SG Hambros Bank, part of SG Private Banking, has further extended its UK regional presence by opening a Manchester office, a move which follows the firm’s launch of operations in Yorkshire in March this year.

The new office based in Manchester's Spinningfields development will provide wealth management services to HNW individuals based in Manchester and the Northwest of England, with particular focus on advising the region’s business community and private clients on investment growth, liquidity and tax issues.

Heading up the new office is senior private banker Anne Taylor, who prior to joining SG Hambros was head of private wealth management in Manchester for UK private bank Kleinwort Benson.

The Northwest of England is expected to become the third highest income-generating area of the UK, owing to the rapid growth of cities such as Manchester and the region’s growing ranks of affluent entrepreneurs. The launch of the Manchester office is the next step in SG Hambros’ regional expansion and furthers its aim to develop a more visible presence in the Northwest, the firm said in a statement.

In addition to SG Hambros’ growth in the UK, SG Private Banking is pursuing expansion plans in its domestic French market and opened a private banking centre in Lille in March this year.

SG Private Banking, the wealth management arm of French bank Société Générale, operates in 21 countries and has a global alliance with Rockefeller & Co. SG Private Banking’s assets under management stood at €67.9 billion ($94.9 billion) at the end of March 2009.