Robbie Homer Plews – CCO of Aveni AI

Bringing together C-level leaders from Succession Wealth (Aviva), Schroders Personal Wealth, 7IM, and Rathbones the event marked the formation of Aveni’s inaugural customer advisory board (CAB). This influential group will collaborate closely with Aveni to guide the development of AI technologies which will enhance advice, regulatory compliance, client engagement, and operational resilience across the sector.

“We’re bringing together some of the most respected leaders in wealth management and financial planning to define how AI serves the financial services sector,” said Colin Clark, chairman of Aveni and the newly formed CAB. “This board will play a pivotal role in shaping a collaborative roadmap for innovation – ensuring AI is developed and deployed both responsibly and with real impact across the industry.”

The inaugural meeting focused on emerging trends in AI, operational innovation, the regulatory landscape, and the future needs of the financial advice sector. CAB members shared insights around strategies of AI adoption at scale, rate limiting factors to growth and the role of the financial adviser in an increasingly agentic world.

Robbie Homer-Plews, CCO of Aveni, said: “Financial services firms are grappling with how to balance client expectations, regulatory pressures and operational efficiency.

“AI has the potential to transform this dynamic – but it must be shaped in partnership with the industry. Our customer advisory board will ensure that what we build directly addresses the real-world challenges and opportunities our customers face.”

The select leadership cohort are responsible in their own organisations for driving strategic technological transformation, and through this forum will share best practice to drive the adoption and advancement of AI for financial services in the UK. The group will collaborate closely with Aveni’s leadership to shape the company’s product roadmap, inform innovation priorities, and help support a broader industry agenda for AI’s responsible deployment.

“AI is transforming financial services faster than ever before,” said Mr Clark. “Our customer advisory board will keep us closely aligned with the market’s evolving needs—while giving our clients a direct voice in shaping the future of AI-driven advice and service delivery.”

The Aveni CAB will convene approximately twice a year, with members contributing to innovation initiatives, strategic workshops, and advisory projects aimed at advancing responsible AI adoption across financial services.