“A key part of our strategic intent for the UK Wealth business is to build even closer relationships with the financial advice industry. We know the people who provide advice understand the challenges and opportunities better than anyone. So who better to hire than a financial adviser?”
Iress has announced the appointment of John Parker as the new Head of Business Development for its UK Wealth division.
John Parker, an FCA-registered adviser, will focus on boosting customer growth, aligning product development with customer needs, and fostering partnerships with advice firms to advance technology use in the sector. The new Head of Business Development joins Iress after helping other notable firms grow, including iPipeline, Aviva, and CTC.
The hire is part of Iress’ broader strategy to adapt its software offerings to meet evolving customer demands, prioritizing functionality, efficiency, and reliability.
“Who better to hire than a financial adviser?”
Alex Hore, Managing Director, UK Wealth at Iress, said, “A key part of our strategic intent for the UK Wealth business is to build even closer relationships with the financial advice industry. We know the people who provide advice understand the challenges and opportunities better than anyone. So who better to hire than a financial adviser?
“John is a natural fit and is an important part of the changes we’re making at Iress. He has a strong understanding of financial technologies, which combined with his experience as an IFA, means he’s ideally placed to support our clients, influence product design and drive growth for Iress.”
John Parker, incoming Head of Business Development, UK Wealth at Iress, said, ”This is an exciting time to be joining Iress. My experiences with setting up the tech stack for an advice firm showed me how far we have to go as an industry. I look forward to working with advisers to help them unlock the potential of technology to power their ambitions.”
Iress partnered with Broadridge for the benefit of retail brokers and wealth managers
The move also follows a strategic alliance designed to enhance trading and market connectivity in the UK that improves conditions for retail brokers and wealth managers.
Iress partnered with Broadridge for a joint offering that combines Broadridge’s Order Management System (OMS) and its market-making platform, Tbricks, with the Iress Retail Service Provider (RSP) network. This integrated solution aims to streamline order management, ramp up market connectivity, and offer real-time data analytics while enhancing compliance measures.
This partnership comes at an opportune moment, as both firms are looking to address the growing demands of retail brokers and wealth managers in an ever-evolving financial landscape. The joint offering will specifically cater to UK market makers, providing full access to retail and wealth management communities and improving access to market data, trade execution, and risk management capabilities.
While Broadridge brings its robust OMS and Tbricks platform to the table, Iress enhances the proposition with its established RSP network. This creates a comprehensive solution that seems poised to set a new standard in the UK’s financial markets, particularly when it comes to market-making and connectivity. It also underscores the pivotal role that fintech collaborations are playing in shaping the future of financial services, especially in areas requiring high levels of sophistication and compliance.
