Contact

News & Insights

BLACKTOWER GROUP OBTAINS INDUSTRY-FIRST UNDERWATER LICENCE

Atlantic – April, 2022: Global wealth management firm, Blacktower Financial Management has today announced that it has obtained the industry’s first underwater licence, offering its suite of holistic financial planning services to underwater residents and professionals through the new entity Blacktower Financial Management (Oceana).

The Group has obtained licencing via the Submerged Entities Authority after a challenging three year application process, initially being told by the regulator ‘Don’t hold your breath’.

The licence will cover the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with further expansion planned later in the year.

Gavin Pluck, Group Managing Director said of the launch:

‘We knew that there was a real market for those clients who largely work within the ocean spaces and indeed permanent underwater residents who do not benefit from onshore financial management services; often left to quite literally store their assets in treasure chests. We wanted to be the first brokerage in the industry to launch our services to these previously abandoned markets and really take a deep dive on their financial circumstances; so we are very excited about this expansion.’

‘Obviously, the Submerged Entities Authority* is notoriously a very difficult regulator to appease and so we will be setting up a virtual office off the Strait of Gibraltar, along with a team of advisers experienced with the legal intricacies of underwater territory. We are delighted to further expand the Blacktower Group of Companies both above and under the shoreline.’  

Blacktower Financial Management was founded in 1986 by Group Chairman, John Westwood and the launch of Blacktower (Oceana) follows recent expansions into Australia and Switzerland.

*This regulator does not exist and is purely fictitious. Happy April Fool’s Day from Blacktower Financial Management.

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.

Other News

Lasting Power of Attorney for Expat Investors

Research by the Alzheimer’s Society suggests that two-thirds of people who have sought financial advice have a lasting power of attorney (LPA) in place, but this, potentially, means a significant proportion of Brits do not have the protection that LPA offers.

Unfortunately, there is a common misconception among many expats (highlighted in a survey of UK expats conducted by Old Mutual International in 2017) that a spouse, child or financial professional can automatically sign documents and manage the welfare and monetary matters of a person who loses mental capacity. This is not the case; your family members could be left vulnerable should you become unable to manage your affairs without having LPA in place.

Good expat financial advice would generally advocate local legal advice to help ascertain whether or not an existing LPA, i.e. one that was drawn up in the UK, is valid in your location of residence. Generally speaking, however, common law jurisdictions will recognise a British lasting power of attorney, but it is always worth checking.

Read More

Blacktower Moving To Establish A Full DIFC Presence

We’re excited to announce our intention to establish a full presence in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). We are currently in the final stages of obtaining regulatory approval, and our team of financial advisors is eagerly looking forward to embarking on a new chapter in Dubai with this significant addition to our Group. As […]

Read More

Select your country

Please select your country of residence so we can provide you with the most relevant information: