Wealth in the Uk: Competitive Dynamics 2015

Since the introduction of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) in 2012, the UK wealth management competitive landscape has been undergoing a steady evolution. New business models have emerged as both new and old players seek ways to cost-effectively serve retail, mass affluent, and cost-conscious high net worth (HNW) individuals. A steady stream of direct-to-consumer (D2C) propositions have been launched in the market in 2015, ranging from simplified advice services to robo-advisor offerings and execution-only propositions. With the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and HM Treasury launching a consultation into access to advice, we believe this trend will continue into 2016 and beyond.

Key Findings

– UK wealth manager activity is concentrated in London and South East England. This is unsurprising, as these regions are home to nearly a third of all UK-based HNW individuals.

– The market leader in terms of assets under management (AUM) is St. James’s Place, followed by Coutts and Barclays. The AUM of the top 20 UK wealth managers grew by around 8% year-on-year between 2013 and 2014.

– Merger and acquisition (MandA) activity has largely been driven by increasing consolidation in the independent financial advisor (IFA) segment, with competitors with acquisition-led growth strategies (such as AFH Financial Group, Attivo Group, and Bellpenny) accounting for a major share of the 2015 MandA activity.

– To reach retail and mass affluent customers a number of wealth managers are launching or developing their simplified advice service platforms. Examples include EQ Investors, Charles Stanley, Investec, and Towry.

– The advice market continues to be a key focus for the FCA, which published guidance in 2015 on boundaries

concerning regulated investment advice and is currently seeking views on how simplified advice and robo-advice could help close the advice gap.

Synopsis

Verdict Financial’s “Wealth in the UK: Market Dynamics” report is a comprehensive...