Oval acquires high net worth financial specialist

Oval has acquired Shropshire-based high net worth financial specialists Wills & Partners.

Wills specialises in independent investment advice and is made up of a team of seven financial services professionals who will be joining the Oval FS division, and linking to Oval’s insurance broking operation in Birmingham.

Peter Osborne, one of the directors at Wills & Partners will spearhead the launch of a discretionary management service which will form the key element of Oval’s strategic plans to separate the advice process from the management of capital in 2009.

Osborne said: “We are absolutely delighted to be joining Oval. Although we began our talks prior to the current economic situation fully taking hold, we are very pleased that Oval shares Wills’ philosophy regarding the current volatility and feels incredibly well placed to deal with the coming year.

"We intend to work together to put plans in place to be able to provide clients with the most comprehensive, most strategic and above all most reliable advice possible.”

Head of Oval’s financial services division Steven Mitchell added: “We are very pleased to welcome Wills to the Oval Financial Services team.

"This move will bolster Oval’s ability, not only to provide advice on investment but also to interact with our carefully selected investment partners. I look forward to working closely with the Wills team to take the Oval Financial Services offering forward.”