Nucleus, the Edinburgh-based IFA wrap platform in which Sanlam has a minority stake, has appointed Stuart Geard as managing director.

Geard is currently finance director for Sanlam UK and an executive committee member for Sanlam Investments and Pensions. Geard’s career has been split between the UK and South Africa, and before relocating to the UK in 2005 he worked for Sanlam’s corporate finance division in Cape Town for five years.

Geard has already worked with Nucleus for several years an a non-executive director and he is in fact a board member of most of Sanlam Group’s other businesses in the UK. Additionally, he has served as chairman of Nucleus’ audit and risk committee since mid-2009.

On taking up his new position next month Geard will report to Nucleus’ founder and chief executive David Ferguson. Geard’s new Edinburgh-based role will see him assume responsibility for the day-to-day management of Nucleus, along with spearheading its ongoing expansion plans.

Nucleus has certainly stepped up its growth in recent times. Last month the firm added its 135^th member firm in the shape of Devon-based IFA DQS Financial Management, and the Nucleus network recently hit £4 billion ($6.4 billion) in assets under administration.