Award Criteria

This is for platforms that offer a range of funds, wrappers, aggregation, online access for trading and viewing – those we used to call fund supermarkets.

This award will go to the platform that offers the best scope, functionality and service to intermediaries and their clients. The winner will be a platform on which adviser are confident to run their clients’ unit trust, OEIC, bond and pension funds, offering a single view across the clients’ portfolio, online trading, transaction tracking and client access.

As fund platform, but offering non-rebate remuneration so that non-commission paying products can be included e.g. cash, equities, investment trusts.

High level criteria

The best overall platform award will go to the platform that offers the best scope, functionality, service and choice of investment classes. The winner will be a platform on which users are confident to run their entire wealth management business including investment trusts, ETFs, equities, government and corporate bonds.

Leading platform-based adviser practice (up to 10 advisers within practice)

This is for the smaller adviser practices, typically owner managed, running a platform model.

High level criteria

The award will go to the firm that can demonstrate how they have employ a platform model to provide the most comprehensive and professional client proposition whilst managing a highly efficient, profitable and compliant adviser business. This firm will be an example to advisers considering migration to a platform model both in terms of client proposition and quality of staff.

Leading platform based adviser business (over 10 advisers in the business)

This is for the larger adviser firm that is likely to segment their client proposition and business models between higher worth clients and others.

High level criteria

The award will go to the firm that can demonstrate how they have employed a platform model within a division of a larger, more complex, adviser business. The firm will have addressed such issues as client segmentation in order to maximise efficiency of processing and profit, while ensuring appropriate clients within the business enjoy the enhanced proposition offered by platforms. This firm will be an example to advisers considering migration of part of their business to a platform model both in terms of client proposition and quality of staff.

Best administration service provider to platforms

This is for the best provider of those administration services that enable platforms to offer a robust, reliable service to their intermediary and end customer platform users.

High level criteria

The award will go to the service/administration provider recognised by platforms as the best provider of direct administration services or indirect fund administration services to fund managers and the platform sector.

Best platform software provider

This is for the provider of the technology that powers the platform, whether the main engine of the platform or software that gives it competitive advantage.

High level criteria

The award will go to the firm providing the best software and information technology to platforms. Features valued will include: End to end processing; CRM; range of investment classes/products supported; high levels of functionality; excellent commission and fee processing; full range of reports; tax management; electronic payment processing; scalability and flexibility.

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Leading platform-based SIPP proposition

This award is for SIPP offerings that sit on the platform and can be viewed with assets in other wrappers on a single screen, whether the platform manager or a specialist(s) provides the SIPP wrapper.

High level criteria

One of the key benefits of a platform is the ability to see all investments on a single screen or page across all tax wrappers. The award will go to the best overall platform-based SIPP proposition. Whilst the winning provider may not offer every feature, option or investment class, the judges will be looking for evidence of excellence in some or all of these areas:
Investment range (including competitive rates on cash deposits and proven commercial property capability); open architecture integration with platform(s), web-based technology including online valuations ;  quality of administration and service;  self investment of protected rights transfers; competitive charges,  income drawdown and phased drawdown  and ASP ;  unrestricted access to discretionary managers with electronic data exchange.

Leading asset manager in the platform world

For asset managers who understand that platforms have different demands to old-fashioned distribution.

High level criteria

The award will go to the asset manager that combines performance with efficient administration, product design and marketing initiatives appropriate to the platform world.

The winner will be judged by the platform managers to meet operational performance in areas such as price/trade confirmations; settlement; stock reconciliation and transfer.

The winner will cooperate in a marketing context through websites, promotions, launches, training and support.

They will be innovative in product design especially in new markets such as in the decumulation phase.

If an adviser had to select just one research or planning tool to sit on the platform, which would it be?

High level criteria

The winner will be a research tool or toolset that advisers deem to be indispensable. It may be employed for fund selection, asset allocation, forecasting or analysis, or some or all of these.

It will be robust and employ sound principals, utterly independent and easy for a professional adviser to use and fully understand after practical training. The output should be as meaningful to the client as to the adviser.

In addition, it will be fully compliant with all regulatory requirements.

Best new platform

This is for the best platform launched to the full market in the last 24 months with particular reference to innovation over previous platforms.

High level criteria

This award will go to the platform that offers the same scope, functionality and service as the leading established platforms but having been launched in the last two years, has not had the opportunity to demonstrate this fully but also brings something new to the sector that differentiates them from previous platform providers.

Best investment management platform proposition

For providers of investment management solutions together with platform functionality to enable the adviser to outsource the provision of investment advice.

High level criteria

This award will go to the provider offering the best platform-based investment proposition. The proposition may be discretionary or multi-manager or offer a strategic partnership and appropriate resource. The platform might be visible or not. However, the proposition will enable single page aggregation, tax wrappers (in house or outsourced) and reporting, in addition to an investment proposition where performance, charges and methodology will be considered.

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