#langcatlive London 2025: Divide and Conquer

What’s Divide and Conquer about?

It’s satisfying to moan about how the various actors in the sector – the regulator, providers and planners – don’t work well enough together, and about how that harms outcomes, and about how things should be harmonious and that would help.

We’re not so sure.

Creative tension can be good, if it’s harnessed in the same direction. Not every part of the chain involved in creating something needs to be harmoniously aligned as long as there are checks and balances involved.

In our intermediated world, the industry puts together things it thinks planners want to use with customers, and the regulator oversees both bits. Most of the time we generally assume this works tolerably well, or at least isn’t broken enough to worry too much about, and we rely on the invisible hand of the market to sort things out. But does that really stand the test of scrutiny?

Consumer Duty highlighted the necessity of everyone working together in the interests of better client outcomes, but that doesn’t mean everyone should be in each other’s pockets. In Divide and Conquer, then, we will look at the theme of creative tension and whether just making us all get along with each other – be nice to your sister! – will really make things better. We’ll look at when things get out of balance – as they have done at times with platforms – and whether vertical integration, where that tension is arguably completely removed – is delivering better outcomes. We’ll look at the power balance between planners, the industry and the regulator and ask awkward questions when they’re necessary, and never, ever take things at face value.

We’ve said before that the entire sector is engaged in rearranging itself to acknowledge that planners now have the power the industry once had and so we’ll finish the day with tales from the front line, hearing from planners directly about how they deal with creative tension and still create amazing experiences for clients.

Before all that – and before lunch - there is also a focus session, aimed at planners but open to everyone, which will be the World Premiere of our famous State of the Advice Nation annual adviser survey. This is year seven, meaning we’ve got plenty of trends to track. We’ll look at three of the key themes the survey highlights, and share some interesting data. This is unmissable for advice professionals, but compelling for all.

Business sessions will finish at 5pm or so; we’ll have a drink in the venue and then it’s over the road to the Lighterman for the afterparty.

If you’ve experienced a lang cat event before you’ll know we always provide a day that goes above and beyond; one that constantly changes, engages and entertains as well as challenges and informs. And we’ll continue to make it fun – because we all need more of that.

More info on the agenda is on our main website.

This event qualifies for 4 hours of unstructured CPD.

THE PRACTICALITIES

The date to mark in your calendars is Thursday 6 February. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, tickets are free for advice professionals working in an advice firm; so advisers, planners, paraplanners, compliance and admin fill your boots (if you work for a huge provider with an advice offshoot you only qualify if you’re in an advice-giving or paraplanning role). Everyone else is asked to buy tickets at a cost of £100 plus VAT. Doors open at 10.30am.

TRAVEL

Kings Place is situated just a few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras stations, one of the most connected locations in London and now the biggest transport hub in Europe.

TUBE

The nearest tube station is King’s Cross St. Pancras, on the Circle, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City, Piccadilly, Northern and Victoria lines. The station has step-free access from the platform to the street level. From the tube station the quickest way to Kings Place is via King’s Boulevard. You may also walk up York Way.

TRAIN

King’s Cross St. Pancras and Euston are the nearest mainline railway stations. Eurostar travellers arrive at St Pancras International.