Craven Street Capital (CSC), the London based corporate finance business, is pleased to announce the launch of Craven Street Wealth, its wealth management business. As part of the launch of Craven Street Wealth, the firm has acquired Canterbury based Kreston Reeves Financial Planning and London based Christchurch Investment Management to create a wealth management and financial planning group with approximately £850 million of assets under management and advice.
Kreston Reeves Financial Planning (KRFP) has been a subsidiary of leading accounting firm Kreston Reeves for the last 20 years, having been established over 30 years ago. Under the terms of the acquisition, KRFP will continue to operate with the same branding under a brand licence for up to 2 years. All staff will continue in the business, offering the same successful client proposition to clients. In particular, the management team comprising David Hurst, Julia Parsons, Tom Barnett and Tim Maakestad will remain as directors of the business. KRFP and Kreston Reeves will form a joint venture to continue to offer financial planning services to shared clients. KRFP has 26 members of staff operating from offices in Canterbury, Horsham, Chatham, London and Sandwich.
Christchurch Investment Management has been developed by Managing Director, Anthony Walters, over the last 20 years. The business operates from offices in the City of London and provides financial planning and discretionary fund management services to clients. The 9 person team will remain with the business, which will continue to use the Christchurch Investment Management brand. Founder Anthony Walters and Director David Thornberry will remain on the board of the company.
Funding for the transactions is being provided by Shawbrook Bank, the leading challenger bank. Ashfords LLP advised CSC in respect of debt facilities and the acquisition of Kreston Reeves Financial Planning. RSW Law advised CSC in respect of the acquisition of Christchurch Investment Management. Soondra Appavoo, Matthew Ritchie and Donald Sinton of Craven Street Capital will join the boards of both KRFP and Christchurch Investment Management.
Management
Craven Street Capital Wealth Management will be overseen by our dedicated team:
Tom Barnett
Managing Director of Craven Street Wealth & Kreston Reeves Financial Planning
- After graduating from the University of Kent in 2006 with a First Class honours degree in economics, Tom pursued a career in Financial Services.
- After a period with a large UK insurance firm, Tom joined Coach House Financial Services, part of the Reeves and Nevlan Group (later renamed Kreston Reeves in January 2015).
- In August 2013 Tom became a Director of Kreston Reeves Financial Planning Ltd and a Partner in Kreston Reeves LLP in June 2016.
- Tom was appointed Managing Director of both Craven Street Wealth Ltd and Kreston Reeves Financial Planning Ltd in February 2022.
Tim Maakestad
Director of Kreston Reeves Financial Planning
- After 17 years working for a High Street bank Tim joined Coach House Financial Services, part of the Reeves and Nevlan Group, which was later renamed Kreston Reeves in January 2015.
- He was promoted to Company Director in April 2003 and to Partner in Kreston Reeves LLP in June 2010
David Hurst
Consultant to Kreston Reeves Financial Planning
- After 12 years as a Partner of Coach House Financial Services, David joined Kreston Reeves in 1999 as Managing Director of Kreston Reeves Financial Planning Limited.
- David has extensive experience in providing clients with both investment and pension advice.
- He has also been asked to produce reports as an expert witness in pension and divorce cases.
- After transferring his role of Managing Director to Tom Barnett over the course of the last year, David retired from Managing Director of Kreston Reeves Financial Planning in February 2022.
- David continues to provide his valuable expertise and experience as a consultant to the firm.
Anthony Walters
Managing Director of Christchurch Investment Management
- Anthony has been advising clients on Investments for over 40 years initially as a Member of the London Stock Exchange and more recently as the Investment Director and owner of Christchurch Investment Management.
- He is keen to try and ensure that whilst opportunities are continually reviewed the approach is simple in concept. And the basic rule he has followed is if he wouldn’t invest his own money into something then it will not be considered for clients.
- Over the years he has learnt to be never surprised as to what may happen to Investment markets there will always be opportunities.
- Keen to try and keep his single figure Golf handicap he also enjoys watching his Local Rugby team and in his spare time can be found working on the Family Soft fruit Farm.
David Thornberry
Director of Christchurch Investment Management
- David Thornberry has been an IFA for over 30 years and a Director of CIM Ltd since 2004.
- David has extensive experience in offering Pensions, Investment and Mortgage advice to clients, both Individual and Corporate.
- In his spare time David enjoys watching Rugby, is a member of the Old Merchant Taylors Soc Investment Committee and is a keen supporter of the Cure Parkinson's Trust charity .
I am extremely proud of the business and what has been created over the years with Kreston Reeves and others. With the support of the team at Craven Street Capital, I truly believe that we have a very bright future ahead.
Tom Barnett, Managing Director of Craven Street Wealth and Kreston Reeves Financial Planning
We have a tried and tested investment approach which has delivered a strong track record over a sustained period. We believe that the combination of our business with Craven Street Capital and KRFP will create a group with shared ambitions and a real focus on client outcomes.
Anthony Walters, Managing Director of Christchurch Investment Management
We are delighted to have acquired Kreston Reeves Financial Planning and Christchurch Investment Management to create Craven Street Wealth. Both businesses are well established with a real focus on client outcomes. Kreston Reeves Financial Planning is a high quality Chartered Financial Planning firm with a strong reputation across the South East. Christchurch Investment Management has an excellent investment track record. We believe there are real opportunities for the two business to work together for the benefit of clients. We plan to work with the team to make further acquisitions over the next few years to create a substantial challenger in the financial planning and wealth management market.
Soondra Appavoo, CEO of Craven Street Capital
