Heartwood’s new proposition targets advisors looking to outsource the investment management elements of their business ahead of the implementation of the UK regulator’s Retail Distribution Review programme of reforms at the start of 2013.

Rockcliffe, who is now based in Heartwood’s London office, was most recently sales director at SEI Investments, where he was responsible for implementing the firm’s asset management distribution strategy within the intermediary, private banking and corporate pensions markets. Before this he worked as a business strategy consultant and was enlisted by Octopus Investments to develop its distribution strategy and launch its new discretionary fund management service.

Heartwood, like a number of other UK firms, is seeking to win business from advisors which are looking to outsource investment management capabilities in order to focus on more “face time” with clients.

“Heartwood’s investment proposition has been designed to meet the needs of some of the wealthiest and most sophisticated investors in the country, and Mark’s experience of the IFA landscape will be invaluable in enabling Heartwood to extend these investment management capabilities to a wider client audience,” said Guy Hudson, head of client services and distribution at Heartwood.