Our guest is Chief Executive Officer Noel Butwell, who describes how abrdn Advisor are achieving client-led growth and the way their growth is addressing a nation-wide capacity gap. He discusses why it’s important to keep strategy simple and how they use a few simple rules to decentralise strategy implementation. He also shares what he found to be the hardest part of developing and implementing their strategy.
abrdn plc, formerly Standard Life Aberdeen plc, is a United Kingdom-based global investment company headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
abrdn is structured into three areas. These reflect the focus they have on supporting people to create more ways for their money to make an impact. The Advisor part provides UK financial advisers with market-leading technology and tools to help them look after the diverse needs of their clients.
Noel is responsible for setting, leading and delivering the strategy for abrdn’s Adviser business in the UK retail and wholesale savings and investments markets.
Noel has worked in financial services for over 30 years, with extensive experience of delivering solutions to meet diverse client and customer needs. He joined the business in October 2003, at that time Standard Life plc, holding a number of senior management positions prior to his appointment as CEO in 2019.
Noel is also the Chairman of their financial planning business and a board director for their discretionary fund management business in the UK. Alongside this role, he is an Executive Sponsor of their employee network, Balance, which promotes an inclusive working environment by helping to improve gender balance at all levels. Additionally, he is a member of the UK Government’s Advisory Board tasked with boosting socio-economic diversity at senior levels in UK financial and professional services.
Noel Butwell