Money Marketing
4 April 2007

  • Baronsmead hits 12m for Aim VCT

    5 Apr 2007

    The Baronsmead Aim VCT has closed because it is oversubscribed. The 12m raised equates to 60 per cent of all money invested in Aim VCTs this year.

  • Split looms over compensation

    5 Apr 2007

    Former Standard Life finance director Alison Reed is believed to be taking legal action for compensation from the insurer following her departure last October. Standard insists Reed resigned and no compensation has been paid.

  • 125% Loan deal from A&L

    5 Apr 2007

    Alliance & Leicester has launched a mortgage called PlusMortgage which combines a mortgage with an unsecured personal enabling people to borrow up to 125 per cent loan to value.

  • 150m for Duffield as he reduces stake in New Star

    5 Apr 2007

    New Star chairman John Duffield picked up over 150m last week after reducing his stake in the business by around 40 per cent.

  • A brave plan from Pru

    5 Apr 2007

    PrudentialFlexible Protection Plan

  • A long-term low from N&P

    5 Apr 2007

    Norwich & Peterborough Building Society15 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

  • A timely product from Seven Dials

    5 Apr 2007

    Seven Dials FinancialEuropean Property Fund

  • Abbey - Special Release Structured Deposit 2

    5 Apr 2007

    AbbeySpecial Release Structured Deposit 2

  • Abbey launches stepped mortgage starting at 2.99 per cent

    10 Apr 2007

    Abbey has launched a 2.99 per cent deal that shoots up to 6.2 per cent after a year.The rate then climbs again to 6.35 per cent in years four and five. It also has an application fee of £799. Additionally, the lender has reduced the application fee on its 5.19 per cent two-year tracker by £300 to £499.

  • Advisers facing fourfold rise in capital adequacy

    5 Apr 2007

    A massive fourfold increase in capital adequacy requirements for advisers is one of the potential proposals being drawn up by committee members of the FSA's retail distribution review.

  • Aegon Asset Management - UK Cautious Managed Fund

    5 Apr 2007

    Aegon Asset ManagementUK Cautious Managed Fund

  • Aegon Asset Management - UK Opportunities Fund

    5 Apr 2007

    Aegon Asset ManagementUK Opportunities Fund

  • Aegon Scottish Equitable - Group Personal Pensions

    5 Apr 2007

    Aegon Scottish EquitableGroup Personal Pensions

  • Aifa fears return of direct salesforces

    5 Apr 2007

    Aifa says the retail distribution review is in danger of reviving the mass-provider direct salesforces of the past and threatening the adviser distribution channel.

  • All things being equals

    5 Apr 2007

    LV =! Exsqueeze me, says the diary. We always find brand names a little bit hazardous, certainly for the spelling of words in the English language (Thinc about it).

  • Alliance & Leicester - Two-Year Base Rate Tracker

    5 Apr 2007

    Alliance & LeicesterTwo-Year Base Rate Tracker

  • An attractive deal from Skipton

    5 Apr 2007

    Skipton Building SocietyFlexible 3-Year Base Rate Tracker Capped Rate Mortgage

  • ASA says Axa PPP mailing played on clients' fears

    5 Apr 2007

    Axa PPP Healthcare has been ordered to withdraw marketing material after the Adver-tising Standards Authority found it breached two of the committee of advertising practice code clauses.

  • Assure thing

    5 Apr 2007

    Vanessa Owen, head of technical services at LV=, questions why the Chancellor killed off pension term assurance just when it looked as if the product was helping to achieve the impossible of closing the massive protection gap.

  • Aviva looks at investment branding

    5 Apr 2007

    Aviva is looking at bringing its Norwich Union and Morley investment arms under a single, global Aviva Asset Management brand, sources close to the company say.

  • Banks build fund to fight FSCS reform

    5 Apr 2007

    The British Bankers' Association is building a fighting fund to finance legal action against the FSA over its restructuring of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in an attempt to torpedo plans that would save advisers millions.

  • Banned adviser may be operating again

    5 Apr 2007

    The FSA has launched an investigation after receiving information that a banned financial adviser may be operating again in Sussex.

  • Barings set to offer Euro equity income fund

    5 Apr 2007

    Barings is set to become the fifth fund firm to set up a European equity income fund.

  • Base rate held at 5.25 per cent

    5 Apr 2007

    The Bank of England has voted to keep interest rates on hold this month at 5.25 per cent.

  • Beckett white labels Standard Life wrap

    5 Apr 2007

    Beckett Financial Services will launch its wrap on May 1 for its new wealth management service, provided by Standard Life.

  • Boon for Woolwich

    5 Apr 2007

    Bob Boon has joined Stonehaven from Woolwich as a new business development manager to help grow equity release. Boon worked on the intermediary sales team and will carry out a similar role.

  • Britannia International - Optimum Growth Bond 19

    5 Apr 2007

    Britannia InternationalOptimum Growth Bond 19

  • Broker Talkback

    5 Apr 2007

    Does the revelation that Gordon Brown was warned about the impact of his tax raid on pension funds undermine his challenge for the prime ministership?

  • Brown at bay as tax raid warnings are revealed

    5 Apr 2007

    Chancellor Gordon Brown's £5bn a year pension raid has finally come back to haunt him with the revelation that he ignored repeated warnings from his own officials about the long-term damage it would have on savings.

  • Brown's foreign aid

    5 Apr 2007

    Taxation: Simon Hildrey says there were some welcome benefits for overseas property investors in the Chancellor's final Budget.

  • Brown's national stealth disservice

    5 Apr 2007

    Money Marketing editor John Lappin considers the revelations over Chancellor Gordon Brown's much criticised tax raid on pension funds.

  • Bupa confirms it may sell off hospitals

    10 Apr 2007

    Bupa has confirmed it is in preliminary discussions with potential bidders to sell off its hospitals.

  • Capable hands

    5 Apr 2007

    Financial capability looks set to build up a head of steam this year now that the Treasury has set out its long-term approach and plans to achieve "the vision of more financially capable consumers."

  • Capital punishment

    5 Apr 2007

    Money Marketing hears that certain committees in the retail distribution review are considering a huge increase in the levels of capital adequacy that advisers may be required to have.

  • Cautious approach

    5 Apr 2007

    The life of a salaried employee of a financial services business need not be devoid of interesting events but I have found the last few months to be particularly stimulating by virtue of the different types of operation I have come into contact with.

  • Chancery UK - Prescience Pictures EIS

    5 Apr 2007

    Chancery UKPrescience Pictures EIS

  • Chapter 11 move for US lender

    5 Apr 2007

    New Century Financial this week became the latest US mortgage lender to be hit by the sub-prime lending crisis after filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It will cut 3,200 jobs and will resize some operations before a potential sell-off of assets.

  • Cheltenham & Gloucester - 5.95% Two-Year Fixed-Rate Plus

    5 Apr 2007

    Cheltenham & Gloucester5.95% Two-Year Fixed-Rate Plus

  • Child's play for SVM

    5 Apr 2007

    Edinburgh-based SVM Asset Management has made two of its investment trusts available through a savings scheme for children.

  • Correspondent's Week

    5 Apr 2007

    This week by Dow Jones Newswires reporter Corey Boles.

  • Dawnay Day Quantum - Protected Commodities Accelerator VII

    5 Apr 2007

    Dawnay Day QuantumProtected Commodities Accelerator VII

  • Dawnay Day Quantum - Protected Commodities Turbo IV

    5 Apr 2007

    Dawnay Day QuantumProtected Commodities Turbo IV

  • Day of the Mifid

    5 Apr 2007

    This year may well become "the year of the Mighty Mifid", a title possibly more appropriate for a Hollywood blockbuster than a huge European directive.

  • Death of Vivienne Starkey

    5 Apr 2007

    High-profile IFA Vivienne Starkey has died following a long battle with cancer.

  • Edeus - Buy-To-Let Two-Year Base Rate Tracker

    5 Apr 2007

    EdeusBuy-To-Let Two-Year Base Rate Tracker

  • Edeus - Light Adverse Self-Certification Three-Year Tracker

    5 Apr 2007

    EdeusLight Adverse Self-Certification Three-Year Tracker

  • Enigma system cracks accounts

    5 Apr 2007

    The founder of the Micropal fund data system is offering a new account-checking software package that is derived from the programme used to crack the Enigma code in the Second World War.

  • Euro call for cash scheme to help Equitable victims

    5 Apr 2007

    The Government must devise and implement a scheme to compensate policyholders affected by the collapse of Equitable Life, says a damning European Parliamentary committee draft report.

  • Every year at Money Marketing...

    5 Apr 2007

    Every year at Money Marketing, there is some PR that decides to call up with an inane request just as the Chancellor is revealing to the nation the contents of his Red Box. This year the culprit was not, however, the lovely bearded one from Penrose, as 'twas last year (sorry, Ben).

  • Exit, pursued by heir

    5 Apr 2007

    A change of view by HMRC means that advisers can consider again using absolute trusts for minors.

  • Ex-NU chief to lead In Retirement Services

    5 Apr 2007

    In Retirement Services has appointed former Norwich Union personal finance sales and marketing director Daren Carter as chief executive.

  • Fair shares regulation for MVRs

    5 Apr 2007

    Insurers will have to ensure shareholders share the ups and downs of fund performance with with-profits policyholders under new FSA rules.

  • Flat line

    5 Apr 2007

    A property owner needs advice on selling and whether to buy again or use the proceeds to boost their investments.

  • FOS criticises annuity advice

    5 Apr 2007

    The Financial Ombudsman Service has set out its concerns about the quality of advice surrounding alternatives to traditional annuities.

  • FSA offers free surgeries in the South

    10 Apr 2007

    The FSA is offering financial advisers, mortgage intermediaries and general insurance brokers in Bournemouth, Portsmouth, and Southampton free surgeries in May.The surgeries will take place in Bournemouth on 15 May, Portsmouth on 16 May and Southampton on 17 May.They are one-to-one appointments, lasting up to one hour, with a member of FSA staff and allow firms to raise any regulatory queries they have.An FSA spokesman says: “The FSA is committed to providing help to small ...

  • FSA set for Icob changes

    5 Apr 2007

    The FSA's overhauling of the way non-advised protection sales are carried out under its proposed two-tier Icob regime marks a victory for Money Marketing's No Advice No Protection campaign.

  • FSA to target sub-prime and equity release

    10 Apr 2007

    The Financial Services Authority today confirmed the second stage of its review of the effectiveness of its mortgage regime will focus on sub-prime and lifetime mortgages where the risk of consumer detriment may be high.

  • FSA U-turn on dual listing rules

    4 Apr 2007

    The FSA has heeded the strong industry concerns over its dual listing proposals and will now consult on introducing a single listing regime for all UK and overseas closed end investment funds.

  • FSA warning over Sipp promotions

    5 Apr 2007

    The FSA is warning that it has concerns about a signif-icant number of Sipp financial promotions in the run-up to regulation.

  • 'Fund firms wising up to poaching boutiques'

    5 Apr 2007

    Fidelity head of multi-man-ager business Simon Ellis believes that investment boutiques will find it increasingly difficult to poach top fund managers from the bigger companies because they are wising up and locking in their best talent.

  • GE Life rebrands as Tomorrow

    4 Apr 2007

    GE Life and GE Pensions has rebranded as Tomorrow following Swiss Re's takeover of the life office last October.

  • Gigi Chan to target Chinese mid caps

    5 Apr 2007

    Threadneedle is setting up a China opportunities fund to be managed by Gigi Chan.

  • GP reports scrapped

    5 Apr 2007

    LV= has scrapped its system of requesting GP reports when writing protection policies and is introducing a tele-interview service which it claims will cut acceptance times on applications by weeks.

  • Hay is our sole mate

    5 Apr 2007

    We originally began negotiations with the James Hay (formerly Abbey) wrap in September 2003.

  • He's not fit to be PM, says poll

    5 Apr 2007

    Ninety two per cent of respondents in a Money Marketing poll say the Chancellor is unfit to be the next Prime Minister following the revelations about his tax raid on pensions.

  • HL Sipp breaks through 1bn

    5 Apr 2007

    Hargreaves Lansdown's Sipp has broken the 1bn barrier, netting 717m in the last tax year. Head of pensions research Tom McPhail says the figures prove personal pensions have largely been replaced by Sipps as the retirement vehicle of choice.

  • Hold the banks to account

    5 Apr 2007

    The banks are fighting a rearguard action against proposed changes to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme - changes which are welcomed by most IFAs.

  • Holding back the years

    5 Apr 2007

    Our glorious editor John Lappin was none too impressed with a certain PR gift that he received recently.

  • Home thoughts from abroad

    5 Apr 2007

    Mortgages: Helen Pow looks at how first-time buyers priced out of the UK market are looking overseas for their first properties in the hope of making enough to put a deposit on a property back home. However, experts are warning that there are many risks involved and the new breed of jet-to-let buyers need independent advice.

  • Hot property cools down

    5 Apr 2007

    A slowdown in commercial property is predicted at last, but returns should still satisfy many investors.

  • HSA - Workwell

    5 Apr 2007

    HSAWorkwell

  • IFS urges advisers to use authorised providers

    5 Apr 2007

    Financial advisers are being urged to take note of FSA guidance on Sipps issued this month ahead of the start of regulation on April 6.

  • Imla reveals packagers are vital to brokers

    4 Apr 2007

    Almost three-quarters of intermediaries submit some or all of their mortgage business via packagers, according to the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders’ Association.

  • Indecent proposal

    5 Apr 2007

    Prime Professions managing director Duncan Philpott says IFAs do not show their firm in the best light when a crumpled and dog-eared professional indemnity proposal form lands on the insurer's desk the day before the renewal date.

  • Isaacs to manage M&G Euro bond fund

    5 Apr 2007

    Stefan Isaacs is taking over the running of the M&G European corporate bond fund from head of fixed interest Jim Leaviss. The two have worked together on the fund since September and the switch frees Leaviss to focus on his three other retail funds.

  • Jupiter preference fund taken over by Premier

    5 Apr 2007

    Jupiter is to hand over management of its £2.5m preference fund to Premier Port-folio Managers next month.

  • Kearney makes move

    5 Apr 2007

    Former Artemis fund of funds manager Aidan Kearney is to be reunited with former colleague Rob Bowie at Credit Suisse Asset management after being appointed co-head of the UK multi-manager team.

  • Keydata Investments - Dynamic Growth Plan

    5 Apr 2007

    Keydata InvestmentsDynamic Growth Plan

  • Larpent Newton & Co - London Business Angels EIS Tracker Fund V

    5 Apr 2007

    Larpent Newton & CoLondon Business Angels EIS Tracker Fund V

  • Legal & General - Capital Guaranteed Bond 1 - Six-Year Term

    5 Apr 2007

    Legal & GeneralCapital Guaranteed Bond 1 - Six-Year Term

  • LV= launches with-profits guide for advisers

    4 Apr 2007

    LV= has launched a guide about its with-profits funds to assist advisers when reviewing customers' investments.

  • Martin Hall joins AXA Investment Managers

    5 Apr 2007

    AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) today announces the appointment of Martin Hall as head of AXA IM UK.

  • Means to an end?

    5 Apr 2007

    Sam Shaw finds opinion divided on The Money Portal's move to help advisers transfer from up-front to fund-based commission.

  • Meeting points

    5 Apr 2007

    Face-to-face sessions with investment firms are an opportunity to get an insight into their products.

  • Meteor Asset Management - Prima Growth Plan

    5 Apr 2007

    Meteor Asset ManagementPrima Growth Plan

  • Meteor plan reaches for the stars

    5 Apr 2007

    Meteor Asset ManagementPrima Growth Plan

  • MetLife - Self-invested Personal Pension

    5 Apr 2007

    MetLifeSelf-invested Personal Pension

  • MetLife reviews Sipp charging structure

    5 Apr 2007

    MetLife is reviewing the charging structure for its guaranteed retirement proposition following strong sales in its first three month of operation.

  • MetLife Sipp provides taste of security

    5 Apr 2007

    MetLifeSelf-invested Personal Pension

  • Mid caps shed in favour of FTSE 100

    5 Apr 2007

    Henderson's multi-manager team is reducing its UK mid cap exposure in favour of blue chips.

  • Morgan Stanley - FTSE Capital Plus Plan 5

    5 Apr 2007

    Morgan StanleyFTSE Capital Plus Plan 5

  • Morgan Stanley - FTSE Protected Growth Plan 16

    5 Apr 2007

    Morgan Stanley FTSE Protected Growth Plan 16

  • Morgan Stanley bring out bond duo

    5 Apr 2007

    Morgan Stanley has brought out two capital-protected bonds linked to the FTSE 100 index for a term of six years.

  • Morning glory

    5 Apr 2007

    Congratulations to Vee Montebello who, after 10 years at Gartmore, is leaving to set up her own PR firm - Montebello Communications.

  • Mott is back

    5 Apr 2007

    New investment manager Psigma Asset Management, part of the Punter Southall Group, has launched the Psigma income fund.

  • MPs call for personal account advice costs

    5 Apr 2007

    The Government must clarify the costs of any national system of generic advice that would underpin personal accounts, according to the work and pensions committee.

  • New product, new name for Arc

    5 Apr 2007

    Structured product provider Arc Capital & Income - formerly Nvesta – has brought out its first product under its new name.

  • New Star appoints Tilney stalwart

    10 Apr 2007

    New Star Investment Funds has added to its talent pool with appointment of Tilney fund manager Nicholas Sheridan.

  • New Star's Bryant to lead European fund

    5 Apr 2007

    Clare Bryant has been promoted to lead manager on New Star's 36m European portfolio, replacing head of fund of funds Mark Harris.

  • Noble takes over First State Aim VCT

    5 Apr 2007

    Noble Fund Managers is taking over management of First State's Aim VCT in a move that will also see First State fund manger Paul Jourdan and his 16m British smaller companies fund also join NFM as part of the deal.

  • Norwich & Peterborough Building Society - 15 Year Fixed Rate

    5 Apr 2007

    Norwich & Peterborough Building Society15 Year Fixed Rate

  • Nothing changes

    5 Apr 2007

    Fifteen years ago, when I first started at Money Marketing, the paper's then editor sent me to Cornwall for the day. The aim was to see if we could expose an alleged "advance fee" loan fraudster, whom several IFAs had dealt with - losing thousands of pounds of their clients' money in the process.

  • NU sets out on trail path

    5 Apr 2007

    Company in talks with 200 advisers over low persistency rates as it plans to phase out reliance on initial cash

  • Off the Mark

    5 Apr 2007

    Poor Aegon PR Mark Locke. After bragging to his wife and anyone who would listen that three female MM reporters planned to undress in his hotel room, he was disappointed to hear that they changed into their frocks for the MM awards in colleague Margaret Robertson's room.The porter, however, was not disappointed when he came up to the girls' room to show them how to use the in-room stereo.

  • Opt for diversity

    5 Apr 2007

    Since the start of this year, we have been slightly cautious on global equity markets.

  • Pantheon board ponders new share issue proposal

    5 Apr 2007

    The board of the multi-manager private equity investment trust Pantheon International Participations is considering proposals to issue new shares and will make its final decision at the end of the month.

  • Pension software speeds up analysis

    5 Apr 2007

    IFA service company Adviser Breakthrough Solution is offering its pension performance review software package to the adviser market.

  • Performing zeal

    5 Apr 2007

    In the latest Adviser Fund Index mid-season questionnaire, the responses given by the panellists varied widely to the two questions posed - which fund across your entire AFI recommendations since November 1, 2004, has performed the best compared with your expectations and which has performed worst?

  • Portal advisers sent text messages over contracts

    5 Apr 2007

    Top-producing Foster Denovo IFA Paul Clarke looks set to receive a wrap on the knuckles after texting a number of ex-colleagues at The Money Portal suggesting they join him.

  • Portal pays advisers hit by NU backlog

    5 Apr 2007

    The Money Portal is planning to bail out its advisers that use Lifetime by paying their commission which is stuck in Norwich Union's admin backlog.

  • Positive Solutions adds to points' plan

    5 Apr 2007

    Positive Solutions is amending its Partnership scheme enabling advisers writing 50,000 of business in the 12 months to September 27, 2007 will now receive 3,000 points towards the scheme. PS is also extending the deadline to gain 3,000 points for recruiting new joiners to October 31.

  • Positive thinking

    5 Apr 2007

    The Melchior UK opportunities fund was launched last May and has already risen by 30 per cent , ranking it second out of 327 funds in the UK all companies sector.

  • Proc around the clock

    5 Apr 2007

    Moneyfacts mortgage analyst Julia Harris assesses whether rising mortgage fee payments affect advice.

  • Proc follies

    5 Apr 2007

    Helen Pow reports on claims that high proc fees are influencing advisers' product choice as loan experts put forward their ideas for stamping out the problem.

  • Profits up 16% at Royal London

    5 Apr 2007

    Royal London's profits in 2006 rose by 16 per cent to 116m from 100m in 2005. Contributions from new business rose by 16 per cent to 36m from 31m.

  • Providers failing advisers on with profits, says Aifa

    5 Apr 2007

    Nearly three-quarters of IFAs believe providers do not give them suitable training and information on with profits, according to Aifa research.

  • PSigma - PSigma Income Fund

    5 Apr 2007

    PsigmaPSigma Income Fund

  • Rate rises start to slow down lending levels

    5 Apr 2007

    The Council of Mortgage Lenders says the mortgage market is likely to slow in the coming months due to the effect of interest rate rises.

  • Record number of FTBs opting for fixed-rate mortgages, says CML

    10 Apr 2007

    Fears over interest rates could rise next month have led a record proportionof first-time buyers to opt for a fixed-rate mortgage, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

  • Regulator clears the way for Reit advice

    5 Apr 2007

    Major real estate investment trust players have welcomed FSA clarification on its status regarding Reits.

  • Returns fall for 60% of Resolution's WP funds

    5 Apr 2007

    Over 60 per cent of Resolution's with-profits funds have seen a drop in returns since last February which it attributes to the move away from a high inflation environment.

  • Reversion conversion

    5 Apr 2007

    Home & Capital sales director Nigel Hare-Scott talks about how a more balanced regulatory framework should help the home-reversion sector.

  • River and Mercantile perfects unconstrained approach

    5 Apr 2007

    River and Mercantile Asset Management has launched the UK equity unconstrained fund, a concentrated portfolio of UK equities.

  • Rock looks at selling 1.5bn loan portfolio

    5 Apr 2007

    Northern Rock is considering a 1.5bn sale of its commercial loan portfolio, saying that the new Basle II rules make it less capital-efficient to retain the portfolio.

  • S&P backing for funds of hedge funds

    5 Apr 2007

    Standard & Poor's Fund Services says it is worth investors paying the extra cost for funds of hedge funds relative to multi-strategy hedge funds because they provide diversification of manager as well as investment style and strategy.

  • Sales on the crest of a wave

    5 Apr 2007

    Our panel assess the growing popularity of the offshore market and whether it will get tougher as more providers move in.

  • ScotEq chief will lead Cofunds' push

    5 Apr 2007

    Scottish Equitable head of defined-benefit sales Andy Fail has joined Cofunds as head of product. He will help drive Cofunds' push into life and pensions.

  • Scottish Widows offers retirement account

    5 Apr 2007

    Scottish Widows has introduced the retirement account, a self-invested personal pension designed to suit a range of clients at different stages of their lives while providing adequate remuneration to advisers

  • Sellers will get extra time for home packs

    5 Apr 2007

    The Government has given sellers an extra two months' leeway on home information packs.

  • SG Adequity wants investors to Waex lyrical

    5 Apr 2007

    Societe Generale AdequityNew Energy Protected Fund

  • Sifa wants probe into St James's Place referrals

    5 Apr 2007

    Solicitors Regulation Authority urged to investigate allegations of breaches of code of conduct.

  • Skandia sails into the sunset

    5 Apr 2007

    Skandia is dropping its multi-million-pound sponsorship of the Cowes Week sailing extravaganza after a 14-year run.

  • Skipton Building Society - Flexible Seven Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

    5 Apr 2007

    Skipton Building SocietyFlexible 3-Year Base Rate Tracker Capped Rate Mortgage

  • SPML - One Year Fixed Rate Buy 2 Let

    5 Apr 2007

    SPMLOne Year Fixed Rate Buy 2 Let

  • Standard alert on deadline for trust changes

    5 Apr 2007

    Standard Life is highlighting that certain types of trust will have just one year left for trustees to consider making changes to them.

  • Standard holds off on wrap sales drive

    5 Apr 2007

    Standard Life will not begin actively managing its wrap until early next year with its sales push focusing on its new FundZone platform in the short term, Money Marketing understands.

  • Steve Jones

    5 Apr 2007

    A brush with disaster in the Paddington train crash convinced the chief executive of N4 Solutions that life was too short to spend unfulfilled, so six years ago he set up a financial services technology platform which is now a successful company based on ethics and an enjoyable working culture with over 60 staff. Interview by Helen Pow.

  • Surprise package

    5 Apr 2007

    The Hartford platinum plan is the Kinder surprise of the pensions world. Instead of selling you chocolate and miniaturised self-assembly plastic toys, though, you get a guaranteed income for life, investment exposure with the potential for upside growth with annual lock-ins and the option to cash your chips in for an annuity any time you like. What's not to like?

  • Survivors' share

    5 Apr 2007

    In this penultimate article in my short series on director sharepurchase arrangements I will cover the possibility of the company buying a deceased director's shares, before moving on to consider the implications for life insurance.

  • Taylor quits for corporate pension role at Widows

    5 Apr 2007

    John Taylor is leaving Standard Life after 12 years to join Scottish Widows as market director (corporate pensions).

  • The boutique with the young approach

    5 Apr 2007

    Investment boutique Taylor Young Investment Management has broadened the risk profiles within its fund range with the introduction of CF Taylor Young International Equity and CF Taylor Young Opportunistic.

  • The bright side

    5 Apr 2007

    Personal accounts have been vilified by some but others see it is an opportunity.

  • The Budget's silver lining

    5 Apr 2007

    Although the Budget was mainly a con, or tinkering at best, the reduction in corporation tax will be of benefit to the UK stockmarket and, in particular, equity income funds.

  • The cutting hedge

    5 Apr 2007

    Chris Salih on the FSA's welcome move to open up funds of hedge funds.

  • The final hurdle

    5 Apr 2007

    Aifa's lobbying has brought a fairer FSCS deal within striking distance.

  • The four rules of compliance

    5 Apr 2007

    In the first of two articles on regulation, Harry Katz of Norwest Consultants, considers the problems of sticking to treating customers fairly when the regulator won't reveal what it entails.

  • The muddled masses

    5 Apr 2007

    Policy makers fail to realise regulation has rendered mass advice profit-free.

  • This must be true...

    5 Apr 2007

    It's looky-likey time again. The Claims Standards Council's Andy Wigmore (of Wigmore Street) is pushing Through the Barricades masquerading as none other than the 'Gold'-en Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp. It's True, we tell you.

  • Threesixty rejects mass ownership of IFA technology

    4 Apr 2007

    Threesixty says the integration strategies of large software houses may lead to an unwelcome restriction on IFAs’ choice of software.

  • Toisa the appetiser

    5 Apr 2007

    Money trapped in cash vehicles such as Tessas and Tessa-only Isas will be eligible to be transferred into a tax-efficient equity wrapper for the first time when the Government's rules to allow cash transfers come in next year.

  • UBS explores derivatives

    5 Apr 2007

    UBS Global Asset Management has launched the UBS UK equity income fund, an Oeic will make some use of the wider investment powers of Ucits by investing up to 10 per cent in derivatives.

  • UBS Global Asset Management - UK Equity Income Fund

    5 Apr 2007

    UBS Global Asset ManagementUK Equity Income Fund

  • Update for unit-linked asset rules

    5 Apr 2007

    The FSA plans to widen the permitted link rules governing which assets the unit-linked insurance sector can invest in.

  • What difference did A-Day make?

    5 Apr 2007

    A year after A-Day, Andy Taylor, individual pensions marketing manager at Scottish Life, asks if the promised simplifications have translated into reality.

  • What goes around...

    5 Apr 2007

    Endowments are a good example of how we can get it so horribly wrong.

  • Will experts set up network to aid public on IHT

    4 Apr 2007

    Will planning experts have joined forces to set up a network to provide help to consumers hit by inheritance tax payments.

  • Winterthur IFA business shake-up

    5 Apr 2007

    Winterthur is restructuring its UK IFA business.

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