Whether it’s a large corporate bank with a long and storied history or a single financial adviser, every organisation that operates within the financial space in the UK is subject to the rules of the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This is the body charged by the UK government to supervise and regulate all financial businesses of any shape or size, ensuring compliance and any law breaches are dealt with appropriately.
The FCA Directory is a publicly accessible record that details financial advisors and other important people within the business. This is slightly different from the FCA Register which records information about each firm and people performing Senior Manager Functions in those firms. For both the Directory and the Register, there are reporting requirements imposed on firms, meaning they are responsible for submitting and keeping up to date certain information about their ‘directory persons’. This includes all certification staff, directors not performing senior management functions and any other individuals who are sole traders and appointed representatives who undertake business with clients and require a qualification to do so.
However, as well as being a requirement of the regulatory body, both the Register and Directory can have certain benefits.
Enhanced Data
The data contained within both the Register and Directory is enhanced by Autus with additional details. This includes information such as email addresses, segmentation models, assets under advice and other valuable characteristics. This data can be useful in a number of ways, including establishing who the authorised personnel are within specific businesses.
Targeting Positions
As firms are obliged to tell the FCA what each person on the Register and Directory does within their business, this information can be used to target specific people. For example, if a business is looking to contact investment advisors, mortgage advisors or the person responsible for compliance oversight, this is a good way of gaining access to the information that identifies these individuals..
Marketing And Sales Benefits
The FCA Directory and the FCA Register also have marketing potential. Access to the data contained can enable businesses to sell their products and services more effectively within the UK Financial Services market. Not only does the register provide data about key individuals but it can also be a rich source of other information that can be used for sales purposes, such as updated appointments and the types of positions that exist within financial organisations.
Access To Decision Makers
When selling or looking to do business, it can be difficult to get access to the right people. You might have to go through several layers of admin and front-end staff before you hit the key decision-maker, which uses up time and energy. However, it is possible to leverage precise data from the FCA Register and Directory to identify and engage directly with key decision-makers - including advisors, executives and senior managers. This kind of segmentation in financial services can be used to help you focus your communication and reputation-building strategy.
Outreach
If you are looking to reach out to people who work in a specific position within an institution then you can utilise detailed profiling capabilities to connect with specialised roles such as people who manage investments, pension transfer specialists, equity release advisors and compliance officers. This will ensure that your outreach programme is relevant and effectively targeted.
How We Can Help
Autus Data Services combines the FCA Register and FCA Directory data, making it easier to use and more efficient. Gain the advantage with Autus Data Services! Engage with the right financial experts - be they investment managers, financial advisors, compliance officers, or senior executives - and elevate your outreach strategies.
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