HUDDERSFIELD, UK. February 25th, 2025 – Huddersfield financial advice firm, Simpson Wood Financial Services Ltd, has been named as one of the best financial advice firms in the UK by the Financial Times.
The FT Adviser Top 100 is a prestigious annual list that compares the UK’s top 100 financial advice firms based on a specialist data-led set of criteria. Simpson Wood has been ranked 11th on the list of 100, beating household names such as Natwest, Barclays Group and Quilter Financial Planning.
Shaun Wood, Managing Director of Simpson Wood, said he is delighted to have received the accolade and says it is a ringing endorsement of the firm’s forward-thinking approach.
“We’re thrilled to have received this recognition and see it as a direct consequence of the discretionary asset management model we’ve introduced at Simpson Wood,” he said. “It’s a more dynamic approach than is taken by the vast majority of firms and it underpins our commitment to consistently providing exceptional results for our clients.”
Simpson Wood launched its discretionary asset management model in July 2023 to allow greater reactivity in managing client assets. It turns traditional portfolio management on its head in the way it groups and manages assets which, in turn, allows asset managers to be more reactive to markets and outside forces on a more consistent basis. Shaun says the impressive performance that this yields is the consequence of a more dynamic process.
“We knew our approach to looking after clients had to be built around the underlying asset growth set against benchmark. That simply had to be the cornerstone,” says Shaun. “This led to the launch of discretionary wealth portfolios in 2023 and we haven’t looked back since. The results speak for themselves.”
A comparison of Simpson Wood’s investment-returns consistently shows the firm beating traditional big hitters such as and Brown Shipley and Blackfinch Asset Management.
“So many people are losing out on better returns simply because of the model of asset management used by many of the bigger firms. It’s a model that doesn’t allow asset managers to be truly active in their decision-making or as responsive as we are able to be to fast-moving economic and political events,” says Shaun. “It adds up to a lot of missed opportunities for clients’ wealth, which is a real shame.”
Simpson Wood have been part of Huddersfield since 1880 when the original founder, Fred Lockwood, established the firm in Moldgreen. In 1913, they moved to Bank Chambers in Market Street, which was also the site of the old Huddersfield Stock Exchange. Simpson Wood still operates from these premises today and its history is part of the story of Huddersfield. Shaun says he is proud of the part the firm has played in the town’s history and the way Simpson Wood has supported Yorkshire businesses for more than 140 years. He says this latest accolade is recognition that generations of knowledge and expertise combined with a dynamic, fresh approach is a winning combination when it comes to getting great results.
“It just goes to show that being a giant or even global household name is no guarantee of high performance. We’re committed to being continually proactive in a responsible way with our clients’ investment so they can gain the maximum potential from their portfolios. Getting this recognition from the FT is the icing on the cake and a great start to what’s shaping up to be a super 2025!”