Defaqto CEO warns of persistent 'uncertainty' for firms

Ongoing uncertainty in financial services due to global pressures

Sahar Nazir
clock • 2 min read

There is a persistent “underlying sense of uncertainty” in financial services which will likely continue for the remainder of this year, according to Defaqto CEO John Milliken.

Speaking today (12 September) at Defaqto's Smarter Financial Decisions conference, Milliken said CEOs across the sector faced significant challenges, with many losing their positions as firms grappled with economic pressures. Despite these difficulties, Milliken highlighted the resilience of the asset management sector, pointing to increased net flows. However, he underscored a persistent "underlying sense of uncertainty" was likely to continue, influenced by global events like the Ukraine war and the upcoming US election. Commenting on the financial services landscape closer to ho...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

From the annual review to the 'always on' adviser/client relationship

From the annual review to the 'always on' adviser/client relationship

'Regular reviews will still play an important role, but clients' lives do not follow a servicing calendar'

Tessa Lee
clock 28 July 2026 • 4 min read
Number of British millionaires drops to lowest level since 2008

Number of British millionaires drops to lowest level since 2008

Estimated number of 442,000

Sophia Panayi
clock 28 July 2026 • 3 min read
Tessa Lee: The invisible cost of poor client data

Tessa Lee: The invisible cost of poor client data

How can you improve data quality?

Tessa Lee
clock 23 July 2026 • 4 min read