Who We Are

PIMFA is the voice of the personal wealth sector – championing financial health for every individual. Whether we’re advocating for and creating positive regulatory and policy change, connecting people from across the industry, providing hands-on guidance and support, or challenging misconceptions of the personal wealth sector – we always have the interests of our members and their clients at heart and work to help ensure the UK remains a financial global centre of excellence.

We are a diverse and flexible organisation who continues to serve its members through hybrid working, and in 2023 we were awarded as one of the Sunday Times ‘Best Small Places to work’ in the UK.

Our membership is corporate and consists of two groups – full and associate member firms.

Full members provide a range of financial solutions including financial advice, portfolio management, as well as investment and execution services and assist everyone from individuals and families, to charities and pension funds, all the way to trusts and companies.  Associate members provide professional services to the PIMFA community.

PIMFA was created in 2017 as the outcome of a merger between the Association of Professional Financial Advisers (APFA) and the Wealth Management Association (WMA) with a history as a trade association since 1991.

1. Represent the diverse range of firms that provide investment management, investment services and advice  with a unified voice

2. Provide industry thought leadership, consolidating our extensive technical insights and expertise in regulatory and policy areas

3. Lead the debate on policy and regulatory recommendations to ensure an optimal operating environment for firms and clients, maintaining the UK’s position as a leading global centre of excellence

4. Through our advocacy work, we promote the industry as a key catalyst to develop a culture of savings and investment in the UK

5. Promote a greater understanding of the sector, the value of advice and its role as a beneficial force in transforming the way people save and invest for the future

6. Facilitate dialogue across industry stakeholders, while developing best-practice guidance

On 1st June 2017 the two leading UK trade associations in the investment management and financial advice sector , APFA and the WMA, merged to create the Personal Investment Management & Financial Advice Association (PIMFA).

The Association of Professional Financial Advisers (APFA) was the representative body for the financial adviser profession. APFA formed in 1999 as the Association of Independent Financial Advisers (AIFA).  At the time of the merger there were approximately 14,000 adviser firms employing 81,000 people. 40% of investment and protection products were sold through financial advisers, with annual revenue estimated at £3.8 billion (£2.2 billion from investment business, £1.2 billion from general insurance and £400 million from mortgages).

The Wealth Management Association (WMA) was created as a trade association in 1990 and was originally called the Association of Private Client Investment Managers and Stockbrokers (APCIMS). At the time of the merger WMA represented 180 wealth management firms and associate members that provided a range of financial solutions including financial advice, portfolio management, as well as investment and execution services. These members firms looked after over £825 billion of wealth for over 2.2 million retail investors – comparable in value to around 40% of GDP. These firms operated across more than 580 sites, employed over 27,000 staff, ran over 5.5 million client portfolios and carried out over 20 million trades a year.

PIMFA is proud to have working relationships with the following organisations: