Fast-growing Financial Planning group Kingswood has hired Jessica McGuigan from Schroders Personal Wealth as the firm commits to increasing its number of female advisers from 15% to 25% this year.

Her appointment as a Chartered Wealth Planner to the firm’s Abingdon office comes as Kingswood pledges to increase its number of female advisers to help tackle an industry-wide lack of women advisers.

Ms McGuigan will advise clients on a range of Financial Planning areas, with a specialism in pre and post retirement planning, savings and investment, estate planning and specialist investments and tax planning.

She has over seven years’ experience in financial services and was most recently a personal wealth adviser at Schroders Personal Wealth. 

Before this she held a number of positions at recently-sold Critchleys Financial Planning, including Paraplanner and Financial Planner. She holds the level 6 Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning, as well as the Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management and Long Term Care qualification. 

Hayley Burton, managing director, head of wealth planning, Midlands and South, said: “Jessica has had an impressive career to date, rising quickly through the ranks and consistently outperforming set goals in her client facing advisory roles. We are delighted to welcome someone of Jessica’s calibre to our highly capable and diverse advisory team to support our strategy.

"Despite industry efforts, we see that there is still a lack of women in wealth and financial roles. At Kingswood, we are actively working towards closing this gap and are aiming to grow our team of female advisers from 15 to 25 per cent by the end of the year.”

Ms McGuigan, said: “I’m very excited to be joining such a vibrant and ambitious firm. I believe Kingswood has the potential to continue on this growth path, whilst fortifying its strong client proposition and I look forward to being part of the journey.”

Kingswood says the appointment follows a series of advisory firm acquisitions in the UK. So far this year Kingswood has acquired Vincent & Co Ltd in Lincolnshire; Allotts Financial Services Limited, in Rotherham; DJ Cooke (Life & Pensions) Limited in South Yorkshire; Joseph R Lamb Independent Financial Advisers in Essex and Aim Independent Limited in Hampshire. 

The firm also acquired Metnor, the holding company for IBOSS Asset Management Limited and Novus Financial Services Limited, late last year.