Barclays Wealth & Investment Management has bolstered its UK capabilities with a series of hires and promotions.

The UK's Barclays Wealth & Investment Management has made a flurry of appointments in the South of England, and one in the Midlands, to cater to growing demand for local wealth management services.

The expansion follows the release of Barclays’ latest entrepreneurs index, which identified entrepreneur-led wealth creation to be on the rise in southern UK. 

In the Midlands, Samantha Bradford, who has previously worked at HSBC, Duncan Lawrie Private Bank and Charles Stanley, has been hired as a wealth planner covering the South Midlands. She will provide financial and wealth structuring advice to high net worth investors in areas including Milton Keynes, Northampton, Warwickshire, Leicestershire and Birmingham.

Gavi Tomkins, who has been a relationship manager at Barclays Premier Banking for over 25 years, has been promoted to private banker in Devon and Cornwall. Elsewhere in the South West, Dan Gordon has been promoted to private banker in Bristol after eight years as a premier manager at the group.

In the South East, Caspar Speake has been promoted from private banking executive to private banker in Barclays' Guildford office. Meanwhile, Richard Wallace, who previously worked in Barclays' retail division, has been promoted to private banker in Reading. 

Lastly, Emma Leach has been promoted from private bank executive to private banker. Based in Ipswich, Leach will cover the regions of Suffolk and North Essex.

“At Barclays we are constantly looking to build out our business based on the demands of our local clients,” said the director of Barclays Wealth and Investment Management in the South, Ben Gulliford.

“With these changes we are confident we will be able to offer better support and expert advice to our high net worth clients across the South on everything from entrepreneurs looking to take the next step with their business, to families seeking support on inheritance and succession planning.” 

Barclays currently operates from ten offices in Southern England. Last month, the London-listed group reported a 14 per cent pre-tax income growth in its core business, which includes wealth management, over the first quarter of 2015.