News - Press Release

October 2010

Courtiers selects Dunstan Thomas Imago for Group & individual SIPP administration capability

Dunstan Thomas launches secure web interface to make uploading of group records faster and easier

Dunstan Thomas, the pensions and investment administration solutions provider, has been chosen by Henley-based wealth manager Courtiers to provide back office administration for its Group as well as individual SIPP offerings as the company increases its focus on the Group SIPP market.

Courtiers, like many other IFA firms, is preparing for auto-enrolement under pensions reforms due to be implemented in 2012. Auto-enrolement is set to trigger significantly increased demand for corporate schemes, including corporate SIPPs, during the next year. The SIPP market as a whole has been growing by 20% year-on-year since 2005 and now holds more than £70 billion of assets under management.

Hilary Shaw, head of IT & compliance, Courtiers, explained the selection of Dunstan Thomas Image Back Office:
“We looked at a number of pension administration solutions before selecting Imago because of its user friendliness, scalability, customisability and its ability to integrate into our other business systems, allowing us to scale as funds from new IFAs and existing corporate and individual clients pour in.”

Natanje Holt, managing director, Dunstan Thomas added:
“We are very pleased to be providing back office administration for Courtiers’ own SIPP offerings. Courtiers was attracted by the fact that Imago offers them a SIPP administration solution that fits and integrates into their current business systems, reducing rekeying and streamlining processes. Imago also supports its current and future business requirements very well.”

In a separate but related development, Dunstan Thomas has completed development of a secure web interface for Imago Back Office specifically for handling Group contributions and queries. This interface enables employers, IFAs and SIPP administrators to upload group details rapidly and process monthly contributions for members of these schemes in and automated manner rather than providing email files to relevant parties before changes are made.

Dunstan Thomas has made its online Group SIPP processing tool the first of many web-based modules it is launching in the next 12-months in order to make it easier and quicker for key SIPP administration tasks to be carried out more quickly, easily and transparently online.

Natanje Holt added:
“We recognise that with auto-enrolement is only 18-months time from now, here will be an uptick in demand for group schemes and the systems and processes that support them. Employers will want to be able to bring new employees into schemes with the minimum of fuss and administration. Offering a secure web portal to carry out core administration tasks and check on valuations will be very useful for employers, administrators and advisers alike.”