Former head of Aegon distribution Patrick Gale has joined research firm Defaqto as executive chairman, after announcing his departure last week.
People have little awareness of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) despite grasping the importance of financial planning, research has found.
Platforms are failing to deliver expected levels of service to advisers in nine out of ten areas, according to Defaqto.
Financial advisers are prioritising the speed of doing new business with platforms as the most important factor when selecting a provider, research suggests.
Advisers expect to write less tax-wrapped business in 2013, according to research.
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has admitted it still has plenty of work to do on educating the public on the Retail Distribution View (RDR), but said advisers will also have to play their part in explaining the changes to the market.
The abolition of protected rights from pension saving will make setting up flexible drawdown easier and quicker for advisers, providers have said.