WAY Group, a UK private financial services business, says it is bucking a national trend of financial companies’ staff cuts by adding to its sales force to increase its penetration of the UK independent financial advisory sector.

Rod Smith, a chartered financial planner, joins as regional sales manager for London. Mr Smith joined the investment industry in 1988 and has extensive experience of IFA sales in London with Sun Life and AXA. Peter Atkins, meanwhile, takes on responsibility for the South and South East. He has worked in sales and marketing roles for leading investment houses and life companies, latterly with Canada Life.

WAY’s North East region will be managed by Les Lamb who joins from Isle of Man Assurance Company.

“By taking on additional sales personnel we can increase our reach within the IFA community which will in turn benefit from being able to deliver to clients what they clearly want and need,” said WAY Group’s head of sales Eddie O’Gorman.

“And smaller geographic responsibility will allow our sales managers to provide better service to their local IFA contacts,” he said.