Anderson Strathern assets boss aims for '˜top spot'

The new chief executive of law firm Anderson Strathern's wealth management arm is looking to secure more senior hires next year as he targets a 'top spot in the Scottish market'.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Dec 2016, 09:49 BST
Updated 29th Dec 2016, 15:11 BST

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ASAM chief John Brett, left, with senior private wealth manager Shane Presley. Picture: Stewart AttwoodASAM chief John Brett, left, with senior private wealth manager Shane Presley. Picture: Stewart Attwood
ASAM chief John Brett, left, with senior private wealth manager Shane Presley. Picture: Stewart Attwood

John Brett, who was previously global head of distribution at Aberdeen Asset Management, has made his first significant appointment since taking up the top job at Anderson Strathern Asset Management (ASAM) in September by bringing in Shane Presley as senior private wealth manager.

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Presley, who joins from Close Brothers Asset Management, has more than 20 years’ financial planning experience with private clients, and said the move to ASAM was “something I could not pass up the opportunity to do”.

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He added: “With ASAM linked to the law firm and its exceptional range of clients, I am looking forward to helping our clients and ASAM realise their ambitions.”

Brett, who succeeded Alec Stewart as chief executive of ASAM, said the operation was “small enough to react quickly to a fast-changing wealth management market” but he wanted to bring in some of the best practices from larger rivals.

“There are a lot of uncertainties out there at the moment when you think about Brexit and Trump – factors that mean investment managers need to take a responsible approach to asset management, and that’s something we’re finding chimes with more and more of our client base,” he said.

“We’re also adding to the quality of the team here and guys like Shane are considered ‘gold standard’ in the industry with credentials as both a chartered wealth manager and a certified financial planner.”

He added: “We’ll be looking to make more hires at this level as we aim for a top spot in the Scottish market in 2017 and are confident we can do that by offering the best advisory services around. We’re never going to be the biggest, but we do believe we can be the best.”

ASAM manages more than £250 million of assets and employs 20 people across its offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Haddington in East Lothian.

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