Finance Awards 2019

30 | SME NEWS - Finance Awards 2019 JM Finn is a privately owned wealth management firm, focused on helping private clients manage their wealth so that they are prepared, from a financial perspective, when a significant life event may occur. Dedicated to a client-focused approach since its inception, we took a closer look at this company to find out more. Wealth Management Firm of the Year 2019 - England & Wales JM Finn Since their inception in 1945, JM Finn has managed countless investment portfolios for individuals. Today, with over 18,000 clients, the firm is now a very successful business based on building long-standing relationships with each and every individual they work with. Their mission is quite simple: to look after their clients’ wealth so they can focus on nurturing their passions, whatever they may be. Ever since John Mendl Finn received his stockbroking license, he founded a company dedicated to serving a client first and foremost. For him, and for the firm today, there are three key ingredients needed to become a valued and trusted manager of an individual’s personal wealth: a willingness to develop a personal relationship with those who entrust their wealth to them, an ability to understand their investment needs and the capability to use all the resources at their disposal to try and meet those needs. Regularly surveying clients provides JM Finn staff with the assurance that their clients are happy and safe. Revenue continues to rise year on year, with JM Finn believing the cause is the most obvious reward for their client-focused attitude. While a number of firms looked into, and swiftly developed ‘robo-advisors’ for their clients, JM Finn made the decision to ensure that when contacted, clients would talk to a real person. Quite apart from differentiating themselves from the competition, it meant that when clients got in contact, they knew there was someone who could discuss their individual situation at the end of the line. This is not to say that JM Finn is against technological advances, with the investment in the award- winning online portal for clients proving very useful. Looking ahead is crucial in this sort of business. It can be hard to predict what will come next, with so many variables playing out. The JM Finn staff sit on various industry bodies and committees, so that the firm can keep at the forefront of legal changes, developments and regulation. They are also proactive in engaging with the private client industry, holding lunch and learn sessions with other private client firms such as solicitors and accountants. This helps build relationships as well as getting to grips with the key issues their clients face, which in turn may well impact JM Finn’s clients. The nature of clients is changing too. Alongside a rise in passive investments and the need for more sustainable investing, there is the biggest wealth transfer in history on the horizon. JM Finn have taken actions on this, noting that the baby boomer generation needs to seek help when it comes to wealth transfer because of poor education on this front. A wealth planning proposition designed to help existing clients was developed over several years, and now JM Finn find themselves having conversations about this tricky aspect of their clients’ finances. Having just opened a new regional branch to satisfy demand, it seems that JM Finn are in a great deal of demand. Their move towards more local shops reflects their clientele’s shift towards being more local generally. It is hoped that JM Finn will be able to attract some new high-quality investment managers to assist in the expansion of the firm. This attitude of growth reflects both a desire to serve clients better and to grow the already large firm into something even bigger. Knowing more about your wealth can be a daunting prospect, but the personalised approach of JM Finn makes it a joy. Contact: Oliver Tregoning Company: JM Finn Website: www.jmfinn.com / www.jmfinn.com/ wealth-across-generations Telephone: 020 7600 1660