St James’s Place will launch its first mobile app this month, allowing clients to keep track of their investment performance and financial position from their smartphones.
The move by the UK’s largest wealth manager follows in the steps of its rivals, with many already offering smartphone services.
SJP’s chief operations and technology officer, Ian MacKenzie told the Financial Times he was not concerned that the firm is “late to the party”.
“I think what we’ve done is take the time to understand what our clients want. There’s a multigenerational appetite for digital. We see people who are 60 or 70 and have embraced the digital journey, largely because of the pandemic,” MacKenzie said.
SJP said the app will remain optional for clients, who will still receive paper documents if they choose to but that this is the first step of many in its development of “next generation” technology that will make it easier for clients and their advisers to collaborate.
“The SJP app will further enhance the unique and trusted relationship clients have with their SJP adviser, using technology to power and underpin the personal, face-to-face service our advisers provide,” MacKenzie said.
The app has been designed using leading identity and security technology to keep client details secure according to MacKenzie.
“The intention is to ease the burden of paperwork, documentation, storage, reporting and planning, freeing up our advisers’ time so they can better focus on making a difference to our clients’ future,” he added.
jane.matthews@ft.com
