The Transact Platform Podcast

In this episode of the Transact Podcast, Andrew Cullen-Jones, Chief Development Officer at Transact, is joined by Tim Horrocks, Founder of rockwealth, to explore the lessons, decisions and philosophies that have shaped rockwealth's journey from a small advisory firm in Cheltenham into a UK-wide financial planning business. Tim shares the story behind becoming directly authorised, the challenge...

In this episode of The Transact Platform Podcast, Transact’s CEO, Tom Dunbar, speaks with Bella Caridade-Ferreira, Founder of Fundscape, one of the leading authorities on platform market data and analysis. With over 20 years of experience studying the platform market, Bella shares how the industry has evolved from a handful of providers into a complex ecosystem shaped by regulation, technology and...

In this episode of The Transact Platform Podcast, Transact’s Chief Development Officer, Andrew Cullen-Jones, sits down with James de Lisle Wells, Chartered Financial Planner and Director of de Lisle Financial Planning, to explore the reality of building and running a modern advice business. James shares his journey into financial planning, the experience he gained before launching his own firm in...

In this episode of The Transact Platform Podcast, CEO, Tom Dunbar, is joined by Non-Executive Chair of Integrated Financial Arrangements Ltd (IFAL) and former Skandia CEO, Nick Poyntz-Wright, to explore how the financial advice market has evolved and what lies ahead. Drawing on experience across platform leadership and frontline supervision at the FCA, Nick shares a unique perspective on regulatio...

In this short update episode of the Transact Podcast, Natasha Walker, Lead Technical Consultant, is joined by, Mark Fenlon, Head of Technical Services, to revisit the upcoming Additional Pension Death Benefit Administration changes, following the latest HMRC guidance released shortly after their previous discussion in May. Together, they unpack the most important developments for advisory professi...

The Transact API is designed to make integrations with CRM and other systems, simpler, smarter, and more efficient for financial advisers. In this episode of The Transact Podcast, Integrations Manager, Tom Phillips, and Head of System and Service Development, Dave Styles, explore how the new API will transform the way the Transact platform and CRMs work together, now and in the future. By enabling...

In this episode of The Transact Podcast, Succession Planning Manager, Daniel Smith is joined by Victoria Hicks, CEO at Melo, to explore what it really takes to plan and deliver a successful business exit from an advisory business. Succession is one of the most important decisions a financial planning firm will make, yet it’s often left too late. In this podcast, Daniel and Victoria unpack: why suc...

From April 2027, significant changes to pension death benefits are expected to come into force, bringing pensions into the scope of inheritance tax (IHT) and introducing new administrative requirements. In this episode of the Transact Podcast, Natasha Walker, Lead Technical Consultant, is joined by Head of Technical Services, Mark Fenlon, to unpack what these changes mean based on our understandin...

From April 2027, unused defined contribution pension fundswill be included in an individual’s estate for inheritance tax, a shift that could dramatically increase the number of clients facing an unexpected IHT liability. In this episode of the Transact Podcast , Stuart Fleat,Head of Distribution, is joined by Natasha Walker, Lead Technical Consultant, to explore why this change marks a turning poi...

Financial planning looks very different when you’re planning not just for yourself, but for a dependant with additional needs who may always need support. With over 638,000 Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in place for individuals in the UK, there is a greater need for advice than you might think. Navigating access, future needs and inheritance combined with the impact on benefits needs we...

In this episode of The Transact Podcast, Transact CEO Tom Dunbar is joined by financial planner Robin Keyte for an in-depth conversation on building a successful advice firm with ethics, independence and client outcomes at its core. Robin reflects on his journey from starting out in the advice industry to scaling and ultimately selling a thriving directly authorised business managing around £400m...

In this episode of The Transact Podcast, Russell Watson, Transact’s Head of Trading Operations sits down with Head of Distribution, Stuart Fleat, for a deep dive into one of the most critical — yet often unseen — parts of the platform: the trading function. Russell shares insights from his 25 years at Transact, explaining how the trading operation has evolved to today’s highly automated, resilient...

In this tax year end special, Stuart Fleat, Head of Distribution at Transact, is joined by Natasha Walker, Lead Technical Consultant, to share the key planning opportunities anddeadlines advisers need to be aware of before 5 April – effectively the 2 April as the Easter holidays fall early this year. Together, they cover: ISA, LISA and Junior ISA allowances and flexible ISA rules Pension annual al...

Join Transact MPS Manager, Ben Roberts, and BlackRock’s Hugo Thompson, as they explore the increasingly popular world of model portfolio services (MPS). In this episode, we look beyond performance and fees to uncover the deeper factors that determine whether an MPS truly fits a client’s needs. You’ll learn about: Why performance and cost are only the starting point when comparing providers The thr...

In this episode of The Transact Podcast, CEO Tom Dunbar sits down with Ashwin Field, Senior Partner at Sydney‑based NMG Consulting, to explore what UK advisers can learn from Australia’s fast‑evolving financial advice landscape. Whether you’re interested in market structure, client trends, platform strategy or regulation, this conversation offers a rare cross‑market perspective and insight. Togeth...

In this episode of the Transact Podcast, host Lee Comer is joined by David Styles, Head of System and Service Development, and Stuart Fleet, Head of Distribution, for an exclusive deep dive into Transact’s 2026 development roadmap. They unpack key developments including: Seamless direct debit mandates for investors and advisers Faster deposit matching and automated handling of banking limits Digit...

In this episode of the Transact Platform Podcast, Tom Dunbar sits down with Mark Polson, Founder of The Lang Cat and one of the most respected voices in the UK platform and advice industry. Together, they unpack the major shifts reshaping the platform landscape — including what really matters when selecting a platform, and why service experience is still the biggest long-term differentiator. Mark...

Join Tom Dunbar, Chief Executive Officer of Transact, and Andrew Cullen-Jones, Chief Development Officer, as they unpack the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the world of financial planning, intergenerational wealth management and advice. Tom and Andrew have an honest conversation about the highs and lows of 2025, developments for the year ahead and announce Unification Day – a develop...

In this episode, Tom Dunbar (CEO of Transact) sits down with Richard Brian, Managing Director of Curo, and Joanna Roddis, Head of Client Success, to explore the evolution of Curo and its new Power Platform proposition. They discuss why Microsoft’s Power Platform is a game-changer for adviser firms, how Curo delivers deep integration with Microsoft 365, and what this means for security, data contro...

In this episode of the Transact Podcast, Integrations Manager, Tom Phillips, sits down with Robin Bevan, CEO of Sprint, and Nick Eatock, Co-Founder of Intelliflo, to explore two powerful new apps for financial advisers: • Transact Income Statement App • Contributions & Withdrawals Compare App Discover how these integrations automate manual processes, reduce risk, and improve data accuracy betw...

Following what has been the most eagerly awaited budget of recent years, join Transact’s Head of Technical Services, Mark Fenlon, and Technical Counsel, Brian Radbone, as they unpack the key announcements from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget on 26 November. From frozen income tax thresholds, changes to pension salary sacrifice and ISA rules, to new property levies, and changes to dividend...

In this episode, Lee Comer, Video Production Manager is joined by David Styles, Head of System and Service Development, and Stu Fleat, Head of Distribution, to share the latest updates from Transact’s November release. Discover how we’re making financial planning easier with new features like online special pension beneficiary nominations, the ability to delete pending transactions, and enhanced t...

Join Mark Fenlon, Head of Technical Services at Transact, and Brian Radbone, Technical Counsel, as they dive into the big debate ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget. From National Insurance changes to potential reforms in ISAs, pensions, and inheritance tax, this episode explores the rumors, the rationale, and what advisers should be watching closely. Will we see alignment of CGT and income ta...

In this episode, Lee Comer,  Transact Video Production Manager, is joined by David Styles, Head of System and Service Development, and Stu Fleat, Head of Distribution, to explore the latest enhancements to Transact Online. They discuss the foundations of Transact’s in-house development team, who focus solely on Transact’s proprietary technology, and how it enables rapid, adviser-driven innovation....

In this episode of the Transact Podcast, host Andrew Cullen-Jones is joined by Jane Isaac (Chief of Platform Custody Operations) and Stuart Fleat (Head of Distribution) to explore the role of cash in financial planning. They discuss why cash matters, how it’s managed on platform, and the different options available to advisers —from platform cash accounts and term deposits to money market funds an...