Emma Meets:
Aled Phillips
Operations Director at Niche,
Financial adviser / Chartered Financial Planner.
Tell us about your business and what your role is within the company?
I am the Operations Director at Niche, and also a practicing financial adviser / Chartered Financial Planner. I oversee all business activities with my fellow directors and help to plan strategically in terms of taking the business forward.
Why did you choose to sponsor the Finance Awards Wales 2020/21?
It’s great exposure for our business and having looked at previous awards we felt that it was a good fit for us. We are all proud to own a finance company in Wales and feel that the future is bright for businesses within our sector and want to celebrate this with others.
What impact do you feel the Awards have made in the Finance sector in Wales?
I feel that it raises awareness of businesses in the sector, which I think is vital. Many see large financial centres such as The City of London as the focus of financial services, without realising how many exciting finance businesses are operating here in Wales.
If you attended the previous Finance Awards what did you enjoy?
This is the first Awards that we have attended, and hope to attend many more in future.
How do you feel the Welsh economy will fare over the next 12 months?
Coming off the back of a global pandemic, we’re all keen to see businesses in Wales opening up again and to be able get back trading which can only have a positive effect on the economy which is massively needed right now.
What are your thoughts on the rise of AI and Tech within the finance sector?
Technology is a huge part of our business. One certainty is that if you don’t embrace tech and AI, you’ll fall behind business wise. We use Tech to streamline our business and automate many of the parts that are usually time consuming for advisers. This allows us to have a fair and transparent fixed fee charging structure, and to spend more time on the important parts of planning and getting to know our clients. Many see the emergence of AI and Tech as a threat, but I feel that it will further enhance not just the finance sector but the wider economy in general.
What plans do you have for your business in 2021?
We intend to continue to enhance our existing propositions further and expand our work with other professionals. We have ever growing experience some specialist “Niche” areas including Ethical investing, advising on business exists, and assisting Charity Trustees with their investment obligations. These areas have gained significant traction for Niche so we have big plans to grow further in these areas.
