UK-based Heartwood Wealth Management has recruited Bernard Charles from Africa’s Standard Bank to take up the role of head of human resources.

While at Standard Bank Mr Charles was HR portfolio head and responsible for leading the bank’s human resources business partnering function for the front office. Prior to this, he was head of human resources at UK financial services group Jardine Lloyd Thompson.

Mr Charles’ new role focuses on the design and implementation of a tailored HR strategy through which Heartwood aims to attract and retain the talent to catalyse its next phase of development, the firm said in a statement. Mr Charles also joins Heartwood’s executive committee.

“His [Mr Charles’] recruitment rounds out our management transition, a process that was started last year and resulted in a number of senior appointments. In our view too many people in the wealth management industry talk about the importance of their people but do not reflect it in the seniority of their HR team,” said Simon Lough, Heartwood’s chief executive.

“Bernard will be a key member of our senior management, and this is reflected in his appointment to our executive committee. He is charged with helping us attract, retain and motivate real talent. This reflects our ambition to grow the business in the years ahead.”

Simon Lough has been Heartwood’s CEO since November 2008 when he replaced his brother David Lough, who became chairman.

The Lough brothers have been with the company since its inception. In 1988 David Lough joined Cripps Harries Hall as a director to work on the law firm’s finance and investment services division. He was joined at the company by his brother in 1996.

Following a demerger of the division from its parent, David Lough was appointed to the chief executive of the company, now-renamed Cripps Portfolio. After a management buy-out the company was rebranded once again as Heartwood Wealth Management.

Heartwood has offices in London and Kent, and manages and administers £1 billion ($1.6 billion) of assets.