Award Criteria

The platform of the year – 2009

This award will go to the platform that the judges deem to have made the greatest advance or been the most innovative in 2009. It may be an established platform that has made great advances or a new platform that has broken new ground.

Basis of judging

Best fund platform

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. Advisers will vote for the platform that offers scope, functionality, excellent administration and support.

Basis of judging

Best open architecture wrap platform

As for the fund platform but offering non-rebate remuneration so that non-commission paying products can be included e.g. cash, equities, investment trusts, ETFs – those we tend to call open architecture wrap platforms.

Basis of judging

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

This is for the smaller adviser practices, typically owner managed, that have migrated their business to a platform model and seen benefits in terms of client proposition, service, profitability and business value.

Basis of judging

Leading platform-based adviser business (over 10 advisers)

This is for the larger adviser firm that is likely to segment their client proposition and business models between higher worth clients and others. The judges will be looking for the same achievements as the smaller practice but within a larger diversified business.

Basis of judging

Best platform service provider

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.

Basis of judging

Best platform software provider

This award will go to the provider of the technology that powers the platforms, whether the main engine of the platform or software that gives it competitive advantage.

Basis of judging

Platform managers vote.

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Platform enabled SIPP proposition

This is for on-platform SIPPs that enable the customer to look across all investments together, to enable genuinely holistic investment methodology across tax-wrappers, as well as offering a competitive SIPP proposition.

Basis of judging

Leading asset manager in the platform world

The asset manager that understand that platforms have different demands to old fashioned distribution in the areas of marketing, product development and administration.

Basis of judging

Leading platform users’ planning tool provider

The front office system that advisers most value to support their advice proposition, whether a complete system or one that specialises in one or more segments of the advice process.

Basis of judging

Best new platform

The new platform provider that offers the adviser something different when making a choice, one that has broken new ground to benefit the adviser and/or the customer.

Basis of judging

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.

Basis of judging

Leading innovation in worksite platforms 2009

The judges will be searching for the most innovative and effective workplace platform of 2009 – the platform that meets the needs of both members and administrators, that offers a broad range of benefits and demonstrates success in gaining employees awareness and participation.

Basis of judging

Submissions to the judging panel.

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