"When advisers retire or firms change hands, clients deserve continuity - someone who will understand their goals, look after them properly and exceed their expectations. "
- Alex Whitson, CEO of Fintel Services
Fintel Services, parent company of Simplybiz and threesixty, has announced the upcoming launch of an exit and acquisition proposition for advice firms, created to connect suitable buyers and sellers whilst ensuring clients are looked after for the long-term.
Launching later this year, the Affinity Programme will be available to adviser firms who use the compliance, technology, and business support services provided by Simplybiz and threesixty.
It has been developed in adherence to the findings of last year’s FCA Consolidation Review, emphasising both the necessity of scalable compliance, risk, and governance frameworks, and the need to properly explore and handle potential conflicts of interest within acquiring firms.
Sellers using the Affinity Programme will receive a thorough assessment of exit readiness, sometimes extending over several years, exploring what's working, what needs to change, and how to maximise the value of what they have built. The service will also include consultancy on each seller’s client bank and business model, and introductions to buyers who have completed a structured buyer check and profile.
Buyers using the Affinity Programme will benefit from a structured profiling process, designed to help them demonstrate their worth to sellers, and access to opportunities via a structured model, prioritising the quality of introductions. Buyers will also receive scalable compliance and due diligence support, helping them to grow responsibly, in line with the FCA’s recent guidance.
Alex Whitson, CEO of Fintel Services, commented: "Often succession conversations are informal, reactive, and decided by whoever calls first - not by who's the right fit. Fintel acts as an independent facilitator for the thousands of firms we support across threesixty and Simplybiz. The way we have structured the Affinity Programme helps mitigate potential conflicts of interest, ensuring our focus remains on finding the right long-term outcome for firms and the clients they serve.”
“Ultimately, the Affinity Programme exists for clients. When advisers retire or firms change hands, clients deserve continuity - someone who will understand their goals, look after them properly and exceed their expectations.
“Too many advisers spend years building something they're genuinely proud of, then find their acquirer isn't quite the right fit for them or their clients. The Affinity Programme is about changing that. We're using our scale, relationships, and our independence to raise the bar - for the firms involved and, crucially, for their clients.”
