Oxford: Charles Stanley boosts team at Botley office

Wealth manager Charles Stanley has expanded its Oxford office with a raft of new hires. Ian Brookes has just joined as a financial planner from Critchley’s Financial Planning, where he worked for 16 years. Prior to that, he worked at Misys IFA Services/Sesame Network. He will be advising clients across the full spectrum of their financial planning needs.

Brookes' appointment follows that of James Huntington who joined as a paraplanner in June 2018 from McGrath Rathbone, where he worked for six and a half years. He covered all aspects of technical paraplanning, while also overseeing a team of junior paraplanners and financial administrators. He previously worked at Jelf Financial Planning and Zurich Intermediary Group.

Andrew Meigh, managing director of financial planning at Charles Stanley, said:  “I am delighted to welcome Ian to the team, who together with James, will significantly enhance our ability to work with individuals and families looking for help in managing their financial planning needs, both in the immediate and the longer term.  People are realising that they can never start planning for their and their family’s future early enough and want high-quality advice for increasingly complex areas such as retirement planning, long-term care, school fees, winding up businesses, estate planning or inheritance tax mitigation.”

In addition, David Hamilton-Stubber and Luke Horvath were also appointed to the investment management team.  The former re-joined Charles Stanley in June 2018 as investment manager. He was previously a partner covering holistic wealth management at St James’ Place where he worked for two years, before deciding to focus fully on investment management again. Prior to that, he worked in the Charles Stanley Newbury office for over 22 years, before its successful integration with the Oxford office. 

Horvath joined as a trainee investment adviser in July 2018 having relocated from Warwick, where he worked for Redmayne Bentley and completed the CISI Level 6 Certificate in Private Client Investment Advice & Management. He is currently studying towards the CISI Masters in Wealth Management to become a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments.

Simon Scott-White, branch manager of Charles Stanley Oxford, added: “The appointment of Ian, James, David and Luke reflects the fact that 2018 has been another year of progress at Charles Stanley Oxford. The growth of our team across financial planning and investment management further emphasises our ability to meet all our clients’ personal and investment goals, and cements our position as one of the largest wealth managers in Oxford, supporting private clients, charities and professionals throughout Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Berkshire.”