A North West wealth management practice has expanded with the appointment of three experienced professionals to meet growing demand for specialist financial planning advice in the region.

Chester-based Mercer & Associates Wealth Management Ltd has appointed Jan Cooper and Pamela Cunningham from HSBC to the roles of client relationship managers, while David Wall has been recruited as a wealth management consultant.

Practice owner Darren Mercer said: “Our business is expanding rapidly at a time when many banks are withdrawing from the advisory market, and we are able to provide the specialist wealth management advice that increasing numbers of clients are seeking.”

Jan and Pamela, who both live on the Wirral, worked previously as managers for HSBC’s premier and wealth management team covering Chester, Liverpool and the Wirral.

Jan, who lives in Parkgate, worked for HSBC for over 30 years, and spent the last three years at the company’s HSBC International branch in Chester city centre, managing a portfolio of high net worth personal and commercial clients based in the UK and overseas. She enjoys travelling to different parts of the world, walking, swimming and charitable fundraising for Children Today.

“I am delighted to be joining Mercer & Associates Wealth Management as the business expands to meet client demand,” said Jan. “I am committed to delivering first class customer service and look forward to adding value to the financial plans of our clients and helping them achieve their financial goals.”

Pamela, who lives in West Kirby, joined HSBC 37 years ago and has worked in retail and financial banking and management for all of that time. For the last 12 years, she was senior premier manager in the Liverpool and Wirral team delivering a high quality personal banking service to clients in the personal and commercial sectors at home and abroad. An active Rotarian on the Wirral, where she is involved in various local charities and initiatives, she also enjoys hiking, golf and the gym.

She said: “I am joining a highly specialised team at Mercer & Associates Wealth Management and am very excited by the proposition of being able to help implement high quality financial solutions for our clients.”

David, who has lived in Chester for the last 13 years, was brought up in his family’s wholesale confectionery business which traded across North Wales, Cheshire and Merseyside.

A business graduate from Liverpool’s John Moores University, he has worked in account management for GlaxoSmithKline, Burton’s Foods and Yoplait before moving into wealth management. He said: “Mercer & Associates Wealth Management is a heavily client-focused business and I look forward to using my commercial acumen to help our clients meet their business and personal objectives.”

Darren Mercer established the practice six years ago and in 2012 moved into prestigious offices in the centre of Chester at Linenhall House, a Georgian building in Watergate Street. “We are looking to expand significantly during 2014 through acquisition and taking on more professional advisors, creating employment opportunities in the local community,” he said.

The practice provides wealth management advice on investment, retirement planning, tax mitigation and strategic business planning to a wide range of private clients, business owners, trustees and charities throughout the North West and other parts of the UK. Mercer & Associates Wealth Management is a representative of St. James’s Place Wealth Management, one of the UK’s leading wealth management companies which has funds under management exceeding £41 billion.

Since setting up the practice, Mercer & Associates has donated £43,000 to local charities through a programme of’ fine dining experience’ events in Michelin star restaurants in the area, which attract local business leaders and entrepreneurs.