Leading UK wealth manager Evelyn Partners has invested further in its revamped retail investing platform Bestinvest with a number of strategic marketing and commercial appointments.

Following his successful project management of Bestinvest’s transformation, from a conventional do-it-yourself investing platform to a hybrid proposition with best-in-class digital features and free in-person investment coaching, Oliver Plant has been appointed Head of Bestinvest.

Evelyn Partners’ Chief Marketing Officer Simonetta Rigo said: ‘It’s been an incredible year which has seen the successful relaunch of Bestinvest under Oliver’s expert guidance. Since then, we’ve been delighted with the reception of our new proposition from not just Bestinvest clients but also sectoral commentators, platform analysts and comparison services.’

Following its live launch in May, the new hybrid Bestinvest has just won the Stock & Share ISA Innovation category in Finder.com’s 2022 Investing & Saving Awards. 

Rigo added: ‘We’re continuing to make waves as people discover Bestinvest’s unique range of features and services, including the free investment coaching. Oliver and his team are really driving the project forwards, with a big focus on the app.’

As well as continuing to develop the Bestinvest proposition, and helping Simonetta Rigo lead its marketing drive, Plant has been busy building up the Bestinvest commercial team.

The following new appointments have been made[1]:

·       Martin Pezet as Head of Bestinvest Marketing: Having spent the last six years driving tremendous growth at AJ Bell Youinvest, Martin brings a wealth of industry experience across marketing channels, driving new customer acquisition, and will increase the awareness and salience among our key audience base.

·       Louise Revell as Head of Bestinvest Proposition, who joins us from global management consulting firm Oliver Wyman. With her experience of helping both traditional financial services and fintech firms to address their most pressing issues, Louise will lead the growth and further differentiation of Bestinvest.

·       Will Pointing as Bestinvest Partnerships, Performance and Pricing Manager, having undertaken similar roles in the past at NewDay, WPP and MoneySuperMarket. With his experience of running innovative fintech partnerships using performance-driven analytics, he will maximise commercial opportunities with a range of new initiatives.

Oliver Plant said: ‘It’s very exciting to welcome Louise, Will and Martin on board to develop the Bestinvest proposition and raise its profile. We believe we are offering retail investors something new, which also happens to be great value, and these appointments demonstrate not just our determination to build on its initial successes but also the wider business’s belief in Bestinvest.’

Simonetta Rigo added: ‘As a leading wealth manager with a huge financial planning reach, Evelyn Partners was already unusual in also having an execution-only investing platform in Bestinvest. Now in its transformational hybrid form, Bestinvest not only offers something for more confident investors but also provides greater support for those needing a helping hand, so it bridges the gap between DIY investing and our advised investment services. 

‘It does this by offering all clients free person-to-person investment coaching as well as one-off affordable packages of regulated advice, all of which we are hearing from Bestinvest clients really helps to clarify their goals and hone their investment strategy. Bestinvest is an essential plank in Evelyn Partners’ purpose of putting the power of good advice into more hands, and these appointments reflect the seriousness of that purpose.’