About Us
We like to believe we provide our clients with a truly unbiased and independent service. We are constantly looking at improving our service and through our CANI approach (Constant and Never Ending Improvement).
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What Makes Us Different
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We are influenced by the book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which ties in with our service proposition:
Be Proactive: We never assume the advice we gave yesterday remains appropriate for today or tomorrow. For example, the provider we recommended may increase their charges or their service levels may reduce, let alone innovation in the market-place.
Begin with the End in Mind: We spend time with you to understand your situation, and help you consider what is important in terms of your goals, aspirations and objectives.
Put First Things First: We will design a financial plan, and work with you to establish your priorities.
Think Win-Win: We are transparent with our costs and services; of course, we are a business, but it’s so important that you are in a better position following our advice, whist we are profitable.
Seek First to Understand Before Being Understood: Our advice process starts with you. We will only make recommendations once we understand your situation, problems and objectives. We will talk with you at your level, whether this is the first time you have sought advice or you are an experienced investor.
Synergise: Each step of the way we will ensure we are ‘on the same page’ and will only implement our recommendations once we are happy that you are happy.
Sharpen the Saw: We strongly recommend regular reviews (usually annually), where we will assess your tax planning, objectives, and your investments to make sure the plan you have is on track and suitable. We also ensure we update our own knowledge and commit to over 35 hours, per year, of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) each year. More often than not, we exceed 100 hours per year.
Our team are very friendly and will always try to help with your queries.
Meet the Team
Julia Cox
Accounts Manager
Julia’s job is to ensure we receive the correct income for the work we do for clients. She also makes sure clients are being charged correctly. As Zenith has increased in size, she has also become responsible for HR within the business. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, crafting, baking (particularly for Alan, who loves a bit of cake while he’s working), playing piano and walking.
Natalie Lockett
Client Data Administrator
Natalie's role within Zenith is to support with accounts, conduct research and assists the client facing team. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time being a mum to her daughter.
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Contact Natalie on 07494748246 or email natalielockett@zenitham.co.uk
Zac Cox
Review and Research Assistant
Zac is the youngest member of the team and is responsible for gathering information to prepare files for client meetings. He is currently studying for his Alevels, He loves playing football and is an avid gamer.
Joel Pearce-Stanley
Apprentice Financial Advisor
Joel started working for Zenith in September of 2021. He is currently studying for his exams to become a qualified Financial Adviser. He is immensely excited about his future within the industry, as well as within Zenith asset Management. “I really enjoying working within Zenith Asset Management with different clients and helping where I can”.
Within his spare time Joel says, ‘I very much enjoy watching the Wolves both home and away as well as playing 6-a-side. I also enjoy, travelling and spending time with family and friends.’
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Contact Joel on 07494 748 246
or email joelpearcestanley@zenitham.co.uk
Alan Cox
Chartered Financial Planner, APFS, Cert CII (MP & ER)
Alan, Managing Director, has been working with financial services since 1987. Initially, working within the banking industry, Alan became a financial adviser in 1996 with Standard Life. After leaving Standard Life in 2003, he worked for a number of local and National IFA firms where he learnt, in some cases, what ‘not to do’.
Having met two IFAs who inspired him, in 2007, Alan took the decision to create his own business and develop a business model, placing his own morals and integrity as the core values of the business, placing the client at the very heart of the business.
Alan says “in 2007, good quality IFAs were rare; having been trained and developed by Standard Life, I was shocked at what I saw in the IFA world. Equally, by 2007, I saw this as an opportunity. I was so pleased that just 3 weeks after setting up my own business, the FSA(now the FCA) announced the Retail Distribution Review (RDR). I was excited that the FSA would require higher qualifications amongst advisers and a ban on commission. I’d always had a problem with IFAs being able to select a plan that paid higher levels of commission. This decision by the FSA definitely helped move financial advice from an ‘industry’ towards being seen as a ‘profession’. Inevitably, we saw a mass exodus of financial advisers by the time RDR came into force in 2014.”
Alan became a Chartered Financial Planner and attended his graduation at the Guild Hall in London in 2008.
“I’m now very excited to help bring on the next generation of financial advisers” says Alan, with Joel being the second apprentice he's successfully trained at Zenith.
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Alan has had a number of voluntary roles, including being Treasurer at Age Concern (Stafford & District), as well as being a trustee. Voluntary positions as a youth football manager from Under 10’s through to Under 16’s. Most recently, Alan has coached and played futsal (the official FIFA and UEFA version of 5-a-side football). “I absolutely love playing and coaching futsal, it’s just a fantastic game.”
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Family is very important, indeed, you can read about Julia (beautiful wife), and their children Natalie and Zac, as they all work within the business. Julia and Alan have always enjoyed walking. “We live a few minutes walk away from Cannock Chase, so it would be a crime not to enjoy what’s on our doorstep”. I love seeing Julia enjoy her gardening, growing fruit & veg as well as her crafting, she’s got so much patience.
He is extremely proud of the ‘kids’… although they’re not so young now!
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Seeing Natalie blossom into a beautiful, independent and confident woman, by becoming a school teacher, “she’s always been great with children” says Alan, and setting up her own business in 2020 has been “magical”. Alan also enjoys being a Grand-‘dog’ to office dog Myla.
It’s been fantastic watching Zac play youth football to a high standard, work hard towards his exams and embark on the next phase of his life as a delightful young adult. “One disadvantage of Zac growing up is that he won’t play Subbuteo anymore, but we still play football in the garden which remains great fun.”
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Contact Alan on 07963 642 766 or email alancox@zenitham.co.uk
