Brockworth-based investment specialist Blackfinch has bolstered its business development team with the hire of two senior business development managers.

Both joining from Heartwood Investment Management, Chris Whittingham and Paul Rose will work to promote both Blackfinch Investment and Blackfinch Asset Management products and services to their many adviser contacts across the country.

With more than 40 years of experience working in the Intermediary sector, including more than 30 years with the Zurich Intermediary Group, Mr Whittingham will operate predominantly in the South East, helping local Advisers to bring 'new and different solutions' to their clients.

He said: "Blackfinch offers a truly innovative and competitive range of tax and investment products, and I am looking forward to working with advisors to enable them to provide new and different solutions to their clients."

Paul Rose, who also boasts more than 35 years' strategic experience working in the UK and Swedish Intermediary markets with firms including Zurich Intermediary Group and Novia Financial, also joins the team with immediate effect, working predominantly with clients in the North West.

Attracted to Blackfinch because of its focus on the adviser market and its tax and investment products, he said: "I'm extremely excited to now have this opportunity to introduce Blackfinch to my Adviser contacts across the North West.

"The company's environment, social and governance values, and the breadth and depth of its assets under management, will provide opportunities for them to deliver quality solutions to their clients and help them develop new lines of business, especially via their own professional connections."

The Gloucester Business Park headquartered business, which has more than £500 million in assets under management and administration, focuses on tax-efficient investments, including Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS) and Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), and inheritance tax (IHT) mitigation services.

Jerry Price, chief distribution officer at Blackfinch, said: "This is an exciting time for the Blackfinch Group, having grown our assets under management by more than £150 million over the past year, and having undergone a total rebrand to reflect our commitment to our environment, social and governance values.

"Both Chris and Paul bring a wealth of experience to the team and we are delighted to welcome them onboard.

"Their existing networks across the regions in which they are based means we are now able to strengthen our ability to create meaningful relationships with, and to deliver value through our own expertise and high-quality service to yet more advisors."