Skip to the content

Lee Robertson

Alan Miller, we’ve seen your type before!

By Lee Robertson | 14:52:29 | 13 October 2009

A few years back a founding director of some of the UK's largest direct sales insurance companies started to attack commissions and high earnings in insurance and pension sales. 

The fact that he could afford to do so from the study of his huge country pile paid for by the profits generated by his commission earning sales forces appeared not to temper his comments in the slightest.

There is a whiff of déjà vu here with Alan Miller’s rather similar approach to the charges applying to investment management and collective funds. 

Is this not the same Alan Miller who was chief investment officer at New Star running funds and hedge funds? It is my recollection that the charging structures applying to the New Star funds were no cheaper than comparable funds offered by other groups and, in many cases, more expensive than the types of structure he is now criticising.

This is not to say that he is wrong to bring attention to this matter as much of what he claims is true, just that he for many years could have been considered part of the problem rather than the solution. 

He could also be accused of being slightly disingenuous as he appears to make no mention of the fact that many investors buy at large discounts, particularly when using a wealth manager or New Model Adviser® who does not charge for switches within portfolios and returns all fund rebates to the investor.

However, any attention brought to this matter is of some value and I guess even poachers can retrain as gamekeepers!

Lee Robertson is CEO of Investment Quorum in London

More about this:

What others are saying

Comments (9)

Dennis Hall - We've been saying this for years

15:16 | 13 Oct 2009

Lee, I couldn't agree more with what you say, but decent and honest advisers have been saying this for years, and it has got us virtualy nowhere - OK our clients might know a good deal when they see one, but we're in a minority.

Perhaps it's right that this "City Insider" spills the beans, even if it is from the comfort of his country pile. In any event, much of the problem lies at the doorstep of the FSA for allowing the current charging to be calculated as it is. TER's ignore much of the cost of the fund, and the informed adviser then has a devil of a job trying to find out how much the rest of the costs add up - but it's all a bit woolly.

Rather like MPs the fund management industry will charge what it believes it can get away with using the rules in force at the time. More transparency and a few more turncoats and we might start to make headway

Julian Stevens - Alan Miller, we’ve seen your type before!

15:28 | 13 Oct 2009

What is it they say ~ There's none so virtuous as the reformed. Or as hypocritical. I'll bet there are a good few ex-DSF people now working for the FSA who've now got religion.

Rob P - The Power Shift

16:15 | 13 Oct 2009

The tables are turning , the client centred bussines of the future ,the true wealth management/new model will have all the power. Fund management groups will have to offer true value , costs will reduce , a tracker at 0,1% ???? with the profit going to the well run client centred bussines................................... looking forward to the country pile.

Independent in thought and whole of market .

Robert Johnsey - Peopple in glasshouses

18:51 | 13 Oct 2009

I suspect there are very few New Model Advisers who did not start off in direct sales forces and can now afford to pick and choose - having made excellent earnings from commission - and still do from renewals and trail - sorry now called servicing fees.

Smoke and mirrors. Products, whether a padded out 'review' or a policy or a portfolio are still bought and sold - plus ca change plus la meme chose.

The 'advice' community were all in sales and still are in sales but try to call it advice.

There are none so virtous as the reformed and you should look closer to home first.

Nigel - To Rob P - Be careful what you wish for

22:22 | 13 Oct 2009

Sounds good 0.1% tracker funds, advice/information from well run focused client management firms available on the web for an additional 0.1%%.

Looks a good deal for the clients - not sure where everyone else will fit in.

The younger generation are all very able in using the web to research their needs, I expect financial needs will eventually be met in the same way. New Model or not only the fittest will survive on much slimmer margins with volume required.

Financial needs delivered the Amazon way.

Rob P - Nigel

10:52 | 14 Oct 2009

Totally agree, but. Thats the weakness in Haregreves model, large kick backs just like the unbundled wraps.

The mass market will be looked after by tescos and the web for 0.1%

The new model will be a service based bussines with investments moving up to 15 million .

I belive the average investment from an ifa to an insurance company is about 50k this market will move to the web and tescos of this world.... its in the rdr.

Currently a good ifa will be in the 250 - 1,000,000 market place ,but the well run wealth management / new model will move to complete on advice service and cost against the private banks ,stockbrokers,etc

Good times

Rob Stevenson

17:24 | 14 Oct 2009

That's if you survive the capital adequacy changes and actually manage to compete in the post-2012 business environment.

It's so funny how many NMA firms are patting each other on the back about being ahead of the game on the RDR.

Most have not even read it, let alone given it some serious thought, in terms of how it and the proposed expenses based capital rules will affect every IFA firm, financial planner, new model adviser and so on and on...

Far from 'good times' its probably more like 'challenging times', or as the chinese proverb says 'may you live in interesting times'. We certainly are!

Rob P - Ive read the rdr

17:59 | 14 Oct 2009

Rob S

A well funded structured bussines has nothing to concern themselves with,this is the challenge of the rdr ,to move from a cottage industry,

I agree, most have not read the rdr,i have.

No silly questions............only silly answers

Rob Stevenson - My Point Exactly

14:06 | 16 Oct 2009

Rob P

There are very few well funded, well structured IFA businesses in the UK, so most of the market has much to fear.

Sounds like you have things under control, so congratulations to you.

Have your say here:

Protected by FormShield