Bestinvest


Bestinvest is an investment company based in Mayfair, London. It provides execution-only investment services predominantly to private investors, as well as financial planning, investment management and investment advisory services as part of the Tilney Group.

History

The company was founded in 1986 by John Spiers. Bestinvest began as a firm focused on researching and broking investments including Business Expansion Schemes, from which the firm took its original name. Following the abolition of BES, the company re-focused on the Personal Equity Plan market, attracting new clients predominantly through its high media profile in the national press, including the launch of its Spot the Dog report which named consistently poor investment funds.
The company promoted the use of online fund supermarkets and established a Discretionary Investment Management arm. In July 2007 it was bought by management and 3i. The company acquired HW Financial Services, the financial services arm of Haines Watts the accountancy group, in January 2010.
In November 2013 Bestinvest received the backing of private equity firm Permira.
In February 2014 Permira agreed to buy the investment manager Tilney from Deutsche Bank with the ambition of creating a wealth manager with 9 billion of assets. After completion of the deal in May 2014 Bestinvest and Tilney combined to create Tilney Bestinvest. Bestinvest remained as a separate brand focusing on execution-only investing whilst Tilney was introduced as a brand focusing on Investment Management and Financial Planning.

Operations

The company provides execution-only investment services to self-directed investors. It also offers investment advice, discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals and companies, charities and other financial institutions through it wider Tilney Group. Available products include Individual Savings Accounts, Unit Trusts, Self-invested personal pensions and Venture Capital Trusts.