pro.manchester develops Wealth and Asset Management group “The WAM initiative”.

Following the establishment of the Manchester Private Equity Group, the MPEG players, pro.manchester is to develop and expand the wealth and asset management group within the organization, code name for the project is “the WAM initiative”.

With a strong corporate finance group, and now a strong private equity group, pro.manchester’s focus on opportunities in wealth and asset management is a logical step to create a comprehensive corporate finance offer for the benefit of the economy in the city region and in the North West.

Commenting on the launch, John Ashcroft said: “We already have a great portfolio of corporate members in the sector, including Barclays Wealth, Brewin Dolphin, Rensburg Sheppards, Kleinworts, Braemar, Brown Shipley, Coutts, Quilter and Credit Suisse, to name but a new.

“It’s important we work with more recent additions to Manchester’s market, such as Close Brothers, Hambros, UBS and Goldman Sachs.”

Chief executive John Ashcroft is keen to create a stronger reputation for Wealth and Asset Management in Greater Manchester across the North West and UK.

Ashcroft added: “This year will be a great year of investment opportunity as the economy recovers. Research arising from pro.manchester’s digital media and creative group points to a wealth of investment opportunities in the DMC sector, in Greater Manchester and in the North West.

A series of multi-stage opportunities, from pre-revenue to seed and early stage SME are being exposed following pro.manchester’s co-operation with MIDAS and North West Vision and Media the regional cluster organization for the Digital Media and Creative sector.”

“This sector growth is obviously of interest to our finance group including high net worth individuals and the pro.manchester business angels network. These are investment opportunities in addition to conventional asset management.”

“We are looking at ways of creating a “deals board” of investment opportunities which will be of interest to our extended finance group including the pro.manchester, business angels network.”

“In addition , we are looking to stimulate the creation of an umbrella fund of funds under management in Manchester to specialize in the DMC sector within our MPEG group capitalising on funding opportunities from the various VCT initiatives.”

It is understood a high level dinner is planned for some time in March for the WAM group members to co-ordinate the initiative.

For more information visit www.pro-manchester.co.uk