James Brearley & Sons

What James Brearley & Sons does

James Brearley & Sons Limited is a UK-incorporated (England & Wales) private investment management and stockbroking firm headquartered in Blackpool, operating for over 100 years and now structured as a private limited company since 1999. The firm serves two distinct customer segments: individual investors across the North of England via four regional offices (Blackpool, Kendal, Preston, Formby) and a self-serve online channel, and professional advisers/institutions nationally through its Platform Services proposition covering custody, dealing, and white-labelled reporting for stockbrokers, DFMs, family wealth offices, IFAs and platform providers. Core products are the Investment Management Service (discretionary, 1.15% + VAT), the Execution-Only Dealing Service delivered through the proprietary ICON web portal or a phone-based Central Administration Support Team, the Custody Service authorised to hold client money and assets, and the Platform Service for intermediaries, supported by SIPP wrappers via Platform One and Gaudi, ISA/JISA wrappers, an AIM Portfolio for Business Property Relief, a Structured Products Portfolio, and six core strategies spanning Conservative to Dynamic risk profiles.

Underlying technology is centred on the ICON web portal, which provides 24/7 online valuation, real-time best-price execution for UK listed securities, contract notes, quarterly reports, and historical valuations; a separate white-labelled portal serves intermediary clients. Supporting tools include a Hypothetical Investment Returns Calculator and an Execution-Only Dealing Service Cost Projector. Operational integrations include Legalesign for e-signature and Experian for KYC/fraud-prevention. Research capability covers over 3,000 funds and includes AIM-specific research through a partnership with Fundamental. Headcount exceeds 60 staff, including Chartered FCSI-qualified investment managers participating in centralised investment management committees led by the CIO.

The business model is asset- and transaction-linked. Recurring revenue comes from investment management fees on managed portfolios (1.15% + VAT), platform services fees applied as basis points on assets under administration, and interest retained on client cash balances (cash is excluded from fee-bearing portfolio value). Transaction-based revenue is generated through execution-only dealing charges, which differ between online (ICON) and phone channels. The firm is regulated by the FCA (FRN 189219), is a member of the London Stock Exchange and PIMFA, and holds HMRC ISA Manager approval. Assets under administration exceeded £3.8bn across approximately 25,000 accounts as at 31 March 2024, up from over £3bn as at June 2022. The minimum investment threshold for the discretionary Investment Management Service is £50,000.

Name

James Brearley & Sons

Legal name

James Brearley & Sons Limited

Website

https://jbrearley.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

James Brearley & Sons is a privately held, FCA-regulated UK investment management and stockbroking firm serving individual investors through four North-of-England offices and professional advisers via its Platform Services, administering over £3.8bn across approximately 25,000 accounts through its proprietary ICON platform, custody service and discretionary investment management offering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Management & Stockbroking

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Broker-Dealers (Retail Network) (FSAAAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fund Custody & Transfer Agency Services (FSACAHAG)

Keywords

• Investment management
• Stockbroking services
• SIPP administration
• Private client wealth
• Adviser custody services

Headquarters

HQ city

Blackpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment Management Fees: Annual investment management fee calculated as a percentage of the portfolio value (not including cash balances). The fee covers portfolio construction, management, administration, quarterly reporting, and custody. For the Managed SIPP, the annual fee is 1.15% plus VAT of the portfolio value, which includes what would otherwise be a separate SIPP administration charge.
2. Execution-Only Dealing Charges: Transaction-based charges for share dealing and execution services. Different charge structures apply for online dealing (ICON) versus phone-based dealing through the Central Administration Support Team. Charges are based on the portfolio value and/or number/value of trades.
3. Interest Income on Cash Balances: Interest earned on client cash held in custody. James Brearley retains a portion of the interest received on client cash balances. Cash balances are excluded from the total portfolio value used to determine management fees. The prevailing cash balance interest rates are typically lower than those offered by banks and building societies.
4. Platform Services Fees: Charges for intermediary/professional adviser clients using custody, dealing, and reporting services. Applied as a basis points charge on assets under administration, covering custody, dealing, quarterly valuation reports, annual consolidated tax certificate, cost & charges statement, and transaction reporting. No separate charge for custody service itself.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

James Brearley & Sons Limited is a UK-based, FCA-regulated investment management and stockbroking firm offering discretionary and self-directed investment services to private clients, alongside custody, trading, settlements, and registration services to financial advisers and wealth managers. The firm operates two divisions: Private Clients, which serves retail investors with SIPPs, ISAs, and self-directed dealing accounts; and Professional Services, which provides back-office investment infrastructure to financial advisers.

Product overview

James Brearley & Sons operates as a financial services firm offering investment management and stockbroking services through a unified platform with distinct product modules. The core offering comprises three main services: Investment Management Service (discretionary portfolio management), Execution-Only Dealing Service branded as ICON (self-directed trading), and Platform Service (custody and administration for professional advisers). These are supported by specialized wrappers including ISA/JISA Services, Managed SIPP, and Pro Icon SIPP for pension savings. The custody infrastructure safeguards client assets across all service types. Specialized portfolio strategies include AIM Portfolio (for Business Property Relief) and Structured Product Portfolio (Growth/Income versions), alongside six core investment strategies spanning Conservative to Dynamic risk profiles. Digital tools include online valuation portals, the Hypothetical Returns Calculator, and Execution Only Dealing Service Projector. The firm also provides cyber awareness resources through external consultancy partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Client Investment Services Self-directed and advised investment services for UK retail clients, including dealing accounts in shares, funds, bonds, and other securities, supported by research and execution capability.
• SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) Tax-efficient self-invested personal pension wrapper allowing UK individuals to hold a wide range of investments including shares, funds, bonds, and commercial property within a pension structure.
• SSAS (Small Self-Administered Scheme) Small self-administered pension scheme administration for UK business owners and directors seeking greater control over employer pension contributions and investment choice.
• ISA (Individual Savings Account) Tax-efficient individual savings accounts allowing UK retail clients to invest in eligible securities with tax-free returns within annual subscription limits.
• Discretionary Investment Management Managed portfolio service where the firm makes investment decisions on behalf of private clients according to a defined mandate and risk profile.
• Adviser Custody Services Custody and safekeeping of client assets for UK financial advisers and wealth managers, with segregated nominee and client asset arrangements under FCA CASS rules.
• Adviser Trading & Settlements Trade execution, settlement, and reconciliation services for financial advisers acting on behalf of their underlying clients across UK and international markets.
• Asset Registration & Administration Registration, nominee, and asset administration services supporting financial advisers with onboarding, maintenance, and reporting of client holdings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Assets under administration exceeding £3.8bn across approximately 25,000 accounts (as at 31st March 2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Platform One SIPP AdministratorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJames Brearley partnered with Platform One SIPP Administrators to create the James Brearley Managed SIPP. This enables investors to appoint James Brearley to manage their pension portfolio from £50,000 in value. The Managed SIPP has no annual SIPP administration charge (typically £200+), with this cost effectively covered within the 1.15% annual investment management fee.
• Gaudi SIPP AdministratorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJames Brearley partnered with Gaudi SIPP Administrators for the Pro Icon SIPP, a low-cost SIPP wrapper available exclusively to intermediary clients using James Brearley's Pro Icon service. Gaudi provides the SIPP administration with a headline annual charge of £75 plus VAT. Upon completion of Gaudi's online application, client information is passed to James Brearley to open the account for transferred stock or cash.
• Fundamental (AIM Specialist Research House)coreTechnology or IntegrationJames Brearley partnered with Fundamental, an AIM specialist research house, to provide regular updates on the approximately 30 stocks held in the James Brearley AIM Portfolio. Fundamental provides research to support investment decisions in the AIM Portfolio strategy, which is designed for retail clients seeking exposure to AIM-listed stocks qualifying for Business Property Relief.
• Cyonic Cyber (Cybercrime Consultants)minorOthersJames Brearley engaged cybercrime consultants Cyonic Cyber (represented by Rob Shapland) to provide cyber awareness content for clients. Rob Shapland produced short educational videos on topics including AI and deepfakes and QR code security to help protect clients from cybercrime.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Killik & Co: Long-established private client stockbroker and discretionary wealth manager offering execution-only dealing, ISA/SIPP and portfolio management. Directly comparable in product mix, retail HNW focus and stockbroking heritage.
• Redmayne Bentley: Privately owned regional UK stockbroker providing execution-only dealing, custody and investment management to private clients and intermediaries. Closely matches JB's regional, family-influenced ownership and execution-plus-managed services model.
• Charles Stanley: UK regional wealth manager and stockbroker offering discretionary investment management, custody and execution services to private clients and intermediaries. Closely comparable business model, customer mix and multi-office regional approach.

Broad incumbents

• Brewin Dolphin: UK wealth manager offering discretionary investment management, financial planning and custody to private clients and intermediaries. Comparable product mix though significantly larger AUA and broader geographic footprint.
• AJ Bell: UK investment platform offering SIPP, ISA and dealing services to retail investors and advisers. Directly competes with JB's execution-only, ISA and SIPP offerings but at materially larger AUA scale and with a digital-first model.
• Interactive Investor: UK subscription-based investment platform providing ISA, SIPP and dealing services. Directly comparable to JB's ICON execution-only offering but with a flat-fee subscription model and much larger national customer base.
• Rathbones Group: Larger UK wealth manager offering discretionary investment management, custody and advice to private clients, charities and intermediaries. Overlapping product set but materially bigger scale and national footprint.
• Hargreaves Lansdown: UK's largest direct-to-consumer investment platform offering ISA, SIPP, dealing and fund platform services. Competes for the same retail HNW ISA/SIPP/execution-only clients as JB but with national digital reach and far greater scale.
• Quilter: Large UK wealth manager with platform, advice and discretionary investment management propositions. Comparable platform-style offering and intermediary services but at much greater scale than James Brearley.
• Evelyn Partners: UK wealth management and professional services group combining investment management, financial planning and tax services. Comparable wealth and SIPP offerings but operates at significantly larger scale with national coverage.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about James Brearley & Sons