Advisers unafraid Standard Life is back on their turf

Standard Life has declared its intention to build a major national financial advice business by acquiring - and growing - wealth management firm Pearson Jones. The provider's decision to re-enter the advice market, after selling its stakes in IFAs RSM Bentley Jennison and 2plan as recently as 2010, is a bid to cash in on retirees in a direct response to the liberalisation of pensions due in April. "[The freedoms] mean demand for advice is likely to significantly exceed supply," Standard Life said in a statement to the stock exchange, adding it will target those who would have previous...