What blackmount private wealth does

Blackmount Private Wealth Limited is a fee-based, whole-of-market independent financial advisory firm founded in 2022 by Alex Shairp and Qasim Younis, headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland. It serves two primary client segments — business owners approaching a sale or exit and senior professionals and high-earning families — across Scotland and the wider UK, delivering services through in-person meetings at its Bothwell Street office, video consultations, or at client-preferred locations via a consultative sales motion that begins with a free 45–75 minute initial consultation.

The firm's product catalogue is structured around three tiered initial engagements — Financial Planning from £1,500, At-Retirement Advice from £3,500, and Estate Planning from £5,000 — supplemented by Investment Advice, Retirement Planning, Personal & Mortgage Protection, and Tax & Estate Planning services, with most clients converting to an Ongoing Advisory Service charged at 0.79% per year of investments managed. The technology stack is non-proprietary and standard for the category: a Wix-hosted client portal (portal.blackmountwealth.co.uk), Microsoft Bookings for scheduling, Mailchimp for newsletters, Vimeo for embedded video, and conventional financial planning software.

The firm is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as an Appointed Representative of ValidPath Limited (FRN 197107), with the "independent" advice designation allowing it to compare products across the entire UK market rather than a restricted panel. Both principals hold honours degrees in Finance, Investment & Risk and the CII Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning; Alex Shairp additionally holds the CISI Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning and is a Chartered Member of the CISI. The firm has no disclosed external investors, parent company, or funding rounds and is privately held by its two founding directors.

Name

blackmount private wealth

Legal name

Blackmount Private Wealth Limited

Website

https://blackmountwealth.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Blackmount Private Wealth is a fee-based, FCA-regulated independent financial adviser in Glasgow, serving UK business owners planning exits and senior professionals with whole-of-market financial planning, retirement, and estate advice delivered by two qualified advisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Financial Advisory

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Banking & UHNW Wealth Advisory (FSAEABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Onshore Private Banking (Domestic HNW/UHNW) (FSAAABAA), Affluent / Mass-Affluent Private Banking (FSABADAC), High-Net-Worth (HNW) Private Banking (FSABADAB)

Keywords

• Independent financial advice
• Wealth management services
• Retirement planning advice
• Estate planning services
• Investment advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory Fees: Fee-based independent financial advice with transparent, upfront fees agreed in writing. Initial planning fees range from £1,500 to £5,000+ depending on service type. Ongoing service fees typically 0.79% per year of investments managed. No commissions on product sales; any commissions received are disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Blackmount Private Wealth is a fee-based, whole-of-market independent financial advisory firm providing financial planning, retirement advice, estate planning, investment advice, and personal/mortgage protection services. It serves business owners preparing for exit and senior professionals and families planning for retirement, delivering advice through direct consultations and an ongoing advisory service.

Product overview

Blackmount Private Wealth operates as a unified financial advisory practice offering fee-based, whole-of-market independent financial advice through a defined service model. The core offering comprises Financial Planning (from £1,500), At-Retirement Advice (from £3,500), and Estate Planning (from £5,000), supplemented by Investment Advice, Retirement Planning, Personal & Mortgage Protection, and Tax & Estate Planning services. The firm segments its clientele into Business Owners (specializing in exit planning) and Professionals & Families. Following initial advisory engagements, most clients elect an Ongoing Advisory Service with annual reviews and portfolio management (0.79% per year). The firm does not offer a software product or technology platform—all services are delivered through direct human adviser consultations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Planning Comprehensive review of a client's financial health, lifetime cashflow planning, and a written financial plan with product suitability reports. Includes recommendations for pensions, investments, and protection products. Targeted at individuals and families seeking holistic financial planning. From £1,500.
• At-Retirement Advice Financial planning combined with pension options, retirement income planning, drawdown or annuity advice, pension consolidation, assessment of income sustainability, and investment strategy. Targeted at individuals approaching or entering retirement. From £3,500.
• Estate Planning Financial planning plus Inheritance Tax (IHT) planning, trust structures, intergenerational wealth transfer, tax-efficient investment recommendations, and collaboration with other professionals. Targeted at individuals and families seeking intergenerational wealth management. From £5,000.
• Investment Advice Whole-of-market independent investment advice comparing products and providers across the entire UK market to identify suitable investment solutions for individual clients.
• Personal and Mortgage Protection Advice on protection products to safeguard individuals and families against financial risks, including life insurance and mortgage protection coverage.
• Ongoing Advisory Service Subscription-style ongoing service following initial advice. Includes regular reviews, portfolio management, annual meetings, and priority access to advisers. Ongoing fees are typically 0.79% per year of investments managed.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Capability ScotlandminorOthers · 1 November 2022Capability Scotland announced Blackmount Private Wealth as its chosen charity partner in November 2022. Blackmount supports the disability charity through fundraising and awareness activities.
• ValidPath LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerValidPath Limited is Blackmount's principal network firm. Blackmount Private Wealth is an Appointed Representative of ValidPath, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Firm Reference Number 197107.
• Good Business CharterminorOthersBlackmount Private Wealth holds accreditation from the Good Business Charter, demonstrating commitment to social responsibility and ethical business practices.
• Financial Vulnerability TaskforceminorOthersThe firm is a champion of the Financial Vulnerability Taskforce initiative, working to improve outcomes for vulnerable customers in the financial services sector.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• St. James's Place: Largest UK wealth management group, providing face-to-face advice to HNW and mass-affluent clients on investments, pensions, and tax planning. Comparable service model to Blackmount at vastly greater scale, with a restricted product panel — Blackmount is whole-of-market, but both firms compete for UK advised wealth clients.
• Quilter: UK wealth manager with both advised (Quilter Financial Planning) and platform businesses serving mass-affluent and HNW clients. Competes with Blackmount on retirement and investment advice, plus pension/ISA platform infrastructure.
• Evelyn Partners (formerly Tilney Smith): UK wealth management and professional services group providing financial planning, investment management, and tax/estate planning. Direct overlap on integrated retirement, IHT, and business owner advisory.
• Brewin Dolphin (now RBC Wealth Management UK): UK wealth manager offering investment management, financial planning, and retirement/estate advice to HNW individuals and professionals. Direct service overlap with Blackmount on retirement and IHT planning at materially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Rathbones: UK-listed discretionary wealth manager and investment adviser serving HNW individuals, families, and charities across investments, retirement, and estate planning. Direct overlap with Blackmount on retirement, IHT, and investment advisory for senior professionals and families.
• Foster Denovo: UK independent financial adviser and employee benefits consultancy serving HNW clients, business owners, and professionals. Closest comparable UK IFA in scale and whole-of-market independent model, including business owner exit and retirement specialisms.
• Openwork: UK financial advice network supporting directly authorised and appointed-representative IFAs. Similar AR-style operating structure to Blackmount's ValidPath relationship, distributing advice across investment, pension, and protection products to UK consumers.
• Charles Stanley (Raymond James Wealth): UK wealth manager providing investment management, financial planning, and retirement advice to individuals, families, and business owners. Comparable service set (investment, retirement, IHT) with similar HNW and professional client focus.
• Ascot Lloyd: UK independent financial adviser focused on retirement, investment, and estate planning for HNW individuals and business owners. Comparable mid-market UK IFA with whole-of-market positioning.

Emerging players

• AJ Bell: UK investment platform and adviser services business targeting DIY investors and advised clients via platforms, IPS, and centralised investment propositions. Competes indirectly with Blackmount by lowering advisory fees for simpler investment and pension needs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blackmountprivatewealth
• Instagraminstagram.com/blackmountwealth

Compliance5 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 blackmount private wealth