Speaking at the Platforum conference, Mackay said many smaller firms are approaching her for advice on creating their own platform.
She said: “I hear from more IFAs who are starting to think about whether they can piece together their own platform.”
Axa Distribution Services director of marketing and distribution Martin Jennings said as long as the technology used by an IFA creates a good quality proposition for clients, he does not see IFA-developed platforms as a problem.
But Ascentric head of sales Shaun Sandiford said white-labelling an existing wrap-provider’s technology would be more efficient than building their own.
He said: “I can see why some people do it but I am not sure it is necessarily the right time in the business cycle to be having all that extra outlay for something that might only be 85 per cent as good as you want it to be.”
Yellowtail Financial Planning managing director Dennis Hall said: “They probably want to control and amass funds under management in order to charge a percentage fee. My business is financial planning, not trying to amass assets under management.”
