Matthews to net £2m profit on Scots home

NOT only will Trevor Matthews walk away from Standard Life with a package thought to be worth around £1.6 million, he's also set to make a bucketload of cash from the sale of his Edinburgh home.

Matthews, who quit as chief executive of the company's life and pensions business in January, has his family home in one of the capital's more salubrious areas on the market for offers over 3.5 million.

The Australian bought the detached Victorian villa for not much more than 1m after moving from Japan in 2004. The property, being marketed by Knight Frank, "boasts a fine array of original features including exquisite Scottish Baronial thistle cornicing and original black marble fireplaces". Anyone interested?

And despite trying to sell in the middle of the credit crunch, Matthews should make a tidy profit of at least 2m. But the chances are the house could go for well over 4m, if he gets 25 per cent over the asking price.

How many Standard Life policyholders have a return like that to look forward to on their investments?

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