Stephen Gay on…
…change at AIFA
An organisation does not need to change just because a new leader arrives, nor does it necessarily mean there was anything wrong in the past.
…criticism of his appointment
I tend to pay most attention to what people say to my face, and I’ve not had a single person say to me they think I’m the wrong person for the job.
…lobbying
When our community appears divided, we lose the respect of policymakers. We lose the influence we could have if we were able to speak more in consensus.
…the RDR debates
People have died for the right to free speech and I absolutely defend the rights of advisers to speak to their MPs about things they are unhappy about. [But] the people who are sponsoring the debate still say the chances of it derailing or having a major impact on the RDR are remote. I would not encourage firms to take risks on the belief things are going to be anything other than the key tenets of the RDR as they stand.
…AIFA taking a harder line
Taking a hard line isn’t the same as being effective. Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, but normally water is more effective.
…IFAs
We have what I would call an emerging profession. We want a community of people who enjoy a reputation among all key stakeholders, not just customers.
…his time at Aviva
I did not have an Aviva line to follow. In fact, it was other way round: I developed the line Aviva took.
…independent advice
I would say there is no sort of advice that is better than independent advice.
…Brussels
Whether people like it or not, we are a European country and Europe is going to have a major influence on the way regulation operates in the UK.
