Adam has spent his entire career working in the financial planning profession, and set up Askaig Newington in 2020 to provide a full range of financial planning to his clients.
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"My role as the head of Askaig Newington is to develop robust, strategic financial plans for our clients.
I’ve been creating financial plans for clients for twenty years. And while much has changed in that time, my core beliefs remain largely the same:
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That my clients need accurate, succinct and timely advice about the key issues affecting their financial planning; complex problems don’t always require a complex solution; and that working collaboratively with my clients’ other professional advisers will always lead to better outcomes".
Qualifications
Adam has the following qualifications from the Chartered Insurance Institute:
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Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning
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Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management
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Certificate in Mortgage Advice
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Certificate in Equity Release
Before appointing a financial planner, it's extremely important to make sure that they are appropriately qualified and authorised.
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It is the regulator's requirement that all financial advisers have a valid Statement of Professional Standing (SPS) which shows that they are suitably qualified. You can click here to view Adam's SPS.
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Additionally, all regulated financial advisers must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and appear on their register. You can find Adam's entry on the FCA Register here.
Adam Q&A
How did you get started in financial planning?
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I started working in financial planning at 18, straight after I left school. My dad owned a financial advisory practice, and while I was doing my A-Levels we had our first conversation about whether I wanted to come and work for him.
That gave me a bit of a dilemma: should I go on to university or start work and take my professional qualifications?
In the end I went straight in to work, and while I do think I missed out on the university experience, I was more attracted to starting my career (and earning some money!)
What does a typical day look like?
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I spend about half of my day in meetings with clients, which is always the most interesting part of the day.
The rest of the time is taken up with a variety of ‘behind-the-scenes’ work, which includes compliance, liaising with the team, and the general admin that comes with running a company.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
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I absolutely love my job. Although I joined the profession because my dad ran a financial planning company, I genuinely couldn’t think of a better job to have, and it’s definitely something that suits my personality and what I like to think are my strengths.
My favourite part of being a financial planner is spending time with my clients, and helping them meet their goals. It sounds cheesy but it’s true.
I’ve known some of my clients since I was an 18 year-old trainee, and they were busy working parents. Now they’re retired with grandchildren. It’s really nice to see people’s lives develop and progress.
What are the biggest challenges?
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As with any job in any industry, there are always going to be challenges. As we work in a highly regulated sector, there’s a lot we have to do to stay compliant and to keep on top of changes in legislation and best practice. But it’s part and parcel of the job and it’s something I always factor into my diary.
What do you do outside of work?
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The working week can be pretty full-on so I always try to make the most of the weekend.
I love my food, so I tend to eat out often at the weekend. Anywhere that does a decent cheese board and a great Old Fashioned is a good place to spend a Saturday evening as far as I’m concerned.
If you weren't a financial planner, what would you be?
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I’d definitely need to have a job with lots of human interaction. I’m a bit of a bookworm at heart, so I’ve always thought it would be nice to own an independent bookshop.
Or on second thoughts, chief taster at the Lagavulin whisky distillery wouldn’t be a bad job either.
Operations Manager