It has promoted Eleanor Ingilby to be head of its Harrogate office and appointed Stephen Wood as a Chartered Wealth Manager.

Mr Wood adds over 16 years experience to the role and will work closely with David Battersby, portfolio manager, Sukhbir Lall, assistant portfolio manager, and Ms Ingilby, head of the Harrogate office.

Mr Wood said: “I am delighted to have joined Sanlam at this crucial stage in its development across Yorkshire and the region.”

He began his career in accountancy for multinationals including Exxonmobil and AstraZeneca and has managed portfolios for high net worth individuals, families and trusts at HSBC Private Bank and Brown Shipley across Yorkshire.

Ms Ingilby said: “We are thrilled to welcome Stephen to our Harrogate team. He brings a considerable knowledge and expertise in portfolio construction and wealth management with particular focus on entrepreneurial wealth, trusts and investment companies.”

Penny Lovell, chief executive of Private Wealth, Sanlam said: “Since she joined in 2015, Eleanor has been a committed member of the Sanlam family and an active member of our portfolio management team. This is a very exciting and well-deserved promotion.

“We have plans for further expansion of the Harrogate office team in the next quarter as we anticipate there will be further commercial opportunities in Harrogate and the wider region.”

Sanlam Private Wealth is a discretionary fund manager with £2.7bn of client assets under management and is part of the Sanlam group which includes wealth and Financial Planning divisions.