Manchester United legend Bryan Robson launches advice business
Manchester United and England football legend Bryan Robson has founded a new specialist advisory business to give high earning sports, media, music and entertainment stars financial and investment advice.
High Performance Individuals, based in Altrincham, has been co-founded by Robson and managing director Simon Andrews, who has held senior roles at St. James’s Place Wealth Management and was most recently the business development director at Tilney Group.
The business describes itself as “a bespoke concept”, which offers “an expert led support service to high performers, ensuring they have complete control over their financial, emotional and occupational well-being throughout their lives.”
A former West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough manager, and now an ambassador at Manchester United, Robson works with sponsors and international partners (pictured), an extension of his long standing interest in business.
Known as ‘Captain Marvel’ during his playing days, Robson founded a sports property consultancy business Robson Lloyd, which he sold to GVA Grimley in 2009.
In 2011 he teamed up with law firm JMW and BDO to launch Total Sports Services, aimed at sports businesses and professionals.
But despite his business savvy, Robson is also one of many footballers who lost money on investments such as the infamous Ingenious film financing scheme. That investment was designed to give tax relief to high earners, but was later outlawed by HMRC as an illegitimate tax avoidance scheme.
Recently players such as Lucas Neill, Craig Bellamy and Chris Smalling have spoken about their poorly advised investments that have driven high-earning stars to the point of ruin, in the cases of Bellamy and Neill, bankruptcy.
Smalling is suing his former financial adviser London-based Klipp Wealth Management (KWM) for £750,000 over fees for bonds he invested in.
Founder Simon Andrews, who’s own career in football didn’t get past the reserves at Manchester United, said: “Players and High Performers need a support structure they can trust and rely on more than ever.”
HPI claims its approach is different to other wealth managers in the sports and entertainment field and has no links with any so-called Independent Financial Advisers.
“We are a group of professionals who offer an expert led support service to high performers, ensuring they have complete control over their financial, emotional and occupational well-being throughout their lives.
“We handle every aspect, from financial planning, properties & insurances to everything in between.
“We are not transactional; we do not signpost clients to an IFA, an accountant or a lawyer then leave them to it. We sit with them, we guide them and we stay with them for their life, we build an expert team around each one of our clients,” the company claim.
