Unique Financial Planning has hired from Quilter to fill the new role of management information and financial reporting manager.
The firm has appointed Katie Jefferey, who was senior reporting analyst at Quilter.
She has been tasked with putting in place streamlined, centralised data collection and interrogation processes across the business’s investment, mortgage, and protection clients.
The firm, which has offices across the south of England, said it created the new role as MI and data are critical to running a scaled advice business.
Unique Financial chief executive Stewart Williams said: “We’re a 32 adviser business so you could ask why we are committing significant ongoing investment in data management in this way? The answer is simple, running any good business requires good MI.
“There are four key areas into which, as the directors of the business, we need to have continuous, robust insight. We need to understand the financials - where we make money and where we lose it. We need to understand the risk within the business – file checking at each stage of the client journey.”
Williams added: “We need to understand the areas in which our advisers need development – based on facts, not emotions. And, above all else, we need to understand how best we can demonstrate to our clients where we are adding value – ensuring we are charging appropriately for the cost of the service we’re providing.”
Unique FP said MI had historically been very poor across the advice industry and argued consumer duty reporting requirements will expose that widespread failing.
Jeffrey said: “In creating this role, Stewart and his team have shown their dual commitment to future-proofing the business and to working not only to the letter of consumer duty but also in the spirit of it.
“How can you say you put the customer at the heart of your business if you don’t have the necessary MI to fully understand four fundamental elements of how that business functions day to day? This is a progressive and exciting move and I’m delighted I am now part of Unique’s unique journey.”
Jeffery’s appointment follows that of Sue Laver, who joined as practice supervisor and risk manager in 2021.
In March 2021, Unique Financial launched a wealth management division as part of its plans attract more high-net worth clients and widen the scope of its offering.
Earlier this year, Unique Financial bought Watford-based Gerrard Byrne Financial Services, increasing its assets under influence to £800mn.
sonia.rach@ft.com
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