Martin Brown, founder and managing partner of national IFA firm Continuum, will retire and step down at the end of August after more than a decade leading the business.

New research suggests has revealed that - for the first time - women are more likely to seek professional financial advice than men.

An intensive marketing campaign helped drive rapid growth in new assets under influence in Q1 at Plymouth-based national IFA Continuum.

National IFA Continuum, owned by M&G, saw a 17% increase in assets under influence year-on-year to £2.6bn in the first half of the year, it has revealed in its financial results.