This week Miranda Seath (LinkedIn), Platforum Conference Development Manager, introduces the agenda for Platforum 2015: The Retail Investment Conference.
Many of you might be taking the chance to escape from this inconsistent British weather to take a break in August but our planning for Platforum’s conference continues at break neck speed. So we thought that this Friday, we’d update you on what’s on the agenda for the 9th Annual.
The consumer investment market is evolving and we think that in 2015 our conference will give you some of the tools and takeaways to stay ahead. So we have peppered the day with insights from our research: taking a look at retirement around the world, the players entering the D2C arms race and our opinion on the progress being made towards a long-term savings culture in the UK with a view to stirring up some debate.
Re-focussing on the retail investor is a thread that runs through our agenda and is picked up by Aegon’s Chief Executive, Adrian Grace giving his take on how we re-shape consumer access to retail investments and drive consumer engagement intelligently. Something we strive for as an industry but find challenging to get right.
We follow this with a look at the structural change that continues apace – as evidenced by the news that Sesame Bankhall are getting rid of their investment network. Keith Carby, Caerus Group and Ian Taylor, Transact are joining our panel debate assessing the impact of vertical integration and the seismic shifts in advice and distribution with the discussion expertly steered by Peter Mann, Ex – CEO Skandia who knows a thing or two about the subject!
Heather Hopkins recently touched on the human face of robo-advice and we will pick this up again in October. Clearly robo-advice, now that the US stock-broking giants like Schwab are playing in this space, is going to be a major force in retail investing but will it be a complementary tool in the advice arsenal or a competitive threat? Heather thinks complementary but we are lucky to have Lee Robertson from Investment Quorum and Chris Williams, who’s simplified advice vehicle Wealth Horizon has been winning awards, giving us their take on the matter.
In 2015, we introduce a content stream for advisers touching on the issues that they tell us are key to making their businesses profitable – investment strategy, retirement planning and due diligence – where we are joined by Alliance Trust Savings – to pull out a few key areas of focus. Steve Webb is opening with a speech on the future of the pension freedoms under a Tory government and reaction to the proposed pension tax changes. Always thought provoking and a pensions heavyweight of the highest calibre, Steve’s insight will be fascinating.
There is also plenty of content for those of you more focussed on products and platforms. We will look at what makes millennials tick (two Platforum team members qualify, so we have some insights…) and changing consumer attitudes to savings and risk. We are running a ‘How To’ session as we give the inside track on getting funds on to platforms, which many of you have told us you would find helpful. Kev Okell from Altus, Jeremy Fawcett and SEI will also take to the floor to join the tech dots as we show how advised and D2C customer journeys are developing.
We finish the day with a flourish at Platforum’s awards, celebrating platform excellence across adviser, workplace and D2C platforms. We will make them short and punchy, with food, drink and entertainment afterwards to continue the celebrations into the night.
To join us, register here. We are looking forward to seeing you in October.
Happy Friday!