A former portfolio manager and associate director at Coutts has set up an investment platform comparison website.
Where to Start (WTS) aims to make investing accessible to all investors and wants to help people understand where to go as it “can be a hurdle to entry that prevents many from starting” to invest.
It will ask prospective investors a range of questions that assess what they require from an investment platform. The tool shows them the available platforms that match their criteria, allowing them to make an informed choice when beginning their investment journey.
At the start, WTS will predominantly be for DIY investors and the lower entry investment platforms, and it will build up to helping financial advisers pick the best investment platform for their clients in the near future.
‘Overwhelming and confusing’
WTS was set up by Eleanor Eason, who has spent the last 10 years working in banking and investment management. She was previously an associate director and portfolio manager at private bank Coutts, where she spent five and a half years.
Eason told International Adviser: “When it came to finding an investment platform for my son’s Junior Isa, I found it overwhelming and confusing where to start, despite having worked in banking and investment management for over a decade.
“Having not come from wealth, I feel passionately about making investing accessible to all. I look forward to seeing how many more individuals can begin their investing journey with us.
“Investment management was traditionally designed for the wealthy but in the last few years, many investment platforms with a low minimum initial investment have cropped up. There are so many good ones out there, but it can be difficult to know which ones match your requirements.”
