UBS succession planning:

A road map to growing your business 

by Teri Sundberg Head Teaming, Practice Management & FA Development and William Hayward Practice & FA Development Manager

As you think about the future, what’s most important when considering the next step in your career? Are you looking to create a contingency plan to address the unexpected? Are you looking for the right strategy for transitioning out of the business in the future? Or are you looking for new ways to grow your practice, including opportunities to partner with a transitioning advisor?

UBS has tools and resources to support you wherever you are in your career. This article provides an overview of our succession planning framework, including building the foundation, steps on the journey and best practices a legacy advisor and receiving advisor or team should take to transition client relationships successfully.

Our focus

Our succession planning framework focuses on four main stakeholders:

  • The transitioning advisor. They have worked long and hard to create a business. We help create a transition that’s right for them and their clients and that rewards and recognizes their hard work over the years.
  • The clients of the transitioning advisor. They want to know that they will be in good hands now and in the future. They also need to feel confident that their planning and investment needs will continue to be met with the same level of attention and quality.
  • The receiving advisor or team. Their focus is on retaining and growing wallet share of the legacy advisor’s clients as a part of a longer-term growth strategy.
  • The firm. It is in the best interest of the firm that advisors are fully prepared to exit the business and that their clients remain satisfied, continue to grow and develop strong relationships with the receiving team.

For the legacy advisor: our road map to transition

We offer strategies, resources and support, all critical to the successful transfer of the clients’ trust from the transitioning advisor to the receiving advisor or team.

Number 1

Prepare for the transition

For many advisors, the thought of transitioning out of the business can be both exciting and challenging. The right mindset is critical to a successful transition. The following steps will help you prepare and plan your transition: 

  • Think through your transition timeline and what matters most to you, your family and your lifestyle. 
  • Talk with other advisors who have transitioned or are transitioning now to learn from their experiences. 
  • Once you have your timeline identified, start mapping out a plan. 
  • Analyze your current practice and begin thinking about receiving advisors or teams that might work well with your clients. Your UBS Field Leader can help as you begin these conversations.
  • Review the UBS Aspiring Legacy Financial Advisor (ALFA) Program, which offers both rewards and options to advisors transitioning out of the business, providing clients with a smooth and seamless transition.

Regardless of your timeline, forming and developing a successful team takes time and commitment. We help advisors think through the different stages a succession-focused team goes through as it matures and the questions to ask before moving forward. 

Number 1

Source and select a receiving advisor or team

We offer tools to guide you through finding your ideal receiving advisor, including the creation of a profile to identify the qualities needed to gain your clients’ trust. For advisors looking to grow their business by helping an advisor transition, we offer insights to help you and a transitioning advisor optimize the “transfer of trust” of the legacy practice. 

Number 1

Construct your team

The expected timing of your transition from the business will determine the type of team you create or join. We help you explore the different types of team structures and map out a plan for what is best for you and your clients. 

Number 1

Communicate the change

We offer resources to communicate the change so that you can notify your clients of your intention to transition. From collaborating with you to ensure a smooth transition, we have communication strategies to help you successfully transition your business or receive a business.

For the receiving advisor: open to opportunities for growth

One way to grow at UBS is to expose yourself to our network of productive advisors. You can work with your UBS manager to grow your business by identifying advisors looking to transition. Management will help you map out the framework and steps and share best practices.

Our succession planning framework offers a road map for the benefit of the transitioning and receiving advisor,” says Dan Shepler, Market Director, New York Central region. “We find that with a solid plan in place, the same success stories ring true no matter where an advisor or team is located. Most importantly, our UBS leadership team guides advisors through the transition process and helps them fulfill their vision for the future.

Our commitment to advisors looking to transition or grow a business

When thinking about your choices, depending on where you are in your career, we recognize that your decision to transition out of the business is one of the most critical and difficult decisions you can make. And if the growth of your business is critical, your opportunity to participate in a longer-term growth strategy is paramount. Our insights, tools and resources offer step-by-step guidance as you consider the next chapter of your career. 

To learn more about how our succession planning framework can support your business growth or to apply for a Financial Advisor role, submit your contact information to be connected with a Field Leader.

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