Raymond James Financial : Announces "Connected Advisor" Technology Platform

January 30, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Building on its long-held position as a pioneer and industry leader in financial advisor-driven technology, Raymond James is revealing a strategy that bridges an already powerful advisor-centric technology infrastructure with collaborative and client-facing digital tools that together comprise its 'Connected Advisor' digital advice platform.

The platform fully reflects the firm's advisor-centric business model, and includes already-released client-facing tools that support digital communications and online collaboration, as well as new capabilities to meet a range of client needs. The new initiatives center around robo-advisor-like technologies, as well as data-driven insights that will help advisors address the more complex needs of higher-net-worth clients.

'This significant, multi-year ongoing investment ensures we continue to be an industry leader in advisor-oriented technology,' said CEO Paul Reilly. 'While many industry alternatives seek to disintermediate advisors, Connected Advisor will support advisors and their commitment to serving clients.'

Connected Advisor is focused on three key areas:

• Greater automation to help advisors more efficiently manage their businesses and their clients' basic investment management requirements so they can spend more time on building relationships and more fully understanding client needs.
• Increased collaboration through tools that support online communication and information sharing between advisors and their clients.
• Enhanced sophistication of proactive financial solutions through the use of big data to provide advisors with insights into their practices and their clients' needs.

'We are advancing a strategy that has become clear as we've spoken with advisors and clients, observed evolving preferences, and watched new technology advances unfold at a rapid pace,' said Executive Vice President of Technology and Operations Bella Allaire. 'Our advisors and clients require - and deserve - an even higher level of service and support as they confront new multi-generational challenges, changing regulatory standards and increasingly complex financial needs.'

Among the tools available or rolling out over the coming months are digitally driven data collection, discovery and proposal systems; secure cloud storage and consolidated access to important documents; enhanced mobile capabilities; sophisticated goal planning and monitoring tools; advanced analytics capabilities; and investment options for multigenerational households and varying financial situations.

'We're focused on providing a platform that reinforces the value of advisors' affiliation with Raymond James by providing easy-to-use, customizable tools that help them better serve their clients and grow their businesses,' said Chief Information Officer Vin Campagnoli. 'These resources will help our advisors increase engagement with clients, improve their understanding of client needs as life, market and economic conditions change, and support the long-term financial planning that is at the core of our offerings.'

Many of the efficiency and collaboration tools at the foundation of the Connected Advisor platform are in place, with the robo-advisor-like technology and data insight features expected to be rolled out in 2017, and other planned enhancements scheduled into next year.

'We're approaching this as we always do,' said Campagnoli. 'We are thoughtfully and deliberately moving forward with a focus on ensuring advisors and clients understand and are leveraging these new offerings, and that we're listening to their feedback and adjusting to ensure we're fully meeting their needs.

'I like to say we build our technology tools 'from the mind of the advisor' and this platform does that, helping support their already strong client relationships by creating stronger connections and, in turn, better meeting clients' increasingly complex financial needs.'

About Raymond James Financial, Inc.

Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE: RJF) is a leading diversified financial services company providing private client group, capital markets, asset management, banking and other services to individuals, corporations and municipalities. The company has approximately 7,100 financial advisors serving in excess of 2.9 million client accounts in more than 2,900 locations throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are approximately $617 billion. Public since 1983, the firm has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1986 under the symbol RJF. Additional information is available at www.raymondjames.com.