TomTom steers Harrison Beale and Owen in right direction

ACCOUNTANCY firm Harrison Beale and Owen has introduced a new TomTom to help steer its clients in the right direction. HB&O, which has offices in Coventry and Leamington, has appointed twin financial advisors Tom Driver and Thomas Dawe to strengthen its financial services team.

Mr Driver, from Moseley in Birmingham, spent 11 years in Australia before he started his career with Leeds Building Society where he was a mortgage adviser. He later moved on to work for Scottish Equitable where he completed his FPC and Diploma in financial planning.
 
He specialises in pensions, having also worked for one of the UK’s primary pensions offices and will play a major role is assisting small businesses with the new National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) pension requirements.

Mr Dawe, from Leamington, joined the financial services industry after graduating in economics the early 1990s. The 41-year-old has specialised in wealth preservation and management as his career has progressed. His experise is in inheritance tax mitigation.

Tracey Hackett, managing director of HB&O financial services, said: “We are delighted to have Tom and Thomas on board to help provide our clients with the best possible direction when it comes to their finances.”

Barclays Wealth tries hard for rugby charity

BARCLAYS WEALTH has helped to raise money for rugby children’s charity, Wooden Spoon by sponsoring a fundraising dinner, held at Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens. The event was attended by 180 professionals from across the region and the evening was hosted by ex-England and British Lion, David Duckham.

An auction of rugby memorabilia raised £7,000, which will be spent entirely in the West Midlands region on facilities supporting the use of rugby to make a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged children.

Wooden Spoon, founded almost 30 years ago, raises money both locally and nationally to invest in capital projects that benefit children and young people in need.

Pictured at the event are, from left: Sam Wynn, of Barclays Wealth, Phil Pemble, of Wooden Spoon, Andrew Houston, of Barclays Wealth and David Duckham.

Black Country accounts appoints new practice manager

BLACK COUNTRY accountants Griffiths and Pegg has appointed Rachel Fellows as general practice manager of its Cradley Heath office.

Ms Fellows, who qualified with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in February 2001, has previously worked at Hamiltons Group and subsequent to that, she was employed as an Accounts and Corporate Tax Manager overseeing the accounting, book keeping and corporation tax department and assisting with tax planning for the Film, Entertainment and Sporting Industries at a practice in Warwickshire.
 
At Griffiths and Pegg Ms Fellows will use her experience to evntually run her own client base consisting of owner managed businesses.
 
Adrian Grainger, a partner at Griffiths and Pegg, said: “We are delighted to welcome Rachel on board. She will bring a new dimension to our practice and we all wish her every success in her new role.”
 
Rachel Fellows, front right, is welcomed to Griffiths and Pegg by partner Rachel Clarke, front left, partner Adrian Grainger, far left and partner Brian Arch, back right.