Why the Letters of Authority process needs to change

On the latest edition of the FT Adviser podcast, senior investment editor David Thorpe chats to F&C investment trust manager Paul Niven, Arbuthnot Latham head of investment research Peter Doherty and Ashoka White Oak emerging markets investment adviser Loong Lim about the prospects for the emerging markets asset class after a strong year of performance in 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of the FT Adviser podcast senior reporter Tara O'Connor chats to Wealth Club's head of investment research, Jonathan Moyes, about investors' growing interest in private markets and why he is “nervous” about the use of investment trusts as a means of accessing the market.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The guests on the latest edition of the FT Adviser podcast agree that while duration will always be a very significant arbiter of returns, it is perhaps not quite to the same extent as has been in the recent past.George Fox from the Merlin multi-manager team at Jupiter, Mohammed Kazmi, fixed income strategist at UPB UK, and Ryan Myerberg, fixed income fund manager at Brown Advisory, discuss the yield opportunities in markets, and their view of high yield bonds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can climate justice in the UK be helped by a more efficient tax system? FT Adviser editor Simoney Kyriakou is joined by David Macdonald, founder of impact-only investment company Path Financial on the latest Margin Notes podcast. In addition to being a financial adviser, he’s a strong advocate of the need for tax reform in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the FT Adviser podcast deputy news editor Sonia Rach speaks to Colin Morris, investment manager at Parmenion and Daniel Parkinson, founder of The Bitcoin IFA, to discuss the FCA's recent changes to retail consumer access to crypto exchange traded notes, what this means for safeguarding and how the UK aligns with other European financial centres. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The most significant aspect to think about when investing in private markets is the length of time a client is able to hold the asset, according to Joan Solotar, global head of Blackstone Private Wealth.Speaking with features editor Melanie Tringham, Solotar outlines her views on private markets and how retail investors should think about them, looking at time spent holding assets, how they perform and what place they should hold in one's portfolio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the FT Adviser podcast Unum CEO Mark Till joins senior reporter Tom Dunstan to discuss employee benefits, how they have changed over recent years, and what could happen to them in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mortgage brokers and advisers have a “hugely important” role to play in helping more Britons on to the housing ladder, the FCA has said.Speaking on the latest FT Adviser Margin Notes videocast, David Geale, the FCA’s permanent executive director for payments and digital finance, explained the reasons the regulator is looking at the future of mortgage lending in the UK.Geale also discussed how technology and AI could be used more to help lenders and brokers in their decision-making.He said: “We see AI developing as a tool, and that can be used in different ways. It can be used to help some people with their selection. “It can help people in terms learning and help to identify customers who need support.”But as well as considering how AI and technology can shape the future of the UK’s mortgage market, Geale said even if the adviser used AI to help “streamline” the process, the role of independent advisers would always be vital in delivering personalised and tailored recommendations to would-be homeowners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week news editor Amy Austin speaks to Justine Pattullo, chair of Flag and representative of Pension Lab and Nick Green, strategy and proposition director at Criterion, about Letters of Authorities and what can be done to improve this process.They looked at why the process is fraught with problems and why everyone will need to work together to see any real change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The guests on the latest edition of the FT Adviser podcast retain most of their focus on the large cap part of the US market, but are cautious on the outlook for the seven stocks at the top of the index.Alex Crooke, who runs the Bankers investment trust at Janus Henderson, Jason Da Silva, multi-asset investment strategist at Arbuthnot Latham, and Dan White, who runs the M&G North America Value fund, discuss how they are finding opportunities in a US equity market trading at record highs, but also riven with uncertainty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.