A Chepstow-based financial planning and wealth management firm has launched Wales’ first independent investment business as it reaches 10 years in business.

Bartholomew Hawkins, has launched its discretionary fund management business.

Managing director Richard Lord said: “This is a culmination of nearly five and a half years of planning. We finalised these plans to launch the discretionary fund management arms two years ago. We saw it as the natural evolution of the firm. We want to service clients from around the world here in Wales. That’s the ambition.”

Mr Lord, who runs the firm along with co-director Ian Davies, was speaking at the 10-year anniversary dinner held at Restaurant James Sommerin in Penarth.

He said: “We felt it necessary to grow the business by bringing high skilled employment to the country, and the logical route was to challenge the London firms who are simply based based in Wales. By becoming Wales’ first independent fund management firm we hope to attract and develop the top talent right here in Cardiff.”

The new arm of the business will result in employment of a team of 18 across the next two years. Senior employees have already been appointed with further support and administrative posts to be outlined later this year.

The anniversary dinner was attended by more than 70 people including Business Minister Edwina Hart:

Bartholomew Hawkins secured a grant from the Welsh Government of £180,000, which will be used to recruit and develop staff for the new discretionary fund management arm of the business.