A Chartered Wealth Manager who says he predicted the financial crash of 2008 the year before it happened has been hired by Brooks Macdonald.

Toby Birch, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, wrote a book entitled The Final Crash: Addictive Debt and the Deformation of the World Economy, which was published in 2007.

His new role will be private wealth manager in the Brooks Channel Islands offices, based in Guernsey.

He stated on his own website: “I made my reputation by forewarning investors of the financial meltdown. Uniquely I was the only person on record to publish a book in 2007 that correctly stated that 2008 would be the year that a crash would consume markets. My book was one of the most prescient and accurate predictions of the crisis.”

Mr Birch, who holds the CISI Islamic finance qualification, set up a bullion-dealing service, which he sold in 2015 and used to work for Old Mutual as an investment manager.

Also a founder member of the UK Digital Currency Association, his career spans 25 years including working as an investment manager at major private banks including Bank Julius Baer, he worked for a family office called Blackfish Capital Holdings.

At Brooks Macdonald, he will be tasked with helping clients consolidate their pensions and portfolios, combining his technical expertise and professional asset management experience.

He said: “In many ways I have come full circle. In a twist of serendipity the London HQ of Brooks Macdonald is just around the corner from where I started my first job in a similar field. I am delighted to become part of the Brooks Macdonald team in the Group’s 25th anniversary year, as I reach the same milestone in my own career.”

James Hollowell, director of retirement services, Brooks Macdonald said: ‘Toby is a key appointment for us at Brooks Macdonald. He brings with him a wealth of experience and will add real value to our existing and future private clients.”

The company has twelve offices across the UK and the Channel Islands including London, Edinburgh, Guernsey, Hale, Hampshire, Jersey, Leamington Spa, Manchester, Taunton, Tunbridge Wells and York.