Rowan Dartington, the UK discretionary wealth manager, has appointed Steve Bridges to the newly-created role of business development manager at its Bristol office.

Bridges will head the sales and marketing team and work for the firm’s discretionary fund management arm, Signature.

With over 20 years of financial services experience, Bridges joins from The Premier Group, where he was head of regional development promoting investment products to independent financial advisors and other intermediaries. Previously, he worked for Butterfield Private Bank and Mayfair Capital Partners.

Although based in Bristol, Bridges will work predominantly in the Midlands as well as developing existing relationships in the rest of the Southwest.

“Steve brings with him a great deal of experience in terms of business development,” said chief executive Graham Coxell. “He has excellent IFA and wealth management contacts in the Southwest, which will be invaluable as we continue to grow the business,” he said.

Other new recruits this year have included Richard Campbell, who joined in March as stockbroker for the Bristol advisory team, moving from stockbrokers HB Markets, and Sasha Brown who started in February as business relationship manager, joining from Coutts.

Rowan Dartington, which has six branches and 90 staff across the South of England, oversees £750 million (around $1.1 billion) in assets under management. The firm specialises in advisory and discretionary investment management as well as offering stockbroking services.