Findings from A Meeting of Minds: Advisory Distributors September 2020

Introduction:

The twenty-ninth Meeting of Minds Advisory Distributors took place on 17 September 2020 as a virtual event. This document seeks to capture the key issues raised in the programme of 11 roundtables which took place on the day.

A Meeting of Minds Advisory Distributors is a strategic forum usually organised on a biannual basis by Owen James. This was the 29^th in the series and one of the first major events to be held on a virtual platform by Owen James through a combination of Zoom, event app and Vimeo. It brings together some 60 plus CEOs/Managing Directors - who are responsible for setting the business strategy of their organisations - and CIOs/Heads of Investment - who set the overarching investment strategy for the organisation to work through the key challenges facing their individual businesses and the industry as a whole. 

The Format:

Participants enjoy access to strategic insight and networking at the highest level. In addition, two external speakers are invited to provide keynotes which spark debate and encourage fresh and original thinking.

At the core of these Meetings is the series of roundtables, all held through Zoom meeting rooms, addressing the pre-researched and pre-agreed agenda. These provide an opportunity for open discussion led by an expert on the matter alongside an objective and professional facilitator. 

The Roundtable sessions were facilitated by:

• Don Wild, Wild Ochre Consulting
• Dave Edwards, Esperto Business Solutions
• Martyn Laverick, Phase 2 Consulting
• Brod Whiting, JoyndUp 
• John Chapman, Orion Consultancy
• Richard Parkin, Richard Parkin Consulting
• Paul Miles, Silverback Consultancy

We are very grateful for the time and energy they have expended on making the virtual Meeting of Minds: Advisory Distributors a success and hope you will consider this report an interesting, thought-provoking and accessible read. As ever your feedback is much appreciated.

We would also like to thank the independent experts who were part of the sessions for sharing their knowledge and giving us their time and energy both in the run up to this Meeting and on the day.

The Sponsors

We would like to thank our sponsors who made the Meeting of Minds possible. The following companies took part and their motivation for doing so is threefold:

• To be, and be seen as being, supportive of the industry.
• To understand the stresses and strains being placed on financial advisory firms and, where possible, respond to them.
• To talk openly with these business leaders with a view to ensuring that their businesses are strategically aligned.