WBR Group, the UK’s largest independent SSAS provider, is excited to launch an enterprise-wide programme to accelerate its use of technology. In partnership with Symphony, a renowned accounting technology provider, the digital transformation programme will focus on enhancing WBR Group’s digital capabilities to improve its services, optimise processes and drive growth.

Symphony will provide a multi-level team of Microsoft-certified Architects, Analysts, Developers, and UX experts to enhance existing IT systems with new functionality and to build brand-new tools that will assist the business in delivering exceptional, timely and personal service to clients whilst retaining its aim of being a great place to work.

Martin Tilley, Chief Operating Officer at WBR Group said, “We’re excited by the possibilities that the latest in IT presents for us.  Above all, we want to constantly improve the experience for our clients and our team members.  We pride ourselves on our relationship-driven client approach and recognise that IT and AI can help us deliver an even more focused service”.

When discussing the value that Symphony can bring, Phil Lowe, Symphony CEO said, “Although the potential benefits of a modern AI-powered toolset might be obvious, the capacity for a non-tech business to create them in a timely and cost-effective way is much harder.  Thanks to our established partnerships with NewOrbit and nFocus, we can immediately provide WBR Group with a highly qualified multi-discipline team, which could take months to put together otherwise”.

With WBR’s acquisitions of James Hay SSAS, Rowanmoor SSAS, and Bespoke Corporate Pensions, Tilley added “We have grown to become the largest independent provider of SSAS services in the UK. Our vision for the future marketplace and our ambition to stay at the forefront requires significant investment and expertise.”

Rocky Leanders, Chief Financial Officer at WBR Group, who will lead the program for WBR Group said, “Managing the volume of schemes and the large number of transactions, on behalf of our clients, demands attention to detail across hundreds of thousands of data points, each changing constantly as our clients deploy their pension funds.  We recognised the opportunity to make immediate advances in our use of IT and, working with our existing IT providers, we chose Symphony to be our strategic partner for this programme”.

Leading the day-to-day team for Symphony is Alison Clack.  Before joining Symphony, she managed Global Projects at PwC and served as Director of Business Transformation for Mazars.  Speaking about the cultural dynamic, she explained, “The WBR Group team are a pleasure to work with.  They’re committed, engaged, and open-minded with a strong desire to drive improvements across their business.  We’re already forming the relationships which are essential when deploying change into people’s working lives”.