Forester Maclean is headed up by Michael Burt, a former investment banker, and was founded in 1971. Recently it acquired the John Good Group, a specialist design and printing business in the UK.
As reported, Platform One was launched in August 2011 and is a “whole of market”, multi-currency platform catering specifically for advisers, wealth managers and family offices with high net worth clients living in the UK and abroad. It makes use of platform technology developed by Moventum, the Luxembourg platform services provider.
In a statement, Burt said Forester Maclean saw the “market potential” in Platform One, which he said was “the only platform offering a service for high net worth clients in the UK, and the only wrap platform also providing an international service”.
He also cited Platform One’s management, its founding partner firms’ commitment, the anticipated impact on the UK advisory industry of the Retail Distribution Review regulatory overhaul, and the potential of the international platform market as reasons behind Forester Maclean’s investment.
Platform One’s founding partner firms include The WAY Group, London & Colonial, Ward Goodman Financial Services, Section 615 Ltd, European Pensions Management and Cheviot Asset Management.
As a result of the acquisition, Burt becomes a member of Platform One’s board, Platform One chairman Charles Cary-Elwes said.
Platform One is authorised by the FSA as a platform provider under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, and is passported throughout the European Economic Area, according to the company.
