Global financial services company Hoxton Wealth has hit back after ‘cold calling’ claims in an article that appeared in the UK national newspaper and website over the weekend.
CEO Chris Ball, pictured above, steadfastly defended the company’s policy to insist upon 100 telephone calls a day targets for new trainee adviser recruits.
The Telegraph corrected its article from the original article that made cold calling claims, but Hoxton CEO Chris Ball, speaking exclusively to IA, said that he was deeply disappointed with the article calling it “misleading” and despite the “inaccuracies” being later rectified, he is angered that there has been damage to the company’s reputation.
“When you take the [accusation of] cold calling out of it, what was it?,” said Ball, pictured above.
“We offer a structured training program for financial planners and we offer a salary where others don’t. At Hoxton, we offer our trainees the opportunity where they can work their way up the career ladder. We also cover their [trainees] visas, cover their medicals, give them accommodation for the first two months we put a lot of time and effort into these guys. It is really a six year structured course.
“We pay for their exams in multiple global jurisdictions and employ an in-house tutor to help them pass, we teach them how to work properly and be self sufficient. In my view it (the Telegraph) was a bit of a witch hunt and some click bait.”
Recruitment
The article caught many people’s attention with its headline grabbing ‘100 calls a day’ for two years But Ball defends the company’s policy of targeting 100 calls per day for the trainees, who start on basic salaries of just £24,000. Ads are currently appearing online with Hoxton Wealth looking to fill the next five trainee positions up for grabs starting at the firm in January 2026.
On accusations of potentially working people too hard Ball disagreed. He said: “I would say that we make it very explicit of what is expected of them. 100 calls a day is not a lot calls when you put it into perspective of what that actually means. Let’s say in an eight hour working day that’s roughly 12 calls an hour. Most of them [calls] dont pick up – so maybe 3-4 people you will speak with per hour. It is not working people to the bone.
“Our trainee wealth planner brochure is detailed and gives a great idea of what it takes to build a career as a financial planner at Hoxton.We are transparent and explain you have to put in the hours and put in the work to get the rewards.
“We have 10,000 clients and we have 350,000 on our marketing database. There’s a lot of people they can be calling, prospecting and asking for referrals . Someone has tried to make something out of nothing,” Ball concluded.
As reported on IA, earlier this year, Hoxton Wealth was granted a license in Dubai’s DIFC, a zone that forbids ‘cold calling’. The company also has successful outlets, with key offices in London, Birmingham and in Liverpool for its UK operations. The UK is another jurisdiction where cold calling is no longer allowed in financial services since 2023.
Visit Hoxton Wealth’s website for full details of any jobs and/or trainee positions within the company.
