Everyone should have a Steve Nelson Christmas bauble on their desk. I like to ask mine questions to make my thinking more fun.
Today I asked: “What should I write about in the insight today Steve Bauble?” He said: “Tell them about the theory of the four types of handsome.”
My theory of the four types of handsome might at first seem reductive, silly even. Nevertheless, it can have something approaching a fun way to touch on how business can emphasise its quality and strengths of proposition types and be aware of where they’re lacking.
The four types are as follows: effortless, cultivated, pretty and rugged. This was really drawn up to espouse in the pub and built around a pal of mine, who is the sort of person that has strangers tell him he looks like James Bond. But it always struck me that there was an element of obliviousness on his part to all this, hence, effortless.
Cultivated implies a predominance of the handsome has been developed and maintained as aura. Pretty is when style forms the endearing quality and rugged means you have a bit of grit and hardworking to you.
So, it can be helpful to know how your proposition, product and business fits into it. What qualities are the first principles, what do you need to develop.
This system hopes to promote the development of two things within a business. On an individual level, self-awareness and hubris. Collectively, a fostering of a diversity of perspective. All so the ebbs and flows of those pesky market forces can be easier to negotiate.
I think we can all name a business that’ll rely too much on cultivated and not enough rugged, that dazzles with pretty but takes itself too seriously and lacks a bit effortless. Ten points if someone can correctly identify the article below that inspired this.
The News:
LANG CAT & CLIENT MENTIONS
A guide to the regulatory road ahead – FTAdviser
Alison eyes up the regulatory road for 2026.
Source: FT Adviser
Steve Nelson: Why financial advice needs to rediscover its meaning and purpose | Money Marketing
Steve MM portrait sketch incoming. I have a bauble sitting on my desk they can work from.
Source: Money Marketing
Senior advice leaders herald AI as a core capability
Mike making an appearance as part of coverage of a new report by Aveni.
Source: Professional Adviser
‘I walked away, and the industry needs to understand why’ – FTAdviser
The New Blood theme continues here.
Source: FT Adviser
Copia launches smoothed managed portfolio range with Wesleyan
Comprising a range of five risk-rated managed portfolios that combine Wesleyan’s smoothed With Profits fund with complementary assets.
Source: Professional Adviser
7IM promotes Ben Kumar to senior strategy role
Congrats to Ben.
Source: Investment Week
Stephen Wynne-Jones: Getting young adults to feel confident about retirement | Money Marketing
That’d be nice. Something to look forward to when I am in my mid eighties.
Source: Money Marketing
ADVISERS
Advisers ring the opening bell at LSE… markets drop 1%
Not entirely sure that was all their fault to be fair.
Source: Citywire NMA
Starting Out: Can virtual work experience have ‘real world’ value? | Money Marketing
Interesting.
Source: Money Marketing
PLATFORMS
Platform adviser crossover episode.
Source: Money Marketing
Phoenix, Scottish Widows and Royal London circle insurer Aegon’s UK business
Platforms and protection crossover episode.
Source: FT
David Ferguson: Hard truths for the platform sector | Money Marketing
Dave Ferguson with his take on the state of the platform market.
Source: Money Marketing
INVESTING & WEALTH MANAGERS
‘I need £62,000 a year – how do I invest my £1.9m?’ – Investors’ Chronicle
Help! I have nearly £2m and I don’t know what to do with it.
Source: Investors’ Chronicle
Do your retirement goals suffer from money illusion? Mine did
“Is it really a win just to see seven figures in my broker account? Surely, true victory is ending up with the equivalent of £1m in 2024.”
The macro events investors cannot ignore this year – FTAdviser
It will depend on “known knowns” and “unknown knowns.”
Source: FT Adviser
Rachel Reeves opens UK corporate bonds to small investors
Chancellor to herald ‘new golden age’ at London Stock Exchange event as part of a wider push to see more savings invested in Britain.
Source: The Times
Edmond De Rothschild pushes into UK adviser market – FTAdviser
Advice firms using the custody services will also be able to access the company’s fund research.
Source: FT Adviser
REGULATION & POLICY
‘Credit score company encouraged me to borrow again when I was nearly debt-free’ – BBC News
Some interesting insight into vulnerability.
Source: BBC News
FCA increases office attendance to 50% – FTAdviser
Staff reportedly told o spend half their time working in the office or an equivalent location per month.
Source: FT Adviser
HMRC floats cap on ISA cash interest at provider meeting
A lot of dismay in the comments section.
Source: Citywire NMA
TECHNOLOGY
The parable of the supermarket self-checkout
Interesting look at the perils of an imperfect technology rollout. Could be lessons in here for some, perhaps they need to think about their type of handsome.
Source: The Economist
AI
AI platform for financial services joins Microsoft’s incubator programme – FTAdviser
The company is used by firms with more than $100bn (£74.6bn) in assets to run workflows at scale.
Source: FT Adviser
James Dixon: Finance businesses risk an AI backlash in 2026 | Money Marketing
“A re-evaluation now feels inevitable, following growing evidence of misuse over the past year.“
Source: Money Marketing
Scaling financial planning firms: Ownership, accountability and continuous refinement
“For many financial planning firms, scaling their business isn’t just about adding more clients or growing revenues. It’s about creating a sustainable business model that expands reach and continues to improve client outcomes without overburdening people or systems.”
Source: Professional Adviser
Morningstar Pitchbook launches AI innovators index | Portfolio Adviser
Morningstar has launched an index tracking AI companies as they transition from private to public listing.
Source: Portfolio Adviser
MPs warn financial services not prepared for major AI-related incident – FTAdviser
A report from the Treasury select committee claims the Bank of England, FCA and Treasury are exposing the public and financial system to harm due to their current positions on the use of artificial intelligence.
Source: FT Adviser
PENSIONS & RETIREMENT
Aegon’s Mylo launches ‘Postcards from tomorrow’ to inspire pension engagement | Money Marketing
Invites users to create a personalised digital postcard showcasing their future selves in retirement.
Source: Money Marketing
How the pensions triple lock will end
Intriguing.
Source: FT
Will IHT reforms trigger a pension scam epidemic?
Caitlin Southall looks at the possibility scammers will take advantage of retirees when IHT changes kick in.
Source: Professional Adviser
Pensions system fails many women, university report finds | Money Marketing
Women are disproportionately affected, with median DC pension wealth of £19,000 by age 59 compared with £75,000 for men, DWP data indicates.
Source: Money Marketing
TRADE & ECONOMY
Treasuries could be Europe’s best defence for Greenland
The article advocates for something fairly diplomatic, but there would be, as Davos-speak may put it, somewhat concerning precedent of dumping government debt as negotiation.
Source: FT
Significant fall in government borrowing in December, figures show – BBC News
Due to income on tax outweighing spending.
Source: BBC News
World Economic Forum weighs moving flagship event from Davos
Davos to no longer be in Davos. Dublin or Detroit apparently. Hmm, Europe or the US, cannae see that coming to a head.
Source: FT
UK inflation rises to 3.4%, driven by tobacco and airfares – BBC News
Analysts hopeful this isn’t the start of a longer-term trend due to one-off factors.
Source: BBC News
Risky hedge funds propping up British borrowing, warns Bank of England governor
Woo hoo.
Source: The Telegraph
Rachel Reeves ploughs tens of millions of pounds into self-driving car company
“Oxford University professor Paul Newman” was a line I reread a few times.
Source: The Telegraph
CRAZY CAT STORIES
Meet the cat dads breaking stereotypes
“Ruairi describes his love story with Freddie and Barney as a fairytale ‘a bit like Shrek, just without the dragon, donkey, or Lord Farquaad.’”
Source: Metro
OUTSIDE THE TRADE
10 bonny whiskies for Burns Night
While it’s been and gone now, this is still an excellent list when so many Burns Night whisky lists are boring.
One of them featured is The Balvenie Fifty Collection – Second Edition. If you absolutely must spend £42K on a whisky I’d guide you towards a ghost (no longer operating) distillery, or a Glenfarclas maybe. Balvenie is usually among the best of the legacy brands though.
Source: FT
Sean McKinven is PR account executive at the lang cat
