March was a whirlwind month, not just for us in the IFA Talk Studio, but for the financial profession more widely. Global uncertainty spooked stock markets, Trump’s tariffs turbocharged what stock markets like least – uncertainty – plus Tax Year End planning, International Women’s Day (IWD), and the Spring Statement all kept advisers on their toes. At IFA Talk, we were very much in the thick of it, bringing you insightful conversations with industry experts to help you stay informed and ahead of the game.
IFA Magazine’s regular podcast, IFA Talk, continues to be an essential resource for financial professionals. We strive to provide informative conversations with industry experts, delivering valuable insights, the latest industry trends, and practical strategies to elevate your advice and business practices.
Whether you want to refine your expertise, explore innovative solutions, or just get some inspiration from leading voices in financial services, IFA Talk offers short, snappy episodes perfect for on-the-go learning and professional development . We really love recording them, and we hope you find them just as useful!
Let’s take a look back at the episodes from March!
The gender gap in financial services
We kicked off March with a series of podcasts focused celebrating International Women’s Day, looking at the gender gap in financial services. Firstly, we were delighted to be joined by Yasmina Siadatan, Chief Revenue Officer at Dynamic Planner – and former winner of The Apprentice! Yasmina discussed the importance of boosting gender equality in financial services, the progress ( or lack of it!) that’s been made, and the challenges that remain in helping more women step into leadership roles. It’s well worth a listen.
After that, we were reminded that women are disproportionately at risk of falling through the “advice gap” when it comes to investing in our conversation with Clare Francis, Director of Savings and Investments at Barclays. Clare shares her unique journey from journalism to finance and delves into the findings of Barclays’ latest research on female investment trends.
Our third and final IWD podcast came with Jenny Segal, a business leader, actuary and workplace culture expert. This episode explores the most pressing challenges facing women in finance today, from the impact of workplace policies and leadership barriers to the need for financial products designed with women in mind.
Other March Highlights
With the help of Laura Suter, Director of Personal Finance at AJ Bell, we discussed the risks of over-relying on cash, and how inflation erodes its value over time. Laura revealed why many savers remain hesitant to invest and explored strategies advisers can use to build their clients’ confidence in making the transition from saving to investing.
Our most recent episode of IFA Talk is all about tackling the big market questions, from corrections and inflation to interest rates and AI disruptions. Joining us to unpack all of this was Simon Evan-Cook, Fund Manager at Downing Fox, who outlined the latest economic and market news and shared interesting insight on how AI is reshaping the investment landscape.
Special editions of IFA Talk
Along with our main IFA Talk series, we have also produced a host of special themed episodes this month. Discover more with our special podcast editions in Insurance and Protection (I&P), Mortgage and Property (M&P), plus our sister title ‘GBI Investments’, which focuses on tax-efficient investments.
Firstly, we brought you an M&P edition of IFA Talk.Sanjay Gadhia, Head of Sales at Standard Life Home Finance, talked all things later-life lending.
Next, Royal London’s Clare Moffat reveals why advisers should be talking more about pensions and protection in an I&P episode.
Lastly, Fuel Ventures’ James D’Mello joined us on a special GBI podcast to discuss the ever-evolving VCT landscape.
