IFA Talk

Hosted by IFA Magazine

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100

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Oct 2026

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About the show

IFA Magazine‘s ground-breaking weekly editorial podcast, which breaks down the news that is shaping the global investment and economic landscape. Featuring exclusive conversations with the most influential voices in financial services.

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60 recent

October 14, 2026Episode 30121 min

Podcast #193: Why critical thinking and human judgement matter as AI enters financial advice, with Pilot's Nick Ryan and Michaela Pashley

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk , the weekly podcast from IFA Magazine, we explore the importance of critical thinking and human judgement as AI becomes increasingly embedded in financial advice. Joining co-hosts Meg and Jenny are Nick Ryan, CEO of Pilot Financial Systems , and Michaela Pashley, Managing Director of Practical Financial Exams and Pilot’s Compliance Officer, who bring complementary perspectives from financial technology, compliance and adviser assessment. Drawing on their experience across financial technology, compliance and adviser assessment, they discuss why critical thinking remains such an important skill for advisers, particularly as AI tools become more widely used. The conversation looks at where critical thinking can fall short in practice, whether professional judgement can be taught and developed, and how advisers can distinguish between information that appears convincing and advice that stands up to scrutiny. Nick and Michaela also consider what experienced advisers bring to the table that AI may struggle to replicate, and why professionals need to be equipped to question AI-generated outputs rather than simply accept them. The episode explores how advisers can make effective use of AI while retaining the human judgement, analytical skills and professional responsibility that underpin good advice.

October 12, 2026Episode 30019 min

TEI Podcast #19: VCTs and the importance of tax-free income, with Chelsea Financial Services’ Peter Hicks

In this month’s special Tax-Efficient Investment edition of IFA Talk, the podcast from IFA Magazine, we’re exploring Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) and what their long-term performance can tell advisers about the role they play in clients’ portfolios. Joining us to share his insights is Peter Hicks, VCT Analyst at Chelsea Financial Services. He explains how VCTs differ from other investments, including how investors subscribe, the new five-year holding period and the buyback process when they sell. He outlines some practical points which advisers and clients need to understand, and where people often go wrong. Peter also shares the results of Chelsea Financial Services’ new research, which looks at dividends paid alongside changes in net asset value, and highlights just how significant the tax-free income some VCTs have delivered over the past decade, with some returning more than 90% of their starting NAV through dividends while also delivering strong overall returns. He also discusses the cut in upfront relief from 30% to 20% alongside higher investment limits, answering how these changes are shaping the market, and whether there is any evidence that the lower relief is putting investors off. And finally, with the research showing a wide divergence in outcomes over what has been a difficult decade for UK smaller companies and AIM, Peter shares how advisers should choose between VCTs, along with the amount a client should realistically hold.

October 7, 2026Episode 29823 min

Podcast #192: Helping advisers rethink retirement planning, with M&G’s Ed Green

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk , the weekly podcast from IFA Magazine, recorded in partnership with M&G, we explore how advisers can take a more personal, purpose-led approach to retirement planning and help clients make meaningful decisions about their money and their future. In this week’s IFA Talk podcast, brought to you in partnership with M&G, Ed Green, Pension & Investment Specialist at M&G, joins Meg Bratley and Sue Whitbread to explore how advisers can help clients approach retirement with greater clarity and purpose. Retirement planning is no longer simply about generating an income or just deciding where a client’s money should be invested. Ed discusses how advisers can take a more human approach to the whole process by focusing on what clients want their money to actually do for them in retirement. The conversation explores many practical tips advisers can use, including the idea of “giving money a job” and how talking about clients’ life goals can help advisers build more meaningful retirement plans. Key takeaways include: Why advisers need to put the client’s life goals at the heart of retirement planning How “giving money a job” can help clients think about what their wealth can enable them to do Why being more human in client conversations can lead to a deeper understanding of what really matters How retirement, family and legacy planning can be brought together Where solutions such as PruFund and Prudential Guaranteed Income Plan (PGIP) could add value within a retirement strategy

September 30, 2026Episode 29913 min

Podcast #191: Beyond diversification: what advisers need from multi-asset portfolios today | With Schroders’ Ella Davies

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk , the weekly podcast from IFA Magazine, recorded in partnership with Schroders, we discuss whether simply spreading risk across different asset classes is still enough to ensure effective diversification? And when markets are concentrated, correlations are shifting, and uncertainty remains high, what should advisers really expect from a multi-asset portfolio? In this week’s IFA Talk podcast, brought to you in partnership with Schroders , we pick up the conversation from our 2026 Multi-Asset Fund Insights and take a closer look at what makes a multi-asset strategy work in today’s increasingly complex market conditions. IFA Magazine Editor Sue Whitbread and Content Editor Matt Williams are joined by Ella Davies, CFA, Multi-Asset Fund Manager at Schroders, to discuss: Is diversification getting harder? What’s really going on beneath the surface of seemingly diversified multi-asset portfolios? Can active asset allocation make a difference? How can multi-asset managers respond when the investment landscape keeps changing? What should advisers look for? The questions worth asking when assessing a multi-asset strategy and its approach to managing risk. A practical conversation about where multi-asset investing is now, where it’s heading and what it means for advisers and their clients.

September 28, 2026Episode 29717 min

M&PI Podcast #31: The conveyancing conversation, with conveybuddy’s Harpal Singh

In the latest special Mortgage & Property edition of IFA Talk , the weekly podcast from IFA Magazine, we explore the role of conveyancing within the wider homebuying journey and how advisers, introducers and conveyancers can work more effectively together. Meg and Sue are joined by Harpal Singh, Founder and CEO of conveybuddy , who brings more than 30 years’ experience across the property, mortgage and financial services sectors, including more than 25 years in intermediary distribution. Harpal first moved into conveyancing distribution in 2008 before returning to the market in 2024 to launch conveybuddy. As the business celebrates its two-year anniversary, he discusses why he returned to the sector and what he has done differently this time around. The conversation looks at the importance of quality and management within conveyancer panels, and why advisers should consider recommending conveyancing as part of the wider homebuying journey rather than leaving clients to arrange it themselves. Meg, Sue and Harpal also explore the importance of transparency around conveyancing fees, as well as the need for greater communication and collaboration between advisers and conveyancers. The episode also considers what Harpal has learnt from his previous experience in conveyancing distribution and how those lessons have shaped the development of conveybuddy.

September 23, 2026Episode 29618 min

Podcast #190: Clients considering a move to Italy? What advisers need to know, with Ariete Capital

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk , the weekly podcast from IFA Magazine, recorded in partnership with Ariete Capital , we explore what UK financial advisers should know when a client is considering a move to Italy. In this episode of IFA Talk, brought to you in partnership with Ariete Capital, Sue Whitbread and Jenny Hunter are joined by Michael Maxwell, a Partner at Ariete Capital. Together, they explore the growing interest in Italian residency and what the process can involve for clients of advisers who may be considering a move. The discussion looks at some of the lifestyle and practical reasons why a move to Italy, in particular, may appeal to clients, as well as the different routes available through the Italian Investor Visa. Michael explains how the process works at a high level, contrasts it with similar schemes in other jurisdictions, highlights some of the types of clients who may be considering this option and some of the key issues advisers should be aware of from the outset. The conversation also looks at the role of specialist firms such as Ariete Capital and where they can fit alongside a client's existing advisers when a client is considering residency in Italy. For advisers, the episode provides a useful introduction to the subject and some of the questions worth exploring with clients before they embark on the process.

September 21, 2026Episode 29518 min

NI&P Podcast #27: Navigating professional risk, PI, regulation and AI, with Kova Professions Kate Albert

In this month’s special New Insurance & Protection episode of IFA Talk , we explore the changing professional risk landscape and how developments in regulation, technology and professional services are influencing the professional indemnity market. To discuss this, Meg and Jenny are joined by Kate Albert, CEO of Kova Professions, an insurer specialising in professional indemnity cover across a range of professions, including accountants and financial advisers. With more than 20 years’ experience in PI underwriting, alongside several years working within the FCA, Kate shares her perspective on how professional risk has evolved and the key developments firms and advisers need to be aware of. The episode explores the relationship between regulation, professional standards and PI, including where greater clarity and consistency could make a difference for insurers and the professionals they cover. Kate also discusses the emerging risks associated with the increasing use of AI across professional services, and what these developments could mean for firms and the types of claims they may face. With Income Protection Action Week taking place this week, the conversation also considers the wider focus on quality of advice and better outcomes across the protection sector.

September 16, 2026Episode 29420 min

Podcast #189: When clients ask about investing in crypto – how should advisers respond? with 7IM’s Ben Kumar

In this week’s episode, Ben Kumar, Head of strategy, wealth investment and public policy at 7IM, joins us to share his insights on bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. While prices of these digital currencies can mean a very bumpy ride for investors, they remain a popular topic on social media. Prices began to rise again over the summer, so we thought now would be a good time to give advisers some fresh insight. Ben reveals where he is seeing Bitcoin pop up in conversations between advisers and their clients, after a strong run. He also unpacks the changing rules to Crypto ETNs, following the lifting of the retail ban. And with a consultation now open on potentially capping crypto exposure within retail funds, Ben shares how much harder this makes an adviser’s job. After that, Ben explains how advisers can keep up with when the tax rules keep shifting, before outlining what a genuinely balanced, and suitability-led answer might look like when clients ask whether they should have Bitcoin in their portfolio.

September 14, 2026Episode 29318 min

TEI Podcast #18: The continued benefits of EIS in a diversified portfolio, with the EIS Association’s Christiana Stewart-Lockhart

In this month’s special Tax-Efficient Investment edition of IFA Talk, the podcast from IFA Magazine, we’re diving into the topic of EIS, which continues to show value more than 30 years after it was launched. Joining us to share her insights is Christiana Stewart-Lockhart, Director General at the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) Association. Christiana explains why EIS remains such a vital piece of the UK’s investment landscape. She also unpacks the increase in EIS limits, which doubled in April 2026, answering wat this has changed for founders and investors, along with the limit changes to SEIS in 2023. While tax reliefs are a key part of the EIS, they're often not well understood. Christiana reveals how people can find out more about them, along with sharing some of the work that the EIS Association are doing to raise awareness. And finally, Christiana shares how advisers should approach EIS risks, and where it fits in a genuinely diversified portfolio.

September 9, 2026Episode 29218 min

Podcast #188: What PruFund on Platform means for advisers, with Scottish Widows’ Jamie Drewett and M&G’s Karen Fitzpatrick

In this week’s episode of IFA Talk , the weekly podcast from IFA Magazine, we discuss the launch of PruFund on Scottish Widows Platform. Joining us on this special podcast, in partnership with Scottish Widows, are Jamie Drewett and Karen Fitzpatrick. Jamie is Head of Intermediary Sales at Scottish Widows, while Karen is a Pension Specialist at M&G. Together, we discuss how Scottish Widows Platform has expanded its investment proposition with the addition of PruFund. Jamie and Karen share their respective companies' perspectives and reveal why this collaboration is such a significant development for advisers. We also run through the role of smoothed funds, explaining why they play such a key role in adviser propositions, especially as market volatility continues. With advisers dealing with an increasingly complex market, we discuss how investment choice and platform capability can help advisers deliver better client outcomes and create value in their business. Finally, we take a look ahead to what might come next for adviser propositions as they continue to evolve, with Jamie and Karen sharing how they expect the roles of platforms and investment solutions to develop.