The latest moves and appointments for wealth management roles in the UK, other parts of Europe, the Middle East and select international locations.

Quilter
London-headquartered Quilter, a wealth management firm, has appointed Justin Towlson (pictured) as head of sales for strategic growth.

Reporting to Nigel Jeffries, Quilter’s distribution director, Towlson’s remit is to develop new business opportunities for Quilter’s platform, strengthen relationships across the UK intermediary market and work closely with regional distribution teams to support advisors and clients.

Towlson previously served as regional sales manager at Wesleyan. Prior to that, he spent a lengthy tenure at Aegon progressing through various roles, most recently as sales director.

Heligan Group
UK-based Heligan Group, an investment and advisory group specialising in partnering with businesses that contribute to global safety and security, has promoted Matt Croker to partner within its corporate finance team. The appointment is the latest in a series of internal promotions at the Birmingham-based M&A advisory firm, the firm said in a statement.

Croker joined Heligan in 2019 from the M&A team at BDO; he was the first M&A advisor recruited to support the founding partners. Since joining Heligan, he has advised on 22 transactions, across different sectors, ranging from owner-managed companies through to complex mid-market work. Alongside his M&A activity, Croker served as investment director for Landguard Systems where led the business though the sale to Chemring Group Plc for £20 million ($26.71 million), delivering Heligan’s first exit from its inaugural fund.

"Matt joined us at an early stage and has been central to some of the most significant work we have done,” Simon Heath, head of corporate finance at Heligan Group, said. “His track record across M&A speaks for itself, and his work in the defence and national security sector has become one of the most active parts of our business. This promotion has been well earned."

Pillsbury
International law firm Pillsbury has hired international tax and wealth planning partner Matthew Sperry to enhance its Private Client and Family Office offering. Sperry, who is joining from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, will divide his time between the firm’s Miami, London and New York offices.

Sperry advises ultra-high net worth families, family offices, trustees and private investment platforms throughout Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Canada. He frequently serves as coordinating US counsel for internationally connected families and family offices, helping clients manage the legal, tax, governance, investment and operational issues that arise as global family capital interacts with the US. Sperry also advises clients on family office investment structures and programmes, direct investments, private equity and venture capital investments, family governance structures, private trust companies, operating businesses, succession planning and inbound US investment and pre-immigration planning. He regularly works with family offices and international families deploying capital through the US, including through direct investments, co-investments, private equity, venture capital, real estate and other strategic investment activities.

“Matthew brings a practice that sits at the intersection of private wealth, family office advisory, tax and private capital,” Nora Burke, global head of tax, said. “His arrival expands Pillsbury’s ability to serve globally connected families and reflects our commitment to building a differentiated Global Family Office & Private Wealth platform.”

Joshua Becker, co-leader of Pillsbury’s Private Client & Family Office practice, added: “Matthew’s ability to develop and maintain deep, long-lasting client relationships reflects exactly the kind of capabilities Pillsbury prides itself on offering. His experience advising international families, family offices and trustees, together with his ability to coordinate sophisticated cross-border solutions, makes him an invaluable addition to our team.”

Today, the firm’s clientele holds more than $1 trillion in private wealth globally.