Shalton will join the UK-based firm on 1 September from Bluefin Wealth Management. Earlier in her career, she established her own financial planning practice, which she sold to Bluefin in 2007.

Guardian said that it is focusing its efforts on opportunities in the UK market, after having built up a presence in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. It will open the doors to new UK headquarters in Cardiff this month and hopes to hire 136 certified financial planners in the next five years. The firm’s previous head office was in Doncaster.

“The UK has unlimited potential and we are eager to develop these new opportunities and create a blueprint for financial planning practice,” said chief executive David Howell.