Quilter, a unit of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, has made a trio of regional appointments as part of plans to strengthen its UK presence this year.

Investment managers Colin Wickens and Matthew Gilman – latterly of Brewin Dolphin – have joined the firm’s Liverpool office. Serving clients in north Wales and the northwest of England, the pair will report to Richard Thorn, head of the northern office.

Meanwhile, Michael Moss has joined the Salisbury team as regional sales manager to cover the southern region and build links with IFAs looking to outsource aspects of their investment management – a growing trend related to the increased regulatory costs associated with the UK regulator’s Retail Distribution Review reforms.