Aegon renames UK IFA business as Origen

Dutch financial services giant Aegon is rebranding and restructuring its UK independent financial advisory (IFA) businesses as Origen.

The branding work was carried out by Enterprise IG, but ad agency CCHM has assisted with the creation of its communications ahead of possible advertising next year.

David Taplin has been promoted from one of the rebranded IFAs to become Origen managing director, business development and marketing.

Wentworth Rose, one of the five IFA businesses, has a longstanding association with The Daily Telegraph. The newspaper sells products under its own brand through the IFA and pays it commission in return for regular advertising.

Wentworth Rose also has distribution deals with the Daily Mirror and The Scotsman newspapers.

Aegon, which also owns the Scottish Equitable life and pensions brand in the UK, began to purchase IFA businesses in 2002 in anticipation of regulatory changes in the UK that would allow financial advisers to be tied to more than one company. Origen will have 200 advisers and intends to create a model of financial adviser more akin to European models once the regulations allow.

The five IFA companies that have been rebranded are: Advisory & Brokerage, Aurora Financial, Elliott Bayley, Momentum Financial Services and Wentworth Rose.