abrdn has always been about putting adviser firms first. That’s one of the reasons I really wanted to return and take up the role as MD, Adviser Sales, after almost ten years away from the business.

I’m passionate about financial planning and I care deeply about supporting advisers because I started out as an adviser myself, as a fresh-faced youngster in Coventry.

That grounding - talking to families and setting up savings plans for them - made me feel that I had a real connection to their lives and their welfare.

Over the years, I progressed to advising high-net-worth individuals before moving on to our office in Birmingham, followed by a spell in asset management.

What I’ve learnt throughout all my experience in financial services is this: being an adviser is a noble pursuit that’s part science, part art.

It’s not about policy numbers. It’s about giving personalised, easy-to-understand advice to individuals and families and doing the best for those families for good outcomes.

Adviser firms are also very personal businesses. When an adviser makes a recommendation to entrust clients’ money to a provider, it’s a personal decision. And it has a big impact on their firm’s reputation.

Being an adviser is both a huge responsibility and an honour. The people who do this job are passionate and care deeply about their clients. That’s why, in my new role, I’m going to make sure I put advisers front and centre. And why I’m going to champion the adviser voice at abrdn and also make sure their views, and their firms, are always represented.

Advisers have kept their firms service-led during the pandemic

Having been an adviser, I know the challenges facing the industry including how complicated UK regulation and legislation can be. The cost of being an adviser has also increased dramatically over recent years - professional indemnity insurance being a good example.

Over the past 18 months, I’ve really admired the way advisers have continued to put their clients first during the pandemic. They’ve kept their businesses service-led, and found creative ways to adapt how they deliver that service, helping to drive more use of digital tools. By being innovative, they’ve succeeded in providing reassurance and peace of mind to clients. Sometimes they’ve had to make tough decisions, but they’ve continued to care for their clients and families who’ve entrusted their wealth to them.

It’s been a very humbling time but some positives have come out of it. The Covid-19 vaccination programme means that communities across the country have been able to reconnect. Clients have also been a lot more engaged with their adviser as a valued, safe pair of hands to sort out their affairs for them.

In fact, in such turbulent times, a trusted adviser has never been more important.

And in the same way adviser firms put their clients first, we’re stepping up the pace for advisers through our Adviser Experience Programme. 

We’re continuing to make it easier for advisers to operate and to thrive.

Our programme will help drive efficiencies within firms

As part of the programme, we’re making changes that will deliver a more seamless, intuitive experience for advisers.

Our client-led approach means harnessing the very best technology to offer the best service. We’ll help advisers to deliver an increasingly personalised offering to more clients. Our dedicated support teams will also be on hand to offer that personal contact when it’s needed - in person, through a video call or with a webinar.

The adviser solutions we’re working on too will help drive more efficiencies and effectiveness within adviser firms. Our solutions will make it easier for advisers to manage their business - and make the most of the opportunities available.

As an example, as wealth starts to cascade down through the generations, we’re looking to leverage the opportunities for advisers around intergenerational wealth transfer.

I’ll explain more about our planned solutions in future articles as we develop them next year and beyond.

Our Adviser Experience Programme builds on the strong position we have in the market. Platforms drive very powerful relationships between adviser firms and the provider. And our adviser solutions have always been massively supported by advisers through all the ups and downs over the past 15 years.

We’re really proud of that.

We’re also really proud that, as in previous years, abrdn is the only platform service provider to earn AKG’s A rating for its adviser solutions, the top mark for financial strength. (as at 8 November 2021)

We’re the only solution provider to hold this.

It reflects not only our service and strategy but gives advisers confidence when entrusting their clients’ money to abrdn.

Building our future together as businesses

Clearly abrdn is a different organisation to the one I left almost a decade ago. It feels good to be back. The DNA of what makes this business great, and the affection I feel for it, haven’t changed.

I’ve re-joined the business at a fantastic time and I’m really proud to take up this new role. I take my responsibilities to heart as we build our future together.

I’m back working with some of the same expert colleagues who, like me, really care about the service we provide to advisers. They’ve consistently supported adviser firms over the years, enabling them to deliver, time and again, for their clients.

Being an adviser is about supporting clients’ hopes and aspirations. Helping clients realise these through the achievement of their financial goals presents opportunities for adviser firms. I’ll make sure I keep that firmly in my sights as I champion the adviser voice at abrdn. 

The value of investments can go down as well as up and your clients could get back less than they paid in

The views expressed in this blog should not be regarded as financial advice.