AXA Wealth unveils new IFA service to accelerate RDR readiness

The intensive workshops draw on global best practice and are designed to evaluate how and when a firm can make improvements to its productivity and profitability.

The first programme, to be held with seven adviser firms over four separate sessions, will focus on key areas essential to transforming businesses to meet the requirements of the RDR for 2012 and beyond:

• helping the firm understand its best business model with a focus on client proposition and risk management 
• identifying key target markets for the firm to better align their time to the areas that clients value 
• designing best practice investment philosophy, strategy and tactics
• segmentation – aligning the proposition to specific client types
• establishing the right pricing strategy. The programme will focus on the various fee options, the best fit for different client segments
• implementing strategy. Looking at how firms can adapt their operations to deliver a more effective and valuable client proposition and then manage the transition client-by-client whilst maintaining and growing their profitability and cash-flow.

Gary Thomson, head of business consultancy, AXA Wealth, said: “The RDR is the biggest thing to happen to this industry in decades and it is heading our way fast. For business owners to align their strategy with it is likely to take months if not years, so of course it is vital that those running IFA firms get the ball rolling now. These business transition programmes will help those firms who recognise that they need to start investing time now to achieve success in the future. The sessions will provide them with the support they need to accelerate their progress through a collaborative and pragmatic process.”

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Enquiries

Becky Holmes, AXA Wealth press office, +44 (0)1256 798310

Nicola Wraight, AXA Wealth press office, +44 (0)1256 852041

Notes to editors

AXA Wealth

AXA Wealth, Winterthur Way, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 6SZ. Telephone number: 01256 470707. As part of our commitment to quality service, telephone calls may be recorded.

Architas Multi-Manager Limited (No. 06458717), AXA Portfolio Services Limited (No. 1128611), AXA Wealth Services Limited (No. 02238458), Winterthur Life UK Limited (No. 3116645) and AXA Wealth Limited (No. 01225468) are all companies registered in England and limited by shares. Their registered office is 5 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1AD. Each company promotes and distributes its own products and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. AXA Wealth Services Limited also promotes and distributes the products of AXA Isle of Man Limited and AXA Life Europe Limited in the United Kingdom.

AXA Wealth is a marketing brand used by these companies. Details of the companies offering specific products are contained within product literature.

About AXA

AXA Group is a worldwide leader in insurance and asset management, with 214,000 employees serving 95 million clients. In 2010, IFRS revenues amounted to Euro 91 billion and IFRS underlying earnings to Euro 3.9 billion. AXA had Euro 1,104 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2010.

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The Group is included in the main international SRI indexes, such as Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) and FTSE4GOOD.

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