There is a “huge opportunity” for trusted financial advice in the UK, predicts Andrea Montague, CEO at wealth manager Brooks Macdonald.

In an interview in the latest edition of Financial Planning Today magazine, Financial Planning Today website's sister bi-monthly publication, she said the firm was planning to focus on Financial Planning.

She said: “We’re excited about the future of Financial Planning.”

She added: “Good advice can be life-changing and yet millions across the UK still don’t have access to it. That’s why I was so drawn to Brooks Macdonald. The firm has supported clients across the UK for almost 35 years and it’s a privilege to be part of a business that works so closely with clients to help secure their financial futures.”

The company is investing in its own Financial Planners and acquiring Financial Planning firms, she said.

The firm has made three acquisitions in the Financial Planning sector since Ms Montague became CEO in October 2024.

Earlier this year Brooks Macdonald completed the acquisition of Chartered Financial Planners LIFT-Financial Group Limited and LIFT-Invest for £45m, Welsh Chartered Financial Planning firm CST Wealth Management for an undisclosed sum and £890m AUA Norwich-based Lucas Fettes Financial Planning.

Ms Montague said the acquisitions have expanded Brooks’ client reach by 15% and accelerated the firm’s growth, “allowing us to serve a more diverse client base.”

She said: “Integration is in line with our plan, and we remain focused on driving new business growth and improving asset retention.”

Last month the firm launched a new Financial Planning brand known as Brooks Financial. The brand was launched to recognise the growing scale of Brooks Macdonald’s Financial Planning business following the acquisitions.

Ms Montague said: “It reflects how much we’ve grown in this area and our ambition to make quality, independent advice more accessible to more people across the UK.

“As a Chartered, whole-of-market Financial Planning business, Brooks Financial will offer independent advice of the highest standard. Our continued investment in our established Academy to develop Chartered Financial Planners is an example of this commitment.”

She added: “We’re committed to investing in the future of the profession and currently have 18 Chartered Financial Planning students in our Academy and 12 investment graduates from Brooks Macdonald.”

Andrea Montague joined Brooks Macdonald in August 2023 as CFO and stepped into the role of CEO on 1 October 2024.

In the interview she said: “It’s been a busy and exciting nine months so not quite a year yet. Since becoming CEO, I set out a strategy to reignite growth and we’ve been moving at pace to deliver it. Our recent acquisitions have helped scale our Financial Planning capabilities.”

Ms Montague said Brooks has 23,000 individual clients and more than 1,000 IFAs. She said: “Our average advised client has around £800,000 but this figure does not tell the full story as we support a broad range of clients, from those starting out in their careers to those planning for or enjoying retirement.”

The interview with Ms Montague is in the latest issue of Financial Planning Today magazine which is available on subscription. As a taster, you can read the full interview with Ms Montague in the latest issue of Financial Planning Today Magazine by clicking on this link: Financial Planning Today Magazine. 

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