Isio launches model portfolio service for financial advisers

16 December 2025 : Isio has launched a model portfolio service (MPS) for financial advisers and wealth managers. The new service, which has been available in-house since April 2025, brings Isio’s institutional investment expertise to the IFA and Wealth market for the first time through a range of seven high quality, low cost outsourced investment portfolios.

A response to expensive solutions lacking conviction

Isio has launched its MPS launched in response to a competitor landscape that is cluttered with solutions that are overly diversified with no conviction, priced expensively in a way that drags on performance, and lacking in clarity with an over reliance on active management. Isio will selectively employ active management only in areas where evidence has consistently proven to add value, ensuring clients benefit from the expertise of active managers while limiting underlying management fees and supporting risk adjusted returns.

Isio’s range comprises seven portfolios, including five multi-asset portfolio ranging from ‘Cautious’ to Adventurous’, as well as an equity focused portfolio and an income focused portfolio. Isio will charge an annual management charge of 0.15%, with total costs estimated to be in the region of 0.3% – 0.45%.

Isio’s MPS is now available on a range of adviser platforms, has been risk mapped by Dynamic Planner and Defaqto, and is live on Mabel Insights, FE Analytics and Morningstar.

Powered by institutional expertise and relationships

Isio was founded in early 2020 from the spin out of KPMG’s UK pensions and investment practice. It acquired Premier Pensions in 2022 and Deloitte’s UK pension and investment business in 2023, creating one of the UK’s largest and fastest growing pensions and investment businesses.

Isio leverages its institutional expertise and relationships to provide high quality asset allocation and portfolio construction at pricing generally not found in other MPS ranges. The MPS will benefit from Isio experience advising on over £300bn worth of institutional investor assets, including a third of FTSE100 pension schemes, and the collective expertise of its team of over 160 investment consultants and 37 dedicated research professionals.

Isio provides access to co-created funds, founder share classes and alternative assets not typically found in MPS portfolios. Its solution is powered by a clear, institutional-style investment philosophy focusing on strategic asset allocation to drive long-term returns.

Ambition to add private markets to MPS as Isio’s Wealth business evolves

The launch of Isio’s MPS follows a series of high-calibre appointments designed to support to growth of Isio’s Wealth business. These include:

• Chris Woodhouse, Chair at Isio (and former CEO of Evelyn Partners)
• Andy Tunningley, Head of Wealth at Isio (and former Head of UK Strategic Clients at BlackRock)
• Mike Hanlon, Head of Distribution for Wealth at Isio (and former Head of Business Development at Evelyn Partners)

Isio expects to make further appointments in the coming months as its Wealth business evolves. It also plans to integrate private markets investment solutions into its MPS, leveraging a long track record of investing in private markets which has seen it at the forefront of recent developments of semi-liquid structures.

Ajith Nair, Head of Portfolio Management and Research at Isio said:

“We are excited to launch a model portfolio service which channels our institutional innovation and quality in constructing portfolios to provide access to the best managers and funds at fees leveraging our buying power in the pensions world.

“Too many MPS solutions provide expensive, bland exposure with an overreliance on active managers. We prioritise active management only where it has consistently demonstrated an ability to outperform, and we are looking forward to leveraging our expertise and access to offer a sophisticated, low-cost solution to advisers with the full support of our institutional-grade service.”

Mike Hanlon, Head of Distribution for Wealth at Isio, said:

“We believe our  institutional quality, low-cost model portfolio solutions are a significant addition to the line-up of current offerings in the MPS market. The MPS along with other investment solutions we are developing  have the potential to drive a meaningful mindset shift in the industry, which will we believe will lead to better outcomes for retail investors.

“We want to provide something different by offering extensive coverage across asset classes and funds at great value, backed by our proven history of crafting pioneering and cost-effective investment solutions for large institutional clients. Our ambition is to grow the breadth of investment opportunities within our MPS over time as our Wealth business evolves, aligned to the latest innovations in the institutional marketplace.”