IFA Talk (IFA Magazine)

Joining Sue and Brandon on today’s podcast episode is Kristen Cunliffe DipPFS. As an IFA herself and Managing Director at Red Star Wealth she’s clearly got all the technical know how. However, Kristen also runs Red Star Education – a company that aims to develop financial literacy skills for all.

Helping older clients to raise finance is becoming an increasingly important part of the advice process.  Our guest on IFA Talk today is Kay Westgarth, Sales Director at Standard Life Home Finance. Kay is highly experienced in this area and is keen to raise awareness amongst advisers of the range of later life finance options for the over-55s. 

In this episode of IFA Talk, Glamis IFA's Charles Chami, an IFA based in Bristol, discusses some of the many challenges he faces in his role as an IFA and as a director of a directly authorised business. 

Charles reveals what it was like moving from working an investment bank into the world of financial advice and what some of the biggest challenges are whilst being an IFA and a director in a directly authorised firm.

Also in the discussion, Sue and Brandon ask Charlie about the trials and tribulations of working in a family business as well as the benefits.

In this week’s IFA Talk Podcast Sue and Brandon are talking to Verona Kenny, Managing Director, Intermediary, at 7IM  - someone who will be well known to many IFA Magazine readers. 

In this episode of IFA Talk, Jenny and Sue are diving into the evolving financial landscape and what it means for advisers and their clients. With tax and pension changes following the 2024 Autumn Budget, it’s more important than ever for advisers to stay informed on the latest trends and opportunities in financial planning.

To discuss these developments, we’re joined by Mark Devlin, Senior Technical Manager at M&G. Mark shares his expert insights on the key tax and pension implications of the budget and how advisers can navigate these changes effectively.

A key focus of this discussion is the rising popularity of insurance bonds, both onshore and offshore. Why are they becoming an increasingly attractive investment solution? What tax benefits do they offer? And how can advisers build a deeper understanding of these products to better serve their clients? Mark answers these questions and more, providing practical strategies for incorporating insurance bonds into financial planning.

Finally, we take a look at the fast-approaching tax year-end deadline and his useful tips, resources and tools that will help advisers support their clients even more at the time of year.

For any financial planner, it’s never an easy thing to do to make the bold move of breaking away from an advice firm and role you’ve been in for a while and putting in the huge amount of time and effort that it takes to get your own new financial advice business up and running. 

On this podcast, Sue and Brandon talk to Jack Mason Brown from Mason-Brown Financial Planning who has done just that. Jack set up his business in 2023 partnering with St James’ Place Wealth Management after starting his career at NFU Mutual. 

This week Sue and Brandon speak to Ahmed Bawa, the CEO at Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA), one of the largest independent mortgage and financial planning networks in the UK, about how they are managing to successfully run their advice business

In this month’s Special Mortgage and Property edition of IFA Talk, Sue and Brandon dive into the world of self-builds with Tony Hall, Head of Business Development at the building society, Saffron for Intermediaries. 

What’s really going on in today’s global markets?  On today’s IFA Talk, Sue and Brandon wanted to get to the bottom of some of the main things which might be on advisers’ minds just now. 

Refreshingly, you can forget technospeak and market jargon, today’s guest is Bill Blain, Strategist at Shard Capital, which guarantees an honest and properly down to earth assessment of what’s going on.

Welcome to our latest IFA Talk podcast! In this episode, we dive into the evolving landscape of UK Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), which have faced recent challenges but currently show signs of revitalisation.

Joining us is Matt Norris, Head of Real Estate Securities at Gravis, who will walk us through seven key factors that could spark a positive shift in the sector, beginning with the impact of declining interest rates. 

On this episode of IFA Talk, Sue and Brandon welcome HSBC Life’s Mike Furniss as they explore the valuable extra benefits of modern protection policies - and how it isn’t always just new policies that can enjoy these valuable benefits.

This week’s IFA Talk podcast guest is Richard Bacon, Head of Business Development at Shard Capital.

Tune in to hear Richard’s conversation with Sue Whitbread – about some of the positives and negatives of the changing landscape of today’s wealth management arena. And how and why the role of advisers remains key if clients’ needs really are to be properly fulfilled. 

This week on the IFA Talk Podcast, Jenny and Brandon explore a growing theme in the financial services industry: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A).

More and more businesses are choosing to explore a potential merger or sale of their companies, whether it be due to upcoming retirements or increasing regulatory costs, as a way of ensuring their and their client’s legacies can continue. 

In this insightful conversation, Caitlin Southall outlines not only the crux of the gender pensions gap problem, something she is clearly very passionate about, but also some of the ways in which a multi-faceted approach – with providers, the advice community and government working together – could look to help solve it. 

In this episode of IFA Talk, we are joined by TPT's Philip Smith to discuss the main reasons why so few people approaching retirement will use an adviser, how advisers can boost the uptake of professional advice at this key point and also set out a wish list for what some the biggest priorities might be for the new Labour government when it comes to DC schemes.

So today, we’re exploring just that – the need for advisers to full consider clients’ protection needs. Joining Sue and Brandon on this week's IFA Talk Podcast is Ken Maxwell, director at John Lamb Hill Oldridge – a leading adviser in the specialist protection advice space.

In this week’s IFA Talk Podcast, Sue and Brandon are looking at investment through the interesting lens of the world’s leading consumer brands. 

Sue and Brandon’s guest on this week’s IFA Talk Podcast is Mark Sherlock, Head of US equities at Federated Hermes. In this episode, Mark tells us why he’s generally feeling positive about US investment prospects – particularly in the small and mid-cap arena where valuations remain compelling.

They discuss some of the uncertainties as well as risks that lie ahead as well as some of the reasons to be optimistic that 2025 will provide plenty of opportunity for active managers to deliver alpha. 

In this conversation with Sue and Brandon, Matthew Norris, Head of Real Estate Securities and adviser to the VT Gravis Digital Infrastructure Income and VT Gravis UK Listed Property strategies at Gravis, drills down into exactly how it’s changed, into why it’s no longer about offices and shopping centres. As he explains, it’s now all about next generation property, about REITs and how the fourth industrial revolution is changing the way we work, live and play. 

Joining us is James Rae, Head of the AIM Inheritance Tax Service at Charles Stanley—one of the UK’s leading wealth management firms. Charles Stanley’s award-winning AIM service has helped countless advisers, and their clients navigate the complexities of IHT planning. 

In this episode James will share his insights on how this service works, what makes it stand out, and how advisers can confidently offer it to their clients. He also very kindly looks into the future to give us his opinion on what the Labour government may say about AIM in the Autumn Budget 2024! 

When it comes to insurance, your clients almost always think about protecting their homes, cars, businesses and even lives but often neglect to shield the thing that makes that all possible, their income. 

On the show today, Sue and Brandon welcome back Rose St Louis, Protection Director at Lloyds Banking Group – someone who is particularly passionate about the need for protection and always has plenty to say! 

This week they’re talking income protection, why it’s important and how advisers can take a holistic view of protection. They also touch on an interesting new product that Scottish Widows have recently launched, their flexible income protection policy – it’s well worth checking out!

Don’t miss this insightful and thought-provoking discussion. Tune in now!

In this episode of IFA Talk, we explore the rising demand for income protection and what is driving its strong growth over the past 12 months. To help us unpack this topic, we are joined by Shelley Read, Senior Protection Technical Manager at Royal London.

Shelley shares her expert insights into the factors influencing this increase, how advisers can best support clients in navigating income protection solutions, and the role of income protection in holistic financial planning. Throughout the discussion, we explore practical tips for applying for income protection, how advisers can guide clients through the claims process, and the support available for those having these important conversations with clients.

Shelley has joined us on IFA Talk many times before, and we are delighted to welcome her back to share her extensive knowledge once again. She provides valuable takeaways for advisers looking to strengthen their income protection conversations and help clients understand the importance of securing their financial future.

This episode offers key insights into the changing landscape of income protection and the role it plays within financial advice. Tune in now to hear the full discussion.

In this eco-friendly edition of our IFA Talk Mortgage and Property special podcast, Sue and Brandon have two great guests to share their knowledge and insight about retrofitting homes and installing energy-saving tech – and the financing of such projects. 

On this week’s IFA Talk podcast, Sue and Brandon talk to Matthew Bugden about how One Four Nine is growing, in particular looking at acquisitions.

They discuss not only how the Group has grown so far or how the team identifies firms of interest but also some of the more common mistakes Matthew sees acquirers making – as well as how to avoid them.  

On this week’s IFA Talk podcast, IFA Magazine Editor Sue Whitbread’s guest is FSCS’ Chief Communications Officer, Lila Plebain – a member of their Executive Team. 

Their conversation not only delves into the detail of the survey, but also gives real insight into not only some aspects of FSCS’ work that you might not be aware of.

It sheds light on why FSCS is so keen to work together with the advice profession to enable more consumers to benefit from properly regulated, financial advice.

In this episode of IFA Talk, Jenny and Brandon dig into the topic of Business Protection and why it’s something advisers shouldn’t overlook. In fact, it’s something that should be at the forefront of planning for businesses to have the right cover in place to protect both the company and its clients when the unexpected happens. 

Sue and Brandon’s guest on this week’s IFA Talk is Gillian Hepburn, Commercial Director of Benchmark, a leading provider of financial planning solutions and a part of the Schroders Group. 

In this episode, their conversation drills down into why Consumer Duty is about evolution not revolution and also some of the finer points about how the industry is adapting to life in this new regulatory environment, including the increased drive towards networks.  

Our guest on this week’s IFA Talk is Ruth Handcock, Chief Executive of Octopus Money – and someone who’s always been so passionate about the future of financial advice as she makes so clear in this conversation. 

During her chat with Sue and Brandon, Ruth explains how by using a combination of coaches (aka humans!) and great tech, Ruth and her team at Octopus Money is now partnering with financial advice businesses to deliver practical and cost effective solutions to these big challenges. 

In this week’s Insurance and Protection special edition of our IFA Talk podcast, Sue and Brandon’s guest is Ryan Griffin. Ryan is Protection Director at dedicated life insurance provider, Beagle Street.

Getting to grips with marketing is the subject for this week’s IFA Talk. Sue and Brandon’s guest is Nicola McCoosh. Nicola is founder of Yada Yada Finance, a financial marketing business based in Northern Ireland.

It was set up by Nicola – a seasoned marketing professional herself- to help financial services firms to bridge the gap between the needs of the business and needs of the clients which that business serves. 

They recently launched their alternative to consolidators, a do-it-yourself option called ‘Succession Solution” for those advisers looking to sell their business or retire. We caught up with Angus to find out more about the dynamics of the marketplace.

In our latest IFA Talk podcast, hosts Jenny and Brandon sit down with Stuart Breyer, CEO of Mallowstreet, to talk all things AI and its growing role in financial services. 

Stu shares how Mallowstreet is using AI, especially their SOFI tool, to make things run smoother and drive innovation. They chat about how AI can work alongside advisers to boost client service and streamline processes. If you've been wondering how to choose the right AI tools or what to consider when integrating them into your business, this episode has you covered. 

This week Sue and Brandon spoke to Roland Whyte, who is the Founder and CEO of Nokkel. Nokkel recently carried out a very interesting piece of research called the ‘Home Wealth Research Report’ in partnership with FNZ, with the actual in-depth research done by The Lang Cat. 

The research gauged advisers’ views on how housing wealth is being handled as part of the financial planning process and in particular explored property as a potential asset with which to fund retirement. With growing concerns about insufficient savings among current and soon-to-be retirees and the tightening grip of consumer duty, the timing of this research and the findings could not be better. 

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk, we tackle a pressing issue: the financial advice gap. Did you know that in 2023, 10 million people sought financial advice, but only 4 million received it? That leaves a staggering 6 million people without the guidance they need. Brandon and Jenny sit down with Karen Barret, CEO and Founder of Unbiased, to explore what’s preventing financial advisers from reaching more people and the barriers standing in their way.

Sue and Brandon’s guest on the podcast today is Tom Adcock, Tax Partner at Gravita – and a former HMRC tax inspector.

Rich Horner, Head of Individual Protection at MetLife UK is Sue and Brandon’s guest on this week’s IFA Talk podcast and is particularly focused on growing the reputation and take up of protection products as a key part of the financial planning process. 

In this episode of IFA Talk, Jenny and Brandon delve into the rapidly evolving world of AI within financial services—a sector ripe with opportunities for innovation. Despite the buzz around AI, many advice firms are still navigating how to translate talk into tangible, practical solutions. Thankfully, we had Arran Kingston, Founder and CEO of 4admin, join us to share how his company is doing just that. P

Has your client retirement proposition evolved following the publication of the FCA's thematic review of retirement income advice? In March, the FCA wrote to the Chief Executives of financial advice firms asking them to review their processes when providing retirement income advice. 

This thematic review has pretty massive implications for the advice profession. The regulator will be looking for clear evidence that advice firms are heeding its messages, making sure that they are delivering robust retirement income advice to clients.

So, what do advisers need to know? What do they need to do? Sue and Brandon’s guest on this week’s IFA Talk podcast is Richard Parkin, Head of Retirement for BNY Investments – someone who is hugely knowledgeable on this subject.

In this conversation, Richard succinctly sums up the five key findings of the review and discusses not only what they mean for advisers but also what advisers could/should be doing in response.   With retirement income advice forming such an important part of the advice process, this is a podcast not to be missed.

On this week's episode of IFA Talk, Brandon and Jac talk to Hugi Clarke, partner at Foresight VCT about the growth of VCT investment and the benefits it can have for retirement.

Back for his second visit to the IFA Talk Studio, our guest this week is Jonathan Stinton, Head of Intermediary Relationships at Coventry Building Society.

Coventry has recently produced an influential report entitled “Beyond the Bricks” which looks in detail at what a green housing market really would look like. It’s an interesting conversation and one we think you’ll enjoy. 

On today’s IFA Talk podcast, Sue and Brandon are discussing this brave new world of wealth management and some of the challenges and opportunities created by working well with a wealth management partner.   

Insurance and protection as part of financial planning can often be overlooked or treated as an afterthought when in reality it should form part of the cornerstone of financial planning for many clients. 

So, on this week’s podcast Jenny and Brandon focus on insurance and protection, and in particular policy ownership, with their guest Gregor Sked, Senior Protection Technical Manager at Royal London. 

Are you a paraplanner? Or maybe you’re an adviser or wealth manager who works with paraplanners? If so, this week’s podcast is for you.

This week, Sue and Brandon speak to The Lang Cat’s Steve Nelson about their sixth annual State of the Advice Nation report – all about Paraplanning.

It’s refreshing to hear such an influential and successful organisation highlighting what can often be an underrepresented profession within financial services.

Steve was a pleasure to have on the podcast and his dynamic personality really brought this project to life. He talked passionately about the results of the report including what can be done to make sure Paraplanner roles are more clearly defined going forward and whether Paraplanning is starting to bring more diversity to the industry. To wrap up Steve gets his crystal ball out and we got his thoughts on what he thinks the future holds for Paraplanners.

This conversation certainly uncovered some interesting stuff.

A thriving property market relies on a strong foundation of first-time buyers. But with rising concerns about prolonged higher interest rates and the changes to those temporary stamp duty reliefs coming in from 1st April, the landscape is changing—and not in their favour.

These shifts will impact everyone looking to move, but first-time buyers face the biggest hurdles. For mortgage advisers, we know their success is vital to keeping the market moving.

So, how worried should we be? And more importantly, what practical steps can we take to support first-time buyers during these challenging times? Sue’s guest on this week’s podcast is Claire Askham, Head of Mortgage Sales at Buckinghamshire Building Society. 

The UK and global economy has been subject to turbulence for what seems like forever and as there are seemingly few signs of things getting easier, we wanted to help shed some light on the situation and we found the perfect man to do so.

Joining IFA Magazine editor, Sue Whitbread on the podcast this week is Dr. Niall O'Connor, Fund Manager at Brooks Macdonald. Throughout our conversation, Niall discussed the dreaded 'R' word - recession, stagflation and the attractiveness of investment trusts as an asset class.

Technology has transformed not just what adviser businesses can do but also how they do it. But, and it’s a big ‘but’, this digital age brings with it new threats and risks to business that can be a bit too easy for advisers and wealth managers to overlook. 

Many financial advisers are turning to outsourced investment solutions—but for those who prefer to keep full control in-house, the challenges are different. Can technology help? If so, how? What are the key obstacles, and how can advisers overcome them?

In this episode, we dive into these pressing questions with Symon Stickney, Founder and CEO of Collidr, a true innovator in the investment space. 

In this week’s edition of the podcast, Sue and Brandon are turning their attention to end of life planning. Specifically, about how advisers can help clients to prepare for that eventuality.  Their expert guest is Mark Wood,  Chairman  at Funeral Concierge Service, Everest.

Welcome to this week’s Mortgage & Property edition of IFA Talk! In this episode, we dive into the exciting world of later-life lending—a sector experiencing rapid growth and opening up incredible opportunities for advisers and their clients.

Joining us is Dave Harris, CEO of specialist later life lender, more2life. With his wealth of experience and optimism about the future, Dave shares insights on the evolution of later-life lending products and how these changes are creating new possibilities for mainstream mortgage advisers and IFAs with older clients.

We also explore some of the barriers that may be holding advisers back from engaging with this market and discuss the compelling reasons to get involved. Finally, Dave sheds light on the unique challenges of the later-life lending sector, especially in the context of Consumer Duty requirements, and how advisers can confidently navigate this space without needing to cover every available product.

Whether you’re already advising in this area or just curious about the opportunities, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways to help you grow your expertise and serve your clients better. Don’t miss it—tune in now!

In this week’s IFA Talk podcast Sue and Jenny are marking the first anniversary of the Consumer Duty by exploring what the new reality has actually been like for financial advisers over this past year. So, is it doing what it says on the tin? 

This week, Jenny and Brandon are diving into what lies ahead for investing in 2025. After the rollercoaster of 2024, the year ahead might look calmer, but it’s still packed with important questions and opportunities for advisers and their clients. 

We are joined this week by Dan Kemp, Chief Research and Investment Officer at Morningstar. Dan shares his invaluable insights into the key challenges and opportunities that 2025 is likely to bring. He explores whether US stocks will remain a stronghold after their stellar performance in 2024 or if better value can be found elsewhere. Is the US bubble about to burst? Dan gives us his opinions on that too! 

In this episode of IFA Talk, we're getting into a topic that’s been stirring up some serious conversation in the financial world—how well are advisers really connecting with their women clients? Jenny Hunter, our Senior Financial Journalist, and Editor Sue Whitbread dig into some eye-opening research called "Women and Financial Advice." 

In this week’s IFA Talk conversation, Sue and Brandon will be getting into the detail of why today’s equity release products are so different, with this week’s guest,  Will Hale – CEO of Key Later Life finance. 

Samantha Lamas, Senior Behavioural researcher and Danielle Labotka, Behavioural Scientist at Morningstar, have returned to discuss yet another element of their research with Sue and Brandon. 

This time, Samantha and Danielle have been delving into the reasons why clients might decide to HIRE a professional financial adviser in the first place. 

There’s been some interesting new adviser research out today from HSBC Life carried out in association with consultancy Technical Connection.

We thought it would be fascinating to delve into some of the detail of the report.  And so, we’re very pleased that HSBC Life’s Head of Onshore Bond Distribution, Mark Lambert, is our guest on today’s IFA Talk podcast – the perfect person to tell us more about it. 

This week’s podcast will be focusing on a hot topic of the moment, AI and how this impacts the investment industry. We are living in a world of rapid technological innovation, where AI is on an exponential upward curve. The asset management industry stands on the edge of a transformation and has potentially a lot to benefit from these advancements. 

In this week’s show, Sue and Brandon talk to Shanti Kelleman firstly to reflect on some of the ideas her and her team got right in 2024. They progress to talk about her thoughts on some of the possible positive events she’s seeing ( spoiler alert – look out for some surprises here!), then it rolls into where some of the key risks might lie and how she and her team use these ideas to create diversification within portfolios. 

In this week's episode, Brandon and Jenny chat with Jordan Sriharan, a Fund Manager at Canada Life Asset Management, to break down what’s ahead for the rest of 2024. 

Jordan talks about all the big stuff, such as how fund managers like himself are adjusting to all the shifting pieces in the markets, changes in UK interest rates and what the upcoming U.S. election could mean for global markets. These are shaping how people are thinking about strategy, risk management, and asset allocation during these unpredictable times. 

In this week’s special edition of our IFA Talk, Sue and Brandon focus on the measures announced in last week’s budget that are of most relevance to advisers and their clients. 

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first budget was always going to involve some big decisions. And big was what she delivered - announcing the biggest budget tax rises we’ve seen in the modern era - at a whopping £40bn. Whether it’s employer NICs, IHT, CGT, pensions, the property market, gilts etc. the chancellor has given advisers plenty to think about. 

Retirement income planning is evolving fast — and staying ahead of the curve is crucial for advisers.

With the FCA’s retirement income advice review sparking big conversations last year, 2025 brings even more focus from the regulator on ensuring firms deliver the best outcomes for clients. The regulator is watching closely, so it’s essential to stay informed and ready for change.

In this week’s episode, we welcome back Richard Parkin, Head of Retirement at BNY Investments. Richard is a trusted expert in the field, known for his deep insights and practical knowledge on the subject of retirement income planning.

Join Richard, Sue, and Matt as they break down the findings of new research from BNY Investments and NextWealth: “Retirement Advice in the UK: Time for Change?” They explore the evolving role of advisers, the latest industry challenges, and what it all means for you and your practice in 2025. 

If you want to navigate the shifting landscape of retirement advice with confidence, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and get the insights you need to thrive in 2025.

For this week’s IFA Talk GBI Special podcast, the first in our new series, our focus turns to VCTs. Joining Matt and Sue on the podcast is Mark O’Donnell, Head of Research at MICAP. 

MICAP are part of Defaqto and are the leading provider of research and reporting solutions for financial advisers recommending tax-advantaged products like VCTs.

On today’s episode of IFA Talk, we bring you a mortgage and property special with a focus on the role of building societies in the specialist lender market and the mortgage market in general.

To help us through this discussion, our guest this week is Laura Sneddon, Head of Mortgage Sales and Distribution at Hinckley and Rugby Building Society.

Sue and Brandon’s very first podcast guest of 2024 is someone who has strong views on the subject and a passion to drive progress – something he’s been working at for many years.

No doubt, he’ll be well known to many IFA Magazine readers and podcast listeners, as our guest today is the one and only Ian McKenna of advisersoftware.com 

Sue and Brandon’s podcast guest this week is Jian Shi Cortesi. Jian is Investment Director at GAM, where she’s a member of their Global Growth Equity team and manages China and Asian equity funds too.

We’re used to seeing fixed rate mortgages being offered for a 2 year term or even up to 5 years but recently the market has been moving to offer even longer fixed rate products.  

Sue and Brandon’s guest on today’s Mortgage & Property special edition of the IFA Talk podcast is really on top of all this and she is Rachael Hunnisett, Director Of Mortgage Distribution at April Mortgages. April is a lender which specialises in longer term fixes – and in her role there, Rachael is very much involved in driving their intermediary business. 

Welcome to our latest IFA Talk podcast – which this week is our latest Mortgage and Property special edition. 

On our agenda today, are the MANY challenges facing first time buyers in the property market, which are amongst the most difficult they’ve faced for over 70 years.

On this latest IFA Talk Podcast  we’re talking IHT planning, but with particular focus on the importance of Gift Cover – and we’re using that term purposely, as opposed to Gift Inter Vivos Life Insurance. That’s because there are some technical intricacies here that we explore in the conversation.

Sue and Brandon’s guest this week is an adviser who’s an expert in these matters and it’s Jonathan Morris, Senior Associate at specialist protection assurance adviser, John Lamb Hill Oldridge.  

While many financial advisers and planners are generalists, others prefer to specialise in advising particular groups/professions – and they will often gain real synergies from doing so. Their specialism could be in advising dentists, teachers, doctors etc. But what are the benefits of having such specialist knowledge about particular types of professionals or individuals? 

No, Sue Barker hasn’t made a comeback via IFA Talk,  but on this week’s IFA Talk Podcast, Brandon and (our) Sue’s guest is ideally placed to answer that question. She is Macey Greenall DipPFS, a financial adviser at Key Financial Wealth Management Ltd.   

Our guest on this week’s special Mortgage and Property edition of IFA Talk is Matthew Cumber, MD of Countrywide Surveying.

Countrywide are one of the largest surveyors in the UK with around 500 employed surveyors on the team. Tune in to hear Matthew explaining in detail to Sue and Brandon all about the different types of survey that buyers can choose and what the downside risks are of making the wrong decision.

With the tax year-end in sight, Sue and Brandon’s podcast guest on IFA Talk this week is Cat McInally, an investment specialist at M&G Wealth.

Their conversation with Cat explores important themes such as why gifting is becoming more popular recently, what are the gifting rules advisers need to be aware of and also what might be some of the barriers that exist to clients being prepared to make gifts.  

In this week’s IFA Talk podcast, Sue and Brandon are looking at the world of technology, how the use of tech has changed so dramatically in recent years within both insurance and mortgage brokerages and also about how AI is already manifesting across the lending and insurance spectrum. 

On this week’s podcast, Jenny and Brandon speak to Hortense Bioy, Global Director of Sustainability Research at Morningstar. Morningstar has recently undertaken some useful research U.K. Sustainability Disclosure Requirements: An early analysis | Morningstar, to explore what the landscape of UK sustainability-labelled funds may look like in the future.

Sue and Brandon’s guest on this week’s IFA Talk podcast is Huw Davies, an Investment Manager in the Fixed Income - Absolute Return team, at Jupiter Asset Management. 

In our latest IFA Talk podcast, we’re delving into the world of behavioural finance – to explore some of the reasons which lie behind clients’ decisions to part company with their financial adviser.

Sue and Brandon were delighted to welcome two guests from Morningstar who have particular expertise in the subject. Samantha Lamas, Senior Behavioural researcher and Danielle Labotka, Behavioural Scientist, both based over in the USA. 

With affordability as well as the supply of suitable properties posing particular challenges for first time buyers, Brandon and Sue speak to Jonathan Stinton, Head of Intermediary Relationships at Coventry Building Society. 

Welcome to a special episode of IFA Talk in partnership with GBI Magazine. In this discussion, we take a deep dive into Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) as they mark their 30th anniversary.

How have they evolved since their inception? Why do they remain relevant in today’s investment landscape? And what does the future hold?

To answer these questions, IFA Magazine’s Senior Financial Journalist, Jenny Hunter, and GBI’s Content Editor, Matt Williams, are joined by Will Fraser-Allen, Managing Partner at Albion Capital Group.

Together, they explore how the VCT landscape has changed over the past three decades and what this means for investors today. They discuss the latest fundraising trends, investor sentiment and the outlook for Albion’s current raise. Will also shares insights into the types of investors looking at VCTs and why advisers should consider them for their clients.

This episode provides valuable insights into how these investment vehicles continue to adapt and thrive.

Listen now to hear the full discussion and gain expert perspectives on the past, present and future of VCTs.

On this, the latest Insurance & Protection special edition of our IFA Talk podcast, Sue and Brandon are joined by the highly charismatic and influential voice that is Rose St Louis, Protection Director at Lloyds Banking Group.

Their conversation with Rose, formerly a financial adviser herself, is perfect for today’s Consumer Duty landscape. Not only does it delve into the importance of financial resilience and all-round holistic advice -  but the conversation also draws out plenty of practical tips from Rose. There’s much food for thought for advisers and paraplanners to consider in relation to how you approach and deliver protection advice, providing even better outcomes for clients.

In this week’s IFA Talk Podcast, Sue and Brandon are talking Fixed Income with this week’s guest, Robert Alster, CIO of Close Brothers Asset Management. 

This week’s IFA talk is a Budget Special! Where we highlight the changes announced in yesterday’s Spring Budget 2024 that advisers need to be most aware of. 

Joining Jenny and Sue this week is Steph Willcox, Head Actuary at Dynamic Planner. Bringing a wealth of knowledge about the financial services industry, Steph shares what impact she thinks the Budget announcements will have on adviser and client conversations. 

Chris Kenning, CEO at fintech, Stubben Edge, is our Podcast guest this week. 

In this conversation with Sue Whitbread, Chris explains why he believes that there’s still further to go in our use of tech and how it can already provide more solutions to the many business challenges which IFAs are facing today. 

In this week’s IFA Talk, Sue and Brandon are talking to Defaqto’s CEO, John Milliken, to find out more about those plans – especially given the new Consumer Duty. 

Sue and Brandon’s guest this week is Paul Hogg, Head of Distribution at 8AM. 8AM are providers of data-driven investment solutions in the model portfolio space, with a clear evidence and outcomes based focus. 

On this week’s IFA Talk podcast, Brandon and Sue welcomed back Jordan Sriharan. Jordan is a fund manager on the multi asset team at Canada Life Asset Management.

Jordan discussed market theory vs market reality, the lagged impact of monetary policy and what it means for investors and finally he delved into the state of the economy and the looming threat of a recession. 

On this week’s edition of IFA Talk, we invited back a guest from one of our most popular podcasts of 2023, Jordan Sriharan, fund manager at Canada Life. 

On this week’s IFA Talk podcast, Sue and Brandon sit down with Andrew Rockey, Head of Investment Solutions, and Tom Ball, Investment Solutions Director at Brooks Macdonald. Together, they explore how advisers can navigate today’s challenges and uncover opportunities to deliver effective, client-focused investment solutions. 

We’re excited to bring you another insightful conversation from the world of financial services. Hosted by Sue Whitbread, editor of IFA Magazine, and senior financial journalist, Jenny Hunter, this week’s episode shines a spotlight on key topics from within the paraplanner profession. 

At IFA Magazine, we know that adviser-focused technology is always of interest to our readers and podcast listeners. We’re pretty sure you’ll enjoy listening to Sue and Brandon’s conversation with this week’s IFA Talk Podcast guest, Fintel’s CO-CEO, Matt Timmins. 

As we look back on the first year of the FCA’s new Consumer Duty, we wanted to find out what it has actually meant for IFA and wealth management businesses in practice.

Questions like what does Consumer Duty look like for advisers now? What’s actually changed on the front line within advice businesses? Were advice firms really ‘already doing it’ as was often suggested? What about technology? How has that adapted? These were all on our mind. 

Welcome to a special episode of IFA Talk, brought to you in partnership with GBI Magazine. In this week’s podcast, we’re diving headfirst into one of the most pressing and exciting topics of our time—how we’re powering the future and navigating the energy transition. 

Hosted by Matt Williams, Content Editor at GBI and IFA Magazine, alongside IFA Magazine’s Senior Financial Journalist Jenny Hunter, this episode brings together two exceptional guests from Blackfinch. Joining the conversation are Dr Reuben Wilcock, Head of Ventures, and Tim Wynn-Jones, Head of Energy Transition. 

David is Senior Investment Director at the asset manager, Brooks Macdonald. As you’ll hear in this conversation, he is an open and easy communicator about all things investment – as we focus on multi-asset investing and take a look into the Cornelian Risk-Managed Passive fund range too. 

Sue and Brandon’s guest in this episode is Kate Davies, Executive Director at IMLA - The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association.  Kate is someone who has vast experience in the mortgage, property and financial sectors as will become clear when you hear the conversation. 

In this week’s IFA Talk podcast, Sue and Brandon are talking to Ian Partington, CEO at investment platform and investment software business, Third Financial. 

Shelley Read, Senior Protection Technical Manager at Royal London joins Jenny and Brandon to give our listeners all they need to know about FIB. As well as highlighting what types of clients could benefit from having conversations around this type of protection which should help advisers identify opportunities to help those most in need. 

In this, our very first Mortgage and Property special episode, we’re taking a look at the role which artificial intelligence – or AI – might play within the advice community. Brandon and Sue’s guest this week is mortgage tech guru, Thora Kehoe. 

Thora is Chief Product Officer at mortgage tech platform Smartr365 – an end-to-end mortgage and protection platform connecting advisers, estate agents and home buyers.

Today on IFA Talk, Sue and Brandon are looking at a hugely important subject– and that is health, wellbeing and mental health in the workplace. 

Their guest, the fabulous Amy McKeown, is an award-winning Mental Health, Health & Wellbeing specialist consultant. As you will hear in this podcast, Amy is full of very powerful, practical yet straightforward tips to help kick start your strategy and ensure that your needs, including those of your business and your team, are being properly met.  

Sue and Brandon’s guest this week is Jonathan Barrett, CEO and Co-Founder of Comentis, an organisation he helped set up a few years ago to use innovation and technology to help identify and protect the vulnerable and those at risk.

On this week's podcast, Sue and Brandon speak to Ian MacKendrick and Stephen Farnfield, both Chartered Financial Planners at Paladin Advice, an independent advice firm which is part of Rosemount IFA. 

Both Ian and Steve have worked together at previous firms and have come together to focus their energy and expertise towards clients with a range of vulnerabilities. The inspiration for finding this niche within their careers comes from Ian’s disability and Steve’s brother who became disabled through medical negligence, so they really are true experts in their field. 

National Conveyancing Week (NCW) will take place between the 11th and 15th of March this year and the organisers David Opie, Managing Director of Today’s Media and Rob Hailstone, CEO and Founder of Bold Legal Group, spend some time with Jenny and Brandon on this week’s IFA Talk, to help shine a light on the conveyancing profession. 

In today’s podcast, Sue and Brandon thought it was the ideal time to talk about defensive assets and find out where there might be some decent investment opportunities for those looking to diversify their portfolios just now. 

This week’s guest– a friend of the podcast as this is his third time on IFA Talk - is Jason Borbora Sheen, Diversified Income Fund Portfolio manager at Ninety One.  In this broad ranging conversation, Jason gives us his practical take on gilts, bond markets more broadly and non-traditional assets. 

Our podcast guest today is Jaxon Stevens, Sales Director at Tuscan Capital. Tuscan are providers of short term bridging finance and Jaxon has got plenty of experience in this specialist market, as this conversation goes to prove!