Client Testimonials

Rob Taylor

Up until a couple of years ago, Rob Taylor had given little thought to financial advice or investments: “I’d never had enough money!” he says.

But that changed when he decided it was time to move on from his job with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the organisation offered him a financial package that made that possible.

Rob, who lives in London, was keen to take independent financial advice and was put in touch with Birchwood Investment Management by the outplacement agency with whom he was working. He met Birchwood’s Trevor Simms for an “extremely helpful” initial discussion about his financial position and medium and long-term aims, which were not entirely straightforward.

He says: “At that stage, I was unclear whether I wanted to go into full-time employment or self-employment, so I needed to think about how much I could lock away for four or five years when I also need a certain guaranteed monthly income.”

For their second meeting, Trevor produced a report detailing suggestions for how Rob could best achieve both the income he needed and invest for long-term financial security. Rob says: “Again, the meeting was helpful and in a language I could understand - I didn’t want to put my signature to anything without being clear about what I was doing.”

Rob’s investments were set up efficiently and effectively by Birchwood and he keeps in touch with their performance through a quarterly report on his portfolio. He also finds Birchwood’s regular newsletters and monthly e-digest “clear, and very useful”.

He has since gone back to Birchwood for further investment advice and support. Rob explains: “I am now working as an independent education and training consultant, which has gone much more successfully than I anticipated. My initial financial predictions were over-pessimistic and the guaranteed monthly income I originally wanted is not strictly necessary.

“That meant I had additional funds to invest, so in March 2007 I met with Trevor again, at the Birchwood offices, and again received very clear suggestions about what I might do, which were effectively and quickly implemented. I also talked to them in general terms about mortgage advice, and am about to go back and move forward on that front.”

Rob adds: “I like the style and scale of the whole Birchwood enterprise – it’s not a massive corporation and I have the sense that more people at Birchwood know my portfolio than they would in a large organisation. They are both approachable and experienced.”