Positive outlook for Welsh finance business following North West acquisition

A TRUSTED financial advisory firm is expanding into the North West and looking to grow its workforce following a successful acquisition.

In less than three years, Celtic Financial Planning has gone from three to nine staff delivering independent financial advice on a wide range of themes, from mortgages and insurance to pensions and investment strategies.

Led by directors Rob Lewis and Nigel Dale, the multi award-winning Mold company serves North Wales but has clients across the UK, from London to the Isle of Arran.

And in past weeks they have completed the takeover of the financial advisory arm of Widnes-based Halton Insurance Services, a move that will bring a further £20m of funds and up to 100 customers under their management.

Rob and wife Ella – also part of the team – wanted to bring a “family feel” to what is a traditionally antiquated arena, a point reinforced by alarming new figures revealing more than half of independent financial advisers operating in the UK today will retire within the next 10 years.

They have done that while securing 250% growth since launching in 2018, and there is still more to come.

“We always wanted to do things differently, to be a breath of fresh air in this industry with a more digital, technological approach,” said Rob.

“We have done that, but also retained our core beliefs, which is in treating clients the way they deserve to be treated, with honesty and transparency, as if they were a part of the family.”

He added: “That has served us well; in the beginning it was just Nigel, Ella and myself, and now we have a dynamic team of nine.

“With the exciting acquisition of what is a reputable, established firm in the North West, we are recruiting for two new members of staff and will look to hopefully add two more later in the year.”

Rob, 33, had dreams of becoming an architect as a young boy, but after joining a mortgage lender straight out of high school he designed and built an alternative career for himself.

Now marking 15 years in the financial sector, he gives back to the community as part of the North Wales Social platform and is the driving force behind the Celtic Community Network, bringing businesspeople together to share best practice, advice, and guidance, while promoting each other’s services.

Celtic Financial Planning is also key sponsor of the Cheshire and North Wales Law Society, and, during the first Coronavirus lockdown, purchased a 3D printer and began manufacturing and distributing PPE (personal protective equipment) to local schools and frontline workers.

With further expansion plans in the pipeline, he says they will continue to work through the pandemic as safely and securely as possible, while trying to support other companies when they need it most.

“Like every other industry we have had our challenges, but you just have to keep going, think outside the box and do the best you can,” he said.

“That way of thinking is going to be needed in the future, which is why we are working with others in this field to try and attract and educate the next generation of financial advisers.

“Over the next 10 years, more than half of current IFAs will be retiring; demand for advice is going up and the number of people giving advice is going down, so it’s a real crisis.”

For more information from Celtic Financial Planning, visit www.celticfp.co.uk and follow them on social media at @celtic_FP.