Expanding Bath-based financial services firm Fidelius has appointed experienced wealth planner Carlton Hall to its board as the company continues its growth strategy.
Carlton, a chartered banker professional financial adviser who brings with him 27 years of experience in the financial services industry, joins from Ashcourt Rowan, where he was their top producer in terms of recurring revenues and new business. He will use his expertise to help clients benefit from the changes brought about by the Retail Distribution Review (RDR).
He will also continue to focus on financial planning for high net worth individuals, business owners and trusts, areas he has specialised in for the last decade.
Pictured: Fidelius’ senior management team. Alan Phillips, co-founder and managing director; Iain Fox, co-founder and director (pensions and employee benefits); Carlton Hall, director, and Jim Grant, chief executive
Carlton said: “I was attracted to Fidelius because of the quality of its people and strong business model. To be on its Board and to play a central role in the business is something that I am energised and excited by.
“As soon as I spoke to the senior management team at Fidelius, it was clear that we shared the same working ethos in putting the client at the centre of what we do. The industry has seen too many examples recently of businesses putting their interests before clients. Fidelius has a compelling proposition thanks to its commitment to offering clients choice, investing in the best technology and embracing RDR. I am looking forward to meeting clients and showing them just what a comprehensive wealth management service Fidelius offers.”
Carlton’s career began with a three-year stint at General Accident before he moved to pensions specialist firm NPI, where he worked with Fidelius’ chief executive Jim Grant. After working at Aegon Scottish Equitable for seven years, he became a shareholder in wealth management firm IFS Group Ltd in 2003. In 2008, IFS was sold to Ashcourt Rowan.
During his time at Ashcourt Rowan, he was managing director of two joint venture firms with accountancy firms Wilkins Kennedy Financial Management and Venthams Wealth Management.
Fidelius chief executive Jim Grant, said: “Carlton is a hugely respected wealth manager with a proven track record. One of my predictions about RDR was that it would dislocate a number of top advisers when the firms they worked for changed their propositions in response to RDR and advisers no longer believed in them. Bringing a man of Carlton’s reputation and expertise on to the Board is a statement of intent by Fidelius and I strongly believe that our client proposition will attract other similar individuals.”
Carlton joins Fidelius just weeks after two other appointments were made to its board. In January the company, which specialises in employee benefits as well as wealth management, announced that Gary McArdle and Marie Humphries had joined the firm as finance director and human resources director respectively.
