Ascentric Wrap expands IFA support team
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Ascentric, the whole of market Wrap Provider, is pleased to announce three new appointments that further strengthen the new business and transition teams providing support to new and existing IFA users of the platform.
David Hoare – has been appointed as Business Development Manager for the Midlands and East Anglia. David has worked in the Financial Services industry for 21 years with some of the UK's leading providers and has an in-depth knowledge of all IFA sectors and product markets. David will be responsible for developing new business with IFAs across the Midlands and East Anglia, supported by Ann Marie Baker, the Training and Relationship Manager for the region.
Sarah Stephens – Training and Relationship Manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland. Sarah has over 9 years financial services experience,encompassing 3 years as a Business Manager and latterly as a Relationship and Account manager within the Intermediary sector. Since 2006, Sarah has been looking after high net worth accounts in Scotland, which provides her with the knowledge and experience to assist IFAs deliver a quality Wrap service for high net worth clients.
Vicki Cooper – Training and Relationship Manager for the North England. Vicki has 12 years experience in the financial services sector with a background in IFA Support, IT & Customer Services with a major life company. Her knowledge of the IFA market, Wrap implementation and project management will offer Ascentric users in the north, valuable assistance in developing a Wrap based business.
Both Sarah and Vicki will provide Ascentric training and assistance for IFA practises in their respective regions and support these IFAs during the transition period. Vicki will also support Steve Spruce; Business Development Manager in the North and Sarah will support Stuart Walker in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Michael Fordham, Business Development Director, said, "We have been delighted with the high calibre of the people that have joined the business to support our IFA users and feel that we are well positioned to continue to go from strength to strength. Our national coverage enables IFAs across the UK to be assured that they will receive the support they expect when using the Ascentric Wrap to develop their business."
-ENDS-
For further information please contact:
Ascentric
Michael Fordham
Business Development Director
E-mail: michael.fordham@ascentric.co.uk
Tel: 0207 553 9170
Mobile: 07718538541
Notes to Editors:
About Ascentric
Ascentric and Fundsdirect are the trading names of Investment Funds Direct Limited.
Investment Funds Direct Limited was founded in 1982, and Fundsdirect launched as the UK's first online fund supermarket in December 1999. Since that time, the company has built on their reputation as a leading UK fund supermarket to provide Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) with a Wrap service under the brand name of Ascentric.
Ascentric is a whole of market Wrap service, available exclusively to IFAs and offers a fully integrated online investment management and dealing platform. It also enables IFAs to transfer their clients' assets onto a single platform to provide them with the ability to manage their client's financial needs in just one place. This is obviously a considerable enhancement to the existing, time-consuming practice of IFAs introducing their clients to a number of different product providers.
In October 2007, a majority holding of Investment Funds Direct Group Limited was acquired by Royal London Group.
For further information about Ascentric and Fundsdirect, please visit either www.ascentric.co.uk or www.fundsdirect.co.uk
Royal London Group is a specialist financial service provider. Its businesses focus on those sectors of the market which value premium propositions, operating through a number of brands:
- Scottish Life – UK pensions market
- Bright Grey – UK protection market
- Scottish Life International – offshore investment markets
- Scottish Provident International – offshore investment markets
- RLAM – fund management
- RLAS – life and pensions administration
- Fundsdirect / Ascentric – funds supermarket; Wrap Platform
Royal London is one of the stronger life and pension companies in the UK, and has a strong track record for with-profits performance.
Royal London is the largest mutual life and pensions company in the UK with Group funds under management of £32.6 billion. Group businesses serve around three million customers and employ 2,630 people (figures quoted are as at 31 March 2008).