Support for business owners crucial in ‘complex’ sale process Originally published on ProfessionalAdviser 11th February 2025 https://www.professionaladviser.com/opinion/4408986/impression-buyers-counts Image: Roderic Rennison is a partner at Catalyst Partners The sale of a financial planning business is all about preparation, and execution. Here Roderic Rennison shares his ten rules for sellers… During the last few years, […]
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‘Acquisitions have emotional toll on everyone involved’ Originally published on ProfessionalAdviser 10th February 2025 https://www.professionaladviser.com/news/4408973/process-disturbing-event-ifas The acquisition process can prove a troubling event for staff and owners, experts told PA, but there are ways that buyers and sellers can best manage this. Speaking to Professional Adviser, The Flower Group founder Gordon Flower labelled deals […]
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Roderic Rennison: Why having a client-first mindset matters Originally published on Money Marketing 17th January 2025 https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/opinion/roderic-rennison-why-having-a-client-first-mindset-matters/ Practically every financial-planning firm owner that I have ever met will tell me that their clients are not only their most valuable asset, but that also that they deliver outstanding client service. I have no issue with […]
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Roderic Rennison: 10 common mistakes to avoid when selling your firm Originally published on Money Marketing 26th November 2024 https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/analysis/10-common-mistakes-to-avoid-when-selling-your-firm/ Illustration by Dan Murrell When it comes to selling businesses, over 70% of all transactions fail to increase the acquiring company’s value. In numerous instances, the seller is dissatisfied with the outcome, too. Here, I want […]
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The proposed tax changes of the recent Budget are not trivial. © (wasant1/Envato Elements) Has the progress of consolidation been affected by the Budget? Originally published on FT Adviser 22nd November 2024 https://www.ftadviser.com/tax/2024/11/22/has-the-progress-of-consolidation-been-affected-by-the-budget-/ Many column inches have already been written about the impact of the recent Budget in relation to the impact on consolidation in the […]
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Analysis: Advice M&A continues apace as FCA review looms Originally published on ProfessionalAdviser 18th November 2024 https://www.professionaladviser.com/news-analysis/4378479/analysis-advice-continues-apace-fca-review-looms Firms taking very different approaches to buying and selling With consolidation on the rise and the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) review upcoming, Professional Adviser delves into the current mergers & acquisitions (M&A) market. The regulator recently confirmed it […]
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Earlier this month the FCA announced its plan to carry out a multi-firm review of consolidation within the market. (FCA) ‘When bigger isn’t always better’: FCA focuses on advice market’s rush to consolidate Originally published on FT Adviser 29th October 2024 https://www.ftadviser.com/regulation/2024/10/29/scale-may-be-what-industry-wants-but-isn-t-always-what-the-customer-needs/ It has been a while since the Financial Conduct Authority last talked […]
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(Weedezign_photo/Envato Elements) ‘What to consider before selling your firm’ Originally published on ProfessionalAdviser 18th September 2024 https://www.ftadviser.com/opinion/2024/09/18/what-to-consider-before-selling-your-firm/ The election of a Labour government in July and what changes in taxation the forthcoming Budget on October 30 could bring, and in turn the impact on the sale of intermediary firms, has led to a constant […]
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Roderic Rennison: Are you sale ready? Originally published on Money Marketing 9th August 2024 https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/opinion/roderic-rennison-are-you-sale-ready/ Based on the feedback we receive from our adviser clients, they receive at least two – often more – unsolicited emails each week from brokers offering to arrange the sale of their business for what appears to be ‘adventurous’ […]
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Changing nature of transactions: Getting IFA deals over the line Originally published on ProfessionalAdviser 29th July 2024 https://www.professionaladviser.com/opinion/4337153/changing-nature-transactions-getting-ifa-deals-line ‘Acquirers want more data than in the past’ Adviser M&A dealmaker Roderic Rennison explains why averages do not tell the whole story, and the past is not a guide to the future… Image: Roderic Rennison is […]
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Tales of the unexpected: The importance of shareholder agreements Originally published on ProfessionalAdviser 15th July 2024 https://www.professionaladviser.com/opinion/4334263/tales-unexpected In business prevention is better than cure Roderic Rennison explains why planning for the unexpected is a prerequisite to a smooth succession… Image: Roderic Rennison is a partner at Catalyst Partners The saying ‘the cobbler always wears […]
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FCA ongoing services review: Time to be concerned? Originally published on Money Marketing 29th May 2024 https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/opinion/fca-focus-on-ongoing-services-time-to-be-concerned/ Unless you have been on a prolonged holiday and have turned off your phone for the duration (a tempting thought), you will be aware the Financial Conduct Authority has been very proactive when it comes to ongoing services, as […]
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AI and advice: The challenge of making good tech decisions Originally published on ProfessionalAdviser 15th March 2024 https://www.professionaladviser.com/opinion/4184145/ai-advice-challenge-tech-decisions? AI integration will have a lasting impact in financial services Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming what technology can offer and this requires careful consideration from various angles, write Roderic Rennison and Chris Baigent-Reed AI is arguably […]
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How deep are your client relationships? Originally published on Money Marketing 1st March 2024 https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/analysis/how-deep-are-your-client-relationships/ You probably won’t have anyone ask you outright how deep your client relationships are, as it is blunt and direct. However, acquirers are increasingly wanting to get to the bottom of this question with owners of firms contemplating a […]
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Selling up: The importance of due diligence Vicky Pearce and Roderic Rennison Professional Adviser 28 June 2023 Vicky Pearce and Roderic Rennison look at the process of selling an advice practice and highlight the importance of due diligence despite it being potentially ‘intrusive, tedious and stressful’… Have you considered your exit strategy? What will happen […]
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Consolidation market is in a state of flux The past six months has seen significant developments in the consolidation of the wealth management sector. A recent report from EY highlighted that while there had been a record number of deals in the first half of 2023 – 67 up from 55 in the same period of […]
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Roderic Rennison: Having the right data matters more than ever While having the “right” data to run a financial planning business has always mattered, it has recently assumed even greater importance in three primary areas I encounter: the demonstration of good client outcomes (Consumer Duty), building embedded value and maximising the financial outcome from a […]
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Fifty years and counting: Roderic Rennison reflects on lessons from financial services so far From door-to-door sales to the boardroom, to non-exec roles and acquisitions. What follows are my reflections on everything I have learnt along the way, what has changed (mostly for the better) and the challenges that remain. A week after leaving school […]
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Selling up the right way Next Wealth managing director Heather Hopkin’s comments in her recent article for Money Marketing, entitled Selling up not selling out, reflect some recurring themes I experience working with advice firm owners contemplating a sale of their business. These are: The challenge they face in getting under the bonnet of an acquirer’s business […]
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Roderic Rennison: How to get the best from professional connections As a merger and acquisition consultant, one area I regularly reflect on is the way in which we are selected, alongside other professionals such as solicitors and accountants, and then how we are used as transactions proceed. Sometimes, the outcome is not what was initially […]
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Roderic Rennison: Don’t be duped by acquirers A few weeks ago, I met a highly successful financial planning firm owner who had decided to sell his firm to an acquirer who approached him unsolicited with what appeared to be an outstandingly attr1active offer. After some months of negotiation, the deal fell apart when the buyer […]
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Roderic Rennison: So you think you want to sell your firm? Getting a firm’s selling plan into shape significantly improves the likelihood of a successful outcome I spend most of my time engaged with the owners of financial advisory firms talking about their succession plans. Over time, I have come to realise that one of […]
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How to know the time is right to sell your business One of the questions I am most often asked is, “When is the right time to sell my business?” A better question is, “How will I know it is the right time to sell my business?”. But, even then, there is no single answer. […]
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Life after selling your business While much has been written about how to plan for, and then execute the successful sale of a financial planning firm, there is much less guidance and focus on what happens to the shareholders after the sale and the issues to consider and plan for. This article seeks to redress […]
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Roderic Rennison: Selling is not the only succession option Currently, hardly a day goes by without the announcement of the sale of yet another financial advisory firm, yet the sale of a firm is not the only option open to business owners to achieve succession. The owner(s) could pass on the business to their children, […]
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Give your website the attention it deserves Nearly all financial intermediaries have a website; it is has become the norm. However, the way in which websites are perceived by advice firms differs. Some advisers regard it as a necessary chore while others see it is as an important marketing tool that can both deliver new […]
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The debate about working from home versus the office, whether part-time or full time, is an active one
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This document outlines what to expect during a sale process in the FCA regulated space.
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