The poll was carried out during the ALFI London Conference last month.

Educating individuals on the values and importance of investment is the asset management industry’s biggest challenge, according to a poll carried out at a London Conference hosted by ALFI.

One in three (33 per cent) of respondents to the live poll believe that education is the biggest challenge for the sector. This coincides with a similar poll carried out by ALFI in Luxembourg, which showed that 96 per cent of respondents said there was a need to improve investor education.

However, just under two thirds of respondents (61 per cent) believed that regulatory framework could have the most significant impact on the asset management industry in the next five years, while just 27 per cent said the level of investor education would have the most impact. 

The resuts of the London poll highlight other major challenges faced by the industry; new digital entrants (25 per cent), regulatory changes brought on by geopolitical change (23 per cent), and fragmented distribution markets (17 per cent).

“The industry is going through considerable adaptation, not only as a result of the changing regulation but also changing technology, the developing environment of geopolitical change, demographic evolution and the need for people to take responsibility for their own long-term financial security,” said Denise Voss, chairman of ALFI. “Attendees at our conferences are generally positive – 81 per cent at our Luxembourg conference said they were optimistic about the fund industry – but recognise the challenges that lie ahead."