Institute of Financial Planning president Marlene Shalton FIFP CFP^CM has been appointed managing director of Financial Planning at Guardian Wealth Management.

She will join the firm from 1 September having previously worked at Bluefin Wealth Management. Prior to this she had her own Financial Planning practice which she sold to Bluefin in 2007.

Guardian Wealth Management is currently focusing its efforts on the UK market having already built up a presence in Europe, the Middle East and Far East.

Its new Cardiff headquarters will open this month and the firm hopes to recruit 136 CFP^CM professionals over the next five years.

Ms Shalton said: “I am delighted to be joining Guardian Wealth Management and relish the opportunity to develop true Financial Planning practice.

“Guardian Wealth Management has demonstrated its commitment to becoming a global Financial Planning firm and I am looking forward to building on the great work already done to ensure that it becomes a vanguard of Financial Planning in the UK.”

David Howell, chief executive of Guardian Wealth Management, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Marlene to the team at Guardian Wealth Management. Her passion and commitment to Financial Planning make her an ideal representative of our company.”