Kevin Doran has been appointed as chief investment officer and managing director at AJ Bell Investments, a provider of online pension, investment and stockbroker services.

The Office of Tax Simplification is calling for radical simplification of VAT including a move to bring nearly all businesses inside the VAT system.

Customers of the Financial Planning arm of London-based PK Group will be able to manage their own assets via an automated platform and gain access to previously unavailable products.

West Midlands-based Financial Planning firm Newell Palmer has made its fifth acquisition of 2017, buying the Wolverhampton-based Treble Investments LLP, and is planning further acquisitions.

Wealth manager and Financial Planning firm Tilney has appointed Andrew Kirk as a Financial Planner as it continues a recruitment drive.

The acquisitive Financial Planning business Succession Group has added £400m in funds under management with two acquisitions - Scottish Chartered Financial Planners AFS and Manchester and Stratford-upon-Avon based Inspire Wealth Management.

UK investors are expecting an average annual return of 8.7% on their investments over the next five years, according to fund manager Schroders which warns that these expectations are unrealistic.

Thesis Asset Management has launched an ‘acquisition strategy’ with the purchase of Cambridge Fund Managers (CFM), a Bath-based discretionary investment manager with £30m in funds under management.

North West Chartered Financial Planner Clarion Wealth has expanded into a new 5,600 square, foot three-storey headquarters in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, due to growing demand for the firm’s ‘lifelong’ approach to Financial Planning.

Parmenion, the DFM and platform technology provider, has cut its initial fee and initial dealing charges to zero for all new business and top ups, it announced today.