Acumen Financial Planning has grown its presence in the West of Scotland with the opening of a new office in Glasgow.
The team, made up of 12 financial planning experts, made the move to the West End location following significant growth through and after the pandemic.
Laura Crowe, the Regional Manager heading up the new Glasgow office points out that the firm has had a presence in Glasgow since 2017, when Acumen acquired Forty-Two Financial Planning.
That gave the Aberdeenshire-headquartered firm an office in the Southside of Glasgow.
“Our West of Scotland client base has grown steadily to the point where a larger and more central office was clearly in order,” Crowe says.
The move, in November 2022, was also a timely response to the firm’s acquisition the previous year of the award-winning wealth management practice, Loch Fyne Financial.
That acquisition brought the firm five new members of staff, including Certified Financial Planner Jackie Coyne, Financial Planner Paul Ross, Client Services Manager Lisa Hodgson and Technical Support, Joanne McIntyre.
The founding director of Loch Fyne Financial, Douglas McIntyre retired from the business in May of this year.
Commenting on the new office opening, Crowe said: “This highlights a significant and exciting time for the business. Having a presence within the cities in which we operate is so important, as it enables us to offer clients a space where they can access bespoke, high-quality financial planning advice.
“We are finding more than ever in recent years, that after the pandemic, clients really appreciate face-to-face advice. We have had a great response from existing clients to the new office,” Crowe comments.
“Loch Fyne is a well-known Glasgow firm. They moved into the office that we vacated in Glasgow Southside, we are now in the process of amalgamating the staff that came across to us.
Acumen is one of the leading independent financial planning firms is the UK and has a well-established reputation in Aberdeenshire and Edinburgh and is becoming increasingly well-known in Glasgow.
“Much of our new business is built on client referrals and we have gained significant new clients in recent months, and the move gives us the space and opportunity to expand the business. The firm has grown rapidly since we came out of COVID. We have been taking on new staff as well and are growing fast.”
Chartered Financial Planner Crowe says that the acquisitions, combined with the firm’s natural growth, and future ambitions means that although much of her time is taken up supporting the team and business development, this in turn has resulted in current recruitment campaigns for more experienced financial experts to join the team.
“Fortunately, we have a real strength of skills in the office, with very experienced and knowledgeable financial planners and client relationship managers, so I can focus on making sure that we provide the highest standards of service to clients,” she comments.
Of course, the last few years, since the onset of the pandemic and with the turmoil in the markets caused by rising inflation and ongoing global conflicts, have created some difficult market conditions. However, Crowe points out that the firm emphasises the importance to clients of taking the long term view.
“Many of our clients have been with us for many years. They understand the cyclical nature of markets and know to look through day-to-day headlines. We make sure that we help new clients to take a longer-term, strategic view of investing. It can be an educational process and it is about being realistic as to one’s expectations about returns.
"One of the goals of proper financial planning is to ensure that clients plan ahead. It’s about understanding the client’s long-term goals and being realistic about what is required from the investment strategy to achieve those goals.”
Planning ahead means that clients have flexibility so that they are not forced to cash in investments when markets are underperforming.
In addition to helping clients achieve their personal financial goals, within the group, Acumen also provides a range of employee benefits services to companies through Acumen Employee Benefits, which as Crowe points out that this can be a particularly challenging area for many small to medium-sized businesses.
“As well as putting together options that have real appeal to each and every staff member, organisations want to ensure that the final benefits package is in line with the cultural values of the company.
“The key point to bear in mind is that you are trying to meet several objectives simultaneously. You want great buy-in from staff to the benefits package. You want your organisational values reflected and you want to ensure that you are getting value for money,” Crowe comments.
The benefits market is huge, with a multitude of different options. Companies need to be sure that the benefits spend that they end up with, is within what management regards as a reasonable budget.
“There is a real focus, post-COVID, on firms and ultimately their employees, getting value for money.”
In addition to this offering, the group also provides financial advice to younger clients through SpringGen Advice, Specialist NHS pension and retirement advice through their Medical & Dental division and specialist tax consultancy Enrich Tax Consultancy.
“We are in a great position to help clients and companies and offer a full range of financial advice across different specialist areas. With Acumen Financial Planning, recently celebrating its 21st year in business, its offering and commitment to clients is firmly on the map in Glasgow for the next 21 years and beyond.” she says.
This article was brought to you in Association with Acumen Financial Planning
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