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Alasdair Walker
Managing Director &
Chartered Financial Planner
Alasdair's key qualifications
- Chartered Financial Planner
- Certified Financial Planner™
- Fellow of the PFS
About Alasdair's experience
Alasdair’s journey with us began in 2011 as a trainee, and has worked incredibly hard to achieve the position he is now in.
Today, he stands as a respected figure in the financial services profession, having chaired the Personal Finance Society’s Financial Planning Panel until early 2023.
Highly regarded for his expertise, Alasdair is a frequent speaker on financial planning, drawing on his wealth of experience. His dedication to his craft has earned him recognition as an award-winning Certified Financial Planner™ and a Chartered Financial Planner. He is also a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and CISI, and a qualified coach and mentor.
Alasdair specialises in working with “knowledge workers” – highly engaged, technically-minded financial planning clients.
Away from the office
Alasdair embodies versatility in his personal life. He seamlessly switches between roles as a devoted father of two, a connoisseur of coffee, an assistant Judo coach, and a dedicated school governor.
In his spare time, Alasdair indulges in a variety of activities, what he describes as ‘collecting hobbies’. These include judo, cycling, running and gaming. You will also find him out with his children cycling or paddleboarding.
We asked Alasdair
Your team of experts
Chartered Financial Planner
Certified Financial Planner™
Qualifications
Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning
This qualification enables professional advisers to develop specialist planning capabilities, and covers topics such as: personal tax and trust, business financial, pension and investment planning.
CertPFS (DM) (Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management)
The RQF level 4 Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management develops the wealth strategy and portfolio management skills required for effective discretionary investment management. The qualification satisfies the FCA appropriate qualification requirements for this class of business.
Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning
The RQF level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning meets the FCA’s qualification requirements for retail investment advisers, developing core technical knowledge and financial planning capabilities across six core areas.
Cert CII (MP) (Certificate in Mortgage Advice)
The level 3 certificate in Mortgage Advice meets the FCA’s qualification requirements for mortgage advisers. It develops an understanding of the sector and the mortgage process, enabling advisers to meet individual client needs.
Level 3 Award in Long Term Care Insurance
This level 3 award develops the knowledge and understanding of long-term care cover, including legal, taxation and regulatory issues and the responsibilities of local authorities.
DipPFS (Diploma in Financial Planning)
This level 4 diploma meets the FCA’s qualification requirements for retail investment advisers, demonstrating core technical knowledge and financial planning capabilities across six core areas.
Award in Pensions Update
This single unit qualification develops and tests knowledge of pension reforms and how they impact at-retirement advice.
Cert CII (ER) (Certificate in Equity Release)
The level 3 certificate in Equity Release meets the FCA’s requirement for mortgage advisers and those advising on equity release schemes. In addition to developing advisory skills, the Certificate offers an understanding of equity release regulation, products, market practice, and customer needs.
Certificate in Pension Transfer Advice
This level 4 Certificate develops the in-depth knowledge and practical skills needed by anyone seeking to advise on the transfer of safeguarded benefits, an increasingly important part of the advice process following the Government's pension reforms.
Certificate in Life & Pensions
The life and pensions route builds knowledge and understanding of the sector’s role and its activities. It considers important customer needs, solutions and products, and how individuals and organisations work within the regulatory and legislative environment.
AF1 (Personal Tax and Trust Planning)
This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to personal tax and trusts.
AF3 (Pension Planning)
This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to personal and corporate pensions.
AF4 (Investment Planning)
This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to investments and the management of investment portfolios.
AF5 (Financial Planning Process)
This examination assesses the candidate to develop an understanding of the financial planning process when advising clients.
AF6 (Senior management and supervision)
At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate their ability to apply and evaluate the supervision principles and practices in a retail financial services business.
J07 (Supervision in a Regulated Environment)
At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of: the supervisor’s role in a regulated organisation; recruitment, training, attaining competence, maintaining competence and supervising competence; management information and performance standards; Financial Conduct Authority rules and guidelines in respect of competence and supervision; the legal and regulatory aspects of employment and supervision.
J10 (Discretionary Investment Management)
At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to analyse and apply financial information and portfolio management skills.
R01 (Financial Services, Regulation and Ethics)
This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the financial services industry, including regulation, legislation and the Code of Ethics.
R02 (Investment Principles)
This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of investment products and the application of the investment advice process.
R03 (Personal Taxation)
This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK taxation system, and the ability to analyse the taxation treatment of individuals and trusts during the investment advice process.
R04 (Pensions and Retirement Planning)
This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of and ability to analyse pension and retirement planning issues.
R06 (Financial Planning Practice)
This qualification helps advisers develop and demonstrate their financial planning capabilities.
CF1 (UK Financial Services, Regulation and Ethics)
This qualification develops an understanding of the financial services industry, including regulation and legislation.
CF3 (Financial Protection)
This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of financial protection plans.
CF6 (Certificate in Mortgage Advice)
This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, mortgage products, repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice.