EQ Investors, the boutique wealth manager and Chartered Financial Planning firm led by industry veteran John Spiers, has recruited Mark Howlett to join as an executive director with responsibility for the advice side of the business.

Financial advisers say they are experiencing an increase in insistent clients disagreeing with their recommendations on defined benefit pension transfers

Aegon is to merge its Aegon Retirement Choices and Cofunds platforms in the coming weeks in a move which will see the Cofunds brand pensioned off.

The People’s Investment Trust, the new investment vehicle created by former Investment Association chief executive Daniel Godferey, has halted its launch plans after fund-raising efforts produced insufficient money to get the project off the ground.

Openwork, one of the UK’s largest financial advice networks with more than 3,500 advisers, has appointed Ian Buchanan and Andy Smart as non-executive board directors.

Chartered Financial Planning firm and wealth manager Clarion Wealth has partnered with a group of business psychologists to explore the stresses and strains faced by clients who sell a business.

Bristol-based Financial Planning firm Brunel Capital Partners, run by Chartered Financial Planner and MD Damien Rylettt, has opened its self-built DFM firm IronBright to other Financial Planning firms.

Specialist pension provider Selectapension is to resume pension transfer business in 2018 after suspending DB pension transfers earlier this year following an FCA audit.

Standard Life Investments is to trim the Annual Management Charge (AMC) on a number of share classes following a review of its MyFolio range of OEIC funds.

A majority of investors want their money to do good as well as produce a positive return but over 70% don’t know how much of their money is invested ethically, according to a survey for Good Money Week which gets under way this week.