The latest moves and appointments in wealth management in the UK, the rest of Europe, the Middle East and other select locations.

Invesco
Invesco, an asset manager, has announced that Bethany Shard has been promoted to deputy fund manager on the Invesco UK Opportunities Fund and the Invesco UK Equity Fund. She is joining lead manager, Martin Walker, in the management of the funds.

She joined the Invesco UK Equities team in February 2020 as an analyst, having joined Invesco’s Finance & Corporate Strategy function in January 2019. Previously she worked at Ernst &Young, the firm said in a statement.

Martin Walker, head of UK equities at Invesco, said: “This promotion is in recognition of the significant contribution and commitment made by Bethany, over the last three years.” 

“She is a valued member of the UK equities team and has played an integral part in the success of the funds. This move is both a natural and logical progression and part of our commitment to developing talent from within the business,” he added.

PKF Smith Cooper
Midlands-based accountancy and advisory firm PKF Smith Cooper has recruited Dean Castledine to the new role of private client director, as the firm expands its tax advisory division and private client services.  

Castledine brings 20 years of experience and expertise in private client tax advisory services to PKF Smith Cooper, the firm said in a statement. He began his career working for HMRC and has since occupied several roles in the Midlands, including a position at accounting firm RSM. Before joining PKF Smith Cooper, he was private client senior manager at Shorts Chartered Accountants for seven years, the firm added.

Gary Devonshire, tax advisory partner at PKF Smith Cooper, said: “Dean’s key areas of focus will include IHT and will planning, trust and family investment company establishment, pre-sale tax planning, school and university fee planning, and property and personal investment company planning.” 

Quilter Cheviot
Quilter Cheviot has appointed Sarah Osato as an investment manager within its charities team.

Osato will be responsible for managing charity investment portfolios, as well as working alongside the rest of the team in building new relationships with charities and promoting the Quilter Cheviot Global Income & Growth Fund for Charities.

Reporting to head of charities, William Reid, she has joined from tax recovery specialists WTax, where she worked as head of partnerships. Osato has also worked in the asset management industry at Anchor Capital, where she began her career as an equity research analyst, before progressing to portfolio manager, the firm said in a statement.

Quilter Cheviot’s charities team currently provides investment services to over 650 charitable organisations and since 2020 has run the Quilter Cheviot Global Income & Growth Fund for Charities. The charity authorised investment fund invests across all assets and is designed to make accessing investments for charities less onerous and costly.

Osato’s hire follows other recent appointments at Quilter Cheviot, including that of Oswald Oduntan, who joined the Managed Portfolio Service team as an investment manager in March, the firm said.

Quilter oversees £99.6 billion in customer investments (as at 31 December 2022). The business has two branded segments. Quilter encompasses the financial planning businesses, Quilter Financial Planning, the Quilter investment platform and Quilter Investors, the multi-asset investment solutions business. Quilter Cheviot includes the discretionary fund management business, Quilter Cheviot, together with Quilter Private Client Advisers.