Two Financial Planning firms - Begley Brown Financial Solutions of Glasgow and Lamb Financial of Newcastle - have joined the 67-firm strong CISI Accredited Financial Planning Firms' community.

Investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown signed up 23,000 new clients in the last quarter to push up its total number of active clients to 1.677m, the firm reported today.

The FCA is hunting for a new chairman to replace Charles Randell who will step down in the Spring, a year earlier than planned.

The Personal Finance Society board has voiced criticism of its parent body, the Chartered Insurance Institute, as a review of both bodies’ future strategies gets under way.

The FCA has banned financial adviser Omar Hussein and fined him £116,000 for “reckless and unsuitable” pension transfer advice.

SIPP provider Dentons Pensions has reported a 55% rise in new SIPPs business pushing its total number of schemes above 7,800.

A leading Chartered Financial Planner has called on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to redefine risk classifications to reflect current conditions.

Assets under management jumped from £98bn to £111.4bn at Schroders JV & associates in the three months to 30 September.

Legal & General will merge its retail insurance and pensions divisions from the start of next year.

Independent Wealth Planners (IWP) has acquired Acuity Wealth Management and founded a virtual advice service.