FCA to headline new Expo conference programme

Representatives from the Financial Conduct Authority will be speaking on both days of next month’s Financial Services Expo, the brand new exhibition for the financial services industry.

Representatives from the Financial Conduct Authority will be speaking on both days of next month’s Financial Services Expo, the brand new exhibition for the financial services industry.

The FCA will be represented at two sessions of the AMI-IMLA conference programme which takes place on the 1st and 2nd October at Old Billingsgate, in the heart of the City of London.

On day one Linda Woodall will be speaking about the Mortgage Market Review and how it’s implementation next April will shape the new market, while on day two Lynda Blackwell will be outlining the challenges facing the industry, in particular the European Mortgage Directive, the transfer of consumer credit regulation to the FCA, and the work involved in bringing the MMR to fruition.

The rest of the AMI-IMLA programme looks at a range of mortgage/property market issues affecting advisers such as an economist’s view from Robert Gardner of Nationwide on what happens next in the economy, property and mortgage markets.

Lender panels will also take place on both days of FSE with the heads of business at leading intermediary lenders such as Aldermore, Nationwide, NatWest, Precise, Santander, Virgin Money, and Woolwich, all taking part. There will also be seminar sessions covering how to get the most out of social media, how to best use technology to market your business effectively, plus a panel of representatives from leading brokers and networks will debate a range of industry issues.

FSE will also offer a further financial adviser-specific conference programme put together and run by trade association, the IFA Centre. Full details on these sessions will be announced shortly.

FSE is split into seven specific zones to promote an enhanced delegate experience. They are: Mortgages; Commercial; Protection; Distribution; Legal; Technology; and Specialist Lending – each zone will be colour-coded and the aim is to cover the broadest range of financial products and services that are available to advisers.

James Prosser, Director of Financial Services Expo, commented:

“Our decision to work with leading trade bodies, such as AMI and IMLA, has proved decisive in pulling together a conference programme which covers off the most important issues facing mortgage brokers today. We are particularly pleased to have the FCA represented at sessions on both days of the exhibition and we’re sure many stakeholders will be interested in what the regulator has to say, particularly about the move to implement the MMR. This is clearly one of the major issues impacting on all of the mortgage market at present and it was simply unthinkable not to cover it in great detail.

“We have also managed to pull together a strong core of the UK’s top intermediary lenders who will be represented across the two lender panel debates where they will be taking questions from our attendees. Plus we have a specific session where some of the top broker firms and networks will debate the key industry issues. FSE is also keen to explore the cutting edge of technology and how it can be utilised which is why we have two sessions covering both social media and the use of technology to help drive business. The conference is sure to be a hive of lively debate and provide valuable advice for all those who attend as we move towards the new regulatory landscape.”