Access FS sets out five-year strategy to drive adviser growth

28 August 2026

Access Financial Services (Access FS) has set out a five-year growth strategy focused on expanding its adviser community, developing new talent, creating more business opportunities for advisers and investing further in technology and data.

Founder and chief executive Karl Wilkinson outlined the strategy to the Access FS team at a recent company event, setting out five areas that will drive the next stage of the business.

These are growing its community of experienced advisers, generating more centrally managed business opportunities, relaunching the Access Academy, expanding into wider financial services and increasing the use of technology, data and artificial intelligence across the business.

The strategy builds on Access FS' existing focus on helping advisers grow their own businesses, with further investment planned in the people, infrastructure, technology and opportunities available to its adviser community.

Karl Wilkinson, founder and chief executive of Access FS, said:

“Access has always been built around a simple idea: if we help our advisers build better businesses, Access grows with them.

“Our five-year strategy is about putting more behind that idea and creating even more opportunities for advisers to grow.

“We want Access to be one of the best places in the industry for an adviser to build a business - whether they are already experienced, joining us with an established business or taking their first steps into the industry.”

Access FS currently works with around 280 advisers and plans to significantly grow its adviser community over the next five years, while continuing to create opportunities for new entrants through the Access Academy.

The business will also increase its focus on generating opportunities centrally and providing greater support to advisers with their own marketing and business development.

Wilkinson explained:

“We want to attract experienced advisers and firms that are looking for a business that can genuinely support their next stage of growth.

“At the same time, bringing new people into our industry remains extremely important to us. The Access Academy will provide a structured route for new advisers to enter the profession, develop and build long-term careers.”

A further pillar of the strategy will see Access FS broaden the range of financial services available through the business, giving advisers greater opportunities to support clients as their financial needs change over time.

Technology and data will underpin each part of the five-year strategy.

Access FS plans to continue investing in artificial intelligence, data intelligence and technology designed to improve productivity, reduce unnecessary administration and give advisers better information to support their businesses and clients.

Wilkinson added:

“Technology should make an adviser better at what they do, not get in the way of the relationship they have with their clients.

“We see enormous potential in technology, data and AI, but the objective is very simple: better tools, better information, less administration and more time for advisers to focus on their customers.

“The next five years are about building on what we have already created at Access and taking the business to another level.

“We want experienced advisers to be able to grow with us, people entering the industry to be able to build genuine careers with us and our existing advisers to have access to more opportunities as Access grows.

“We will continue to invest, continue to challenge how things are done, and continue to build around the people at the heart of the business, our advisers.

Access Financial Services works with a national community of mortgage and protection advisers and continues to recruit advisers and firms from across the industry.

Advisers and firms interested in joining Access FS can find out more through the Access FS adviser recruitment website.