Background to the firm

Michael Sturgess and Neil Weston, the founders of IAS, have over 40 years experience between them of dealing with both private and corporate clients on a range of financial planning/employee benefit issues. They both started their careers in the financial services sector in the early 1980s working for a variety of companies including major insurance companies, a clearing bank and a leading stockbroker. Between 1988 and 1996, they worked together as managers within the personal financial planning practice of a "Big 5" firm of chartered accountants, before setting up IAS in late 1996.

Professional Services

IAS was born out of a clear recognition that the financial services marketplace was continuing to fail the consumer, despite the best intentions of the investor protection legislation. Our aim in starting IAS was to bring real meaning to the concept of independent advice.

In short, IAS provides clients with advice which meets the real test of independence.

In doing so, we try to apply an objectivity that is sometimes difficult to find in a marketplace which still remains predominantly focused on selling products to generate insurance commissions. Pockets of excellence undoubtedly exist within the financial services industry. However, the commission system of remuneration has been the Achilles heel responsible for most of the industry's well-publicised difficulties. As examples, the recent pension transfer/opt-out debacle and the historic overselling of endowment/FSAVC policies were an inevitable consequence of a commission-based remuneration practice which routinely creates conflicts of interest.