Our regular round-up of the latest insights on investment distribution

DFMs and platform consistency

DFMs are a large and expanding channel for retail investment distribution, with impressive growth from the financial adviser sector via their model portfolios on platforms. Now more than ever, asset managers need to understand how DFMs construct their portfolios,...

Asset managers regaining the initiative

Pre-RDR, much of the ‘power’ in the market was held by asset managers: they charged the fees and remunerated advisers/platforms via rebates/commission. The RDR flipped this on its head. Now it is the advisers who are firmly in control, setting fees and choosing –...

Where have all the advisers gone?

Recruiting advisers and other experienced staff ranks as one of the biggest challenges that advice businesses now face, according to many of the owners and managers of advice firms we have spoken to in our research at Platforum. In fact, we discovered that half of...

What is the D2C future of investment trusts?

If investment trusts wanted to shout about the merits of the closed-ended structure, they’ve had two excellent opportunities of late, with the Woodford gating and a similar episode for several property funds following the 2016 EU referendum result. However, they’re...