Last Updated on: 25th February 2025, 11:46 am
Huddersfield-based financial firm, Simpson Wood Financial Services Ltd, has been ranked as one of the UK’s top financial advice firms by the Financial Times.
The FT Adviser Top 100 list, an esteemed annual ranking, evaluates the country’s leading financial advisory firms based on a comprehensive set of data-driven criteria. Simpson Wood has achieved an impressive 11th place, surpassing major industry names such as NatWest, Barclays Group, and Quilter Financial Planning.
Shaun Wood, Managing Director of Simpson Wood, expressed his excitement about the firm’s inclusion in the list, attributing it to the company’s progressive 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 introduced its discretionary asset management model in July 2023, offering a more agile and responsive way of managing client portfolios. By reshaping traditional asset management structures, the firm ensures that its investment strategies can better adapt to economic fluctuations and market trends. Shaun believes this enhanced level of flexibility has been instrumental in delivering strong results.
“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.”
Investment performance comparisons consistently show Simpson Wood outperforming well-established competitors such as 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.”
Founded in 1880 by Fred Lockwood in Moldgreen, Simpson Wood has been an integral part of Huddersfield’s financial history. The firm relocated to Bank Chambers on Market Street in 1913, a building that once housed the Huddersfield Stock Exchange. More than 140 years later, the firm continues to operate from the same premises, maintaining strong connections to the local business community. Shaun takes pride in Simpson Wood’s long-standing support for Yorkshire businesses and views this latest recognition as further proof that combining deep-rooted expertise with a fresh, dynamic approach leads to success.
“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!”
