition of two new field-based consultants, as we gear up for the next phase of our comprehensive transition programme designed to help advisers meet the challenges of new regulation.
The consultants – Frank Morton, formerly head of technical development at Prudential, and Chris Barnes, previously managing director of …
RDR workshops and seminars underway
We’re hosting a series of local seminars and in-depth workshops across the UK to help our pensions and investment advisers gain a deeper understanding of the RDR and the challenges presented by fee-charging models.
The support programme, taking in a wide variety of venues from Aberdeen to Southampton, entails our specialist business transition team guiding small …
Independent or restricted? Who cares!
Surveys that purport to proclaim that customers prefer “independent” advisers are misleading, and often deliberately so. Asking a consumer whether they would prefer to deal with an “independent” adviser or a “restricted” adviser tells us absolutely nothing.
To the vast majority of the population who do not spend their days immersed in the nuances of RDR …
UK-wide partner update meetings
Over the next three weeks I will be hosting a series of meetings across the UK to update Openwork partners on strategy, performance, key operational milestones and future business structure.
We are undergoing a period of substantial change and it is important that, with the RDR looming large, our partners understand both where we currently …
IFA business 2plan Wealth Management acquired
Today we’ve moved to implement a central part of our RDR strategy with the acquisition¹ of leading independent advice firm 2plan Wealth Management.
Leeds-based 2plan, voted Best Technology Adviser at the 2010 Money Marketing Awards², has more than 200 advisers and provides an extensive range of wealth management, retirement, investment and financial planning services …
Accreditation move up for discussion
Openwork are considering applying for FSA accreditation to award ‘statements of professional standing’ to advisers through a non-authorised service company.
The FSA will accredit bodies to award the statements, although speculation has been rife that non FSA-authorised support services firms would be eligible to apply for accreditation, but that networks would not.
Accreditation is an area where …