Winners 2015

Past Winners:

  • Leading platform journalist

    Winner: Charles Walmsley

    Sponsored by IFDS

    The winner is the most persistent of platform journalists, has a real understanding of the business side of running a platform and broke the platform story of the year, the Cofunds story.

    • Clive Waller, MD, Aberdeen UK Platform Awards
    • Matthew Brown, CEO platforms, IFDS
    • Charles Walmsley, New Model Adviser
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading innovation in consumer platforms (for the experienced investor)

    Winner: Hargreaves Lansdown

    Sponsored by Professional Adviser

    The winner is the benchmark, for the serious investor, for the hobbyist; they are strong on marketing and have great planning tools. Nobody comes close.

    The runner-up is low cost with a huge range of funds and was only fractionally behind the winner in the judges scoring.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Lawrence Gosling, editorial director, Incisive Media
    • Danny Cox, head of communications, Hargreaves Lansdown
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading innovation in consumer platforms (for the novice investor)

    Winner: Nutmeg

    Sponsored by Birthstar

    The winner is slick and easy to use for novice investors, offering them exactly what they are looking for a complete, managed, solution

    The runner-up is low cost with a huge range of funds and as suited to the novice as well as the experienced investor

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Nick Hungerford, CEO, Nutmeg
    • Katy Godfrey, marketing executive, Birthstar
    • Craig Anderson, Chairman, Nutmeg
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best institutional platform

    Winner: SEI

    Sponsored by Calastone

    The winner represents a new style of institutional platform establishing long-term relationships with a variety of organisations such as Bestinvest, True Potential, Towry and Best Practice.

    The runner up, a previous double winner, does the job really well.

    The judges were delighted to see a new player, Mobius, coming into this market with a fascinating proposition and hope to hear more from them.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Jon Willis, chief commercial officer, Calastone
    • Brett Williams, MD UK, SEI
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading innovation in workplace solutions

    Winner: Retiready from Aegon

    Sponsored by Parmenion

    The winner is committed to the sector. They have brought the platform to the auto-enrolment market. Their activation rate is higher than their peers and they offer superb customer care from initial joining, all done electronically.

    The thrice winning runner up continues to set the pace against its peers.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Richard Goodall, partner, Parmenion
    • Paul Healey, head of retail strategy for workplace, Aegon
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best investment management platform proposition

    Winner: Parmenion

    Sponsored by Intelliflo

    The winner is hugely innovative, has seen excellent asset growth over the last year and keeps topping customer satisfaction surveys.

    The runner up continues to offer both adviser and their customers a compelling proposition and is highly commended.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Nicola Robinson, corporate communications manager, Parmenion
    • Nick Eatock, CEO, Intelliflo
    • Richard Goodall, partner, Parmenion
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best wealth management platform

    Winner: Old Mutual Wealth

    Sponsored by SEI

    The winner has demonstrated real commitment to their proposition in parallel with the acquisition of very significant wider distribution whilst providing a series of compelling components for advisers.

    The runner up has made huge progress and is a very interesting business genuinely on a path to providing investors with what they want and is highly commended.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Brett Williams, MD UK, SEI
    • Steven Levin, global head of distribution, Old Mutual Wealth
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading Innovation award

    Winner: Aegon

    Sponsored by GBST

    The winner recognises the big challenge of Pension Freedom. The mass market needs to understand its responsibility to look after its destiny. This innovation has brought together service with information, education and planning tools through a range of media.

    True Potential has displayed real innovation, a planning tool that also recognises the needs created by Pension Freedom. Savers can add line-by-line expenses and include inflation for a detailed picture of what they’ll spend in the future.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Rob de Dominicis, CEO, GBST
    • Scott Logan, head of channel marketing, Aegon
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading independent planning tool provider

    Winner: FE Analytics

    Sponsored by RSMR

    The winner was found by asking those who use these applications, the advisers, to vote.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Geoff Mills, director, RSMR
    • Gary Wheeler, sales director, FE
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading integrated planning tool provider

    Winner: FE and Zurich Intermediary Platform

    Sponsored by Bravura Solutions

    The winner is a tool that is a step forward and really useful to advisers. It shows clients exactly what their experience of investment returns has been on a time and money weighted basis. One of the judges said. “I think this sets a new benchmark.”

    The FNZ/Standard Life tool helps on the management of capital gains tax and will enable better modeling and better advice with excellent metrics in this increasingly important area.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Alistair Wilson, head of retail platform strategy, Zurich
    • Nick Parsons, group CTO, Bravura Solutions
    • Gary Wheeler, sales director, FE
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading platform-enabled retirement proposition

    Winner: Aegon

    Sponsored by Dunstan Thomas

    The winner offers a truly integrated retirement solution that includes corporate, individual and defined contribution. They offer a wide range of assets and good educational and engagement tools.

    The runner-up really supports the adviser, especially in drawdown and offer excellent service.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Adrian Boulding, director of retirement strategy, Dunstan Thomas
    • Gavin Casey, distribution director, Aegon
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best use of platform technology

    Winner: FNZ and Standard Life

    Sponsored by Aegon

    The winning team has demonstrated a partnership approach to finding a new solution in the platform/DFM sector. It means that the discretionary manager can go on platform and manage funds without seeing what they should not see. This solution is at the heart of the technology – not just a bolt on.

    The Just Retirement/GBST has been a speedy project and looks great, but is probably just a little too early for this year’s awards. The judges would like to see a submission next year.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Christopher James, Managing Director, FNZ TA Services
    • David Tiller, head of adviser & wealth manager propositions, Standard Life
    • Matthew Pheasey, distribution director – retail, Aegon
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading adviser business (over 10 advisers)

    Winner: Aspect 8

    Sponsored by Zurich

    The winners are multiple award winners that seek constant and never ending improvement. They have built their own platform on SEI Wealth. They have unsurpassed access to data and are utterly focused on lowering client cost.

    The runner up is a firm that has made the transition from primarily mortgage broking to a modern, platform based financial planning business.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Alistair Wilson, head of retail platform strategy, Zurich
    • Katharine Davis, chartered financial planner, Aspect 8
    • Ian Cooke, CEO, Aspect 8
    • Brian Potter, director, Aspect 8
    • Kate Silverton

  • Leading adviser practice (up to 10 advisers)

    Winner: First Wealth

    Sponsored by FNZ

    The winner demonstrates a brilliant client value proposition, implemented through great use of platforms and technology, running on the Fusion Wealth platform and are on their way to building a scale business with a recognizable brand.

    The runner up is a business that recognises that automation and efficiency of process are key to delivering a service that clients value.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Christopher James, Managing Director, FNZ TA Services
    • Claire Phillips, First Wealth
    • Anthony Villis, First Wealth
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best platform for adviser service

    Winner: Standard Life

    Sponsored by Synaptic Software

    The winner of the award is the platform that received the highest average score across a number of categories in a survey run throughout the summer in association with Synaptic Software Limited

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • Giff Clay, business development manager, Synaptic Software Limited
    • Steven Sands, head of intermediary relationships, Standard Life
    • Kate Silverton

  • Best platform provider (AUM up to 12.5 billion)

    Winner: AXA Elevate

    Sponsored by FE

    The winner was found by asking those who use the platforms, the advisers,to vote.

  • Best platform provider (AUM over £12.5 billion)

    Winner: Standard Life

    Sponsored by Altus

    The winner was found by asking those who use the platforms, the advisers,to vote.

  • Platform of the Year 2015

    Winner: Standard Life

    Sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Managers

    The winner continues to deliver their commitment to high quality, have maintained their gross and net sales trajectory, understand the shift from accumulation to decumulation, enabling their advisers to focus on the end customer.

    In second place, a platform that is totally oriented to the customer twinned with a focus on adviser service.

    In third place, a giant of a platform that is investing a huge amount in upgrading and already showing results.

    • Steve Gazzard, CEO, Institute of Financial Planning
    • David Tiller, head of adviser & wealth manager propositions, Standard Life
    • Chrissy Shuttleworth, head of UK institutions team, Aberdeen Asset Management
    • Kate Silverton