Winning IFAs and whole of market mortgage advisers announced for the eleven categories from last night’s awards.
Unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website, announces the winners of its eighth annual ‘Media Awards’. The awards are held to recognise the hard work of the Bluebook media advisers, and were presented to the eleven category winners last night at a drinks party in London. The Bluebook connects personal finance journalists with media advisers who are ready and willing to provide comment, insight and case studies to promote the value of independent financial advice and professional advice for consumers.
The 2012 awards, sponsored by Alliance Trust Savings, Scottish Widows, Schroders, Legal & General, Alquity, Lockton, Lansons Communications, AXA Wealth, Reform and Opinium Research, recognise the work of individual advisers who are taking the lead in positioning the advice sector as expert media commentators on financial issues.
Each category was judged by an expert panel including journalists, product providers and industry specialists, and led by Karen Barrett, chief executive of unbiased.co.uk. The panel looked at all of the shortlisted advisers’ media work, press commentary and engagement with unbiased.co.uk media services to decide the winner of each category.
The winners and runners up for each of the eleven categories are:
IFA of the year (sponsored by Alliance Trust Savings)
Winner: Dennis Hall, Yellowtail Financial Planning Ltd
Runner up: Jason Witcombe, Evolve Financial Planning
Pensions IFA of the year (sponsored by Scottish Widows)
Winner: Tom McPhail, Hargreaves Lansdown
Runner up: Kevin Tooze, Equity Partners UK Ltd
Investmet IFA of the year (sponsored by Schroders)
Winner: Adrian Lowcock, Bestinvest
Runner up: Patrick Connolly, AWD Chase De Vere
Protection adviser of the year (sponsored by Legal & General)
Winner: Lorreine Kennedy, CareMatters
Runner up: Alan Lakey, Highclere Financial Services
Responsible investment IFA of the year (sponsored by Alquity)
Winner: Ruth Whitehead, Ruth Whitehead Associates
Runner up: Olivia Bowen, GAEIA Partnership
Mortgage adviser of the year (sponsored by Lockton)
Winner: David Hollingworth, London & Country Mortgages
Runner up: Ray Boulger, John Charcol
Bluebook newcomer (sponsored by Lansons Communications)
Winner: Alistair Cunningham, Wingate Financial Planning
Runner up: Justin King, MFP Wealth Management
Social media adviser of the year (sponsored by AXA Wealth)
Winner: Alistair Cunningham, Wingate Financial Planning
Runner up: Tom McPhail, Hargreaves Lansdown
Best Blogger of the year (sponsored by Reform)
Winner: Martin Bamford, Informed Choice Ltd
Best IFA website/ online proposition (sponsored by Opinium Research)
Winner: Bestinvest
Runner up: Eldon Financial Planning
Judges Award
Winner: Jason Witcombe
The awards were judged by an expert panel of:
Karen Barrett, Chief Executive, unbiased.co.uk
Annie Shaw, Editor of CashQuestions.com and freelance journalist
Jo Thornhill, Assistant Personal Finance Editor, Mail on Sunday
Simon Read, Personal Finance Editor, The Independent
Paul McMillan, Editor, Money Marketing
Patrick Mill, Sales and Distribution Director, Alliance Trust Savings
Brian Boehmer, Partner Producer, Lockton
Timothy Rees, Head of Market Relations, Scottish Widows
James Rainbow, Head of UK Marketing, Schroders
Nick Frankland, Sales & Marketing Director, Legal & General
Paul Riddell, Head of PR, AXA Wealth
Paul Robinson, CEO of Alquity and Trustee of The One Foundation, Alquity
Hannily Pavey, Board Director, Lansons Communications
James Endersby, Managing Director, Opinium Research
Lucy Mann, Marketing and Business Development Director, Reform
Julia Dreblow, Director, SRI Services
Karen Barrett, Chief Executive of unbiased.co.uk comments: "These awards are an important opportunity to publicly recognise the significant contribution of the media advisers who make up the Bluebook. Our media advisers help to keep independent financial advice and professional advice at the forefront of consumers’ minds helping them understand the value of advice. The judging, involving both journalists and product providers, highlighted the value the media advisers bring to articles and it was a closely contested shortlist for each category but the winners represent those that have gone above and beyond to support the unbiased.co.uk PR campaign. I would also like to say a big thank you to our sponsors, judges and media advisers who support the awards.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Photos of the awards are available on request.
For more information contact:
Lisa Grando/ Emily Falla/ Maddy Morgan Williams, Lansons Communications: 020 7294 3682
For expert commentary or case studies from over 150 media-friendly IFAs, journalists should visit www.unbiased.co.uk/bluebook.
Twitter: @unbiased_co_uk
LinkedIn: Unbiased.co.uk - Online networking for professional advisers
About unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website
The unbiased.co.uk portal is a free and confidential UK-wide search matching consumers with local professional advisers: ‘find an IFA’, ‘find a mortgage adviser’, ‘find a solicitor’, and ‘find an accountant’. These searches enable consumers to find professional advisers by postcode, area of specialism, qualification and payment method. In 2011, unbiased.co.uk fulfilled around 450,000 searches for local, professional advice.
Unbiased Ltd promotes the benefits of independent financial advice to consumers. Unbiased Ltd is supported by the following companies:
Unbiased Ltd - Registered Office: 12-14 Berry St, London, EC1V 0AU. Registered in England: No. 06775878)
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