Financial planning is "hugely undervalued in society", Chris Justham has said.
Speaking to FT Adviser, the managing director, intermediary solutions, for Seven Investment Management, said he loved working with financial planners and seeing the positive outcomes that planning brings to Britons.
However, he lamented the fact that financial advice is not always understood or appreciated by the general public.
Justham, who has been at 7IM since 2012, said: "It isn't just about financial security; it is about safety, it is about emotional wellbeing.
"But all that stuff that financial planners do is hugely undervalued."
He added one of the biggest things he loves about his job is that "we have a genuine opportunity to impact people's lives."
Justham explained: "The security we can provide people if we do a good job, through financial planners... that is massively, massively rewarding."
Technological improvements
He also told FT Adviser part of 7IM's pledge to work with financial planners was to commit to investing in the platform and technology underpinning 7IM's investment services.
Over the past couple of years, the wealth management company has made a "multi-million pound investment" into technological improvements to help advisers and their clients.
This includes working with AI to improve processes and administration.
For example, as reported in 2023, 7IM partnered with fintech business Aveni.ai, to use its generative AI and natural language processing-based technology platform to boost productivity for its financial advisers and wealth managers, and strengthen its risk assurance capabilities.
This came after Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s agreement to invest in 7IM.
As reported at the time, former majority owner Caledonia Investments sold its stake in 7IM to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan for approximately £255mn.
