IFA specialist celebrates 50th anniversary

A leading UK specialist independent financial adviser is celebrating its 50thanniversary and announcing the first of several charity initiatives to mark the occasion.

Lowes Financial Management, whose UK headquarters are based in Newcastle upon Tyne, has had to adjust some of the planned anniversary celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic – but still intends to celebrate the milestone accordingly.

Founded by Ken Lowes in a modest office on Pilgrim Street, Newcastle in 1971, the award-winning firm has steadily grown to over 90 people with funds under management of more than £900 million. Further growth is planned for the coming years.

Ian Lowes, managing director at Lowes, said: “This is a momentous year for Lowes, and I am immensely proud to be presiding over the company that my father established fifty years ago.

“While I was too young to remember the first office in Pilgrim Street, I am very proud of the business we have become and to be among the most highly regarded IFAs in the profession.

“Not many firms get to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Neither do all firms succeed when the reins are passed from father to son. When Ken stood down and I took over as managing director in 2002, there was naturally considerable pressure on the ‘bosses’ son’ to do well.”

Two years after taking over at the helm, Ian Lowes was recognised as being among Britain’s 50 Most Influential IFA’s by national industry magazine, Professional Adviser. National awards continued to follow for the firm – with Lowes being judged by respected Money Marketing magazine to be amongst the top Investment Advisers in the UK for 10 of the last 11 years.

One major area of development, Ian has personally driven is Lowes Financial Management becoming a nationally recognised authority in structured products. “With typically 40 products being launched each month we have a dedicated team which conducts the analysis and manages the Lowes ‘Preferred’ lists and our structured product websites,” he said.

During the last decade there have been several milestones reached by the firm – including the investment and relocation to a head-office in Fernwood House (Jesmond) in 2016, formerly the national headquarters of Greggs plc; and in 2020 growing to more than 90 personnel and once again being named as Best Investment Adviser in the Money Marketing awards.

To mark 50 years in the business, Lowes has pledged to donate up to £50,000 to charity during 2021. One initiative will involve £150 being donated to a charity whenever a new client comes on board as a result of a referral from an existing client.

If a referral becomes a new client of Lowes- the firm will donate £50 to a chosen charity on behalf of the referrer, £50 on behalf of the new client and a further £50 donation on behalf of Lowes. This will result in in a total of £150 per referral to one of five chosen charities – Dementia UK, MacMillan Cancer Support, Chronicle Sunshine Fund, Plastic Oceans, and Blue Cross.

Ian Lowes said: “Lowes has regularly supported a range of charities that make a difference in the wider community. We are keen to invest in the communities in which we operate and those where our clients live and work. With the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, this has never been as important as it is now.”

In terms of what sets Lowes apart from the competition, he added: “As a leading national IFA, we are obliged to offer the best solutions available to our clients, but we often go one step further and help conceive and create new, improved investments and financial planning solutions for our clients and the wider advice community.  Beyond this, we constantly strive to exceed client expectations and doing so leads to a steady flow of referrals.

“Looking ahead to the future, we will continue to grow the business, but we will not be making dramatic changes. You can be sure that we will maintain our family culture and the quality of advice and service for which Lowes is renowned.”