Annual profits have soared by more than a third at Chase de Vere, the independent financial and corporate advice firm with an office in Bath.
The firm chalked up pre-tax profits of £5.34m last year – a rise of 34% – as fee income revenue increased by £1m to £49m. Average fee income per adviser rose from £205,000 to £216,000. 
Chief executive Stephen Kavanagh described it as another year of positive progress and said its continued independence was paying off.
He said: “While most other larger advice firms, and now a growing number of smaller firms, are choosing to give restricted advice, we remain wedded to independence.
“I strongly believe that clients are better served with independent rather than restricted advice and that the very best advisers want to be independent rather than limited in the scope of advice they can give.”
There were further opportunities for expanding its private and corporate advice services as the amount of independent advice on the market reduced.
“We are using this foundation to grow our business organically and also by hopefully persuading like-minded, service-focused, good quality advisers and adviser firms to come and join us,” he added.
“We are a strong, robust and profitable company with our focus on providing high-quality advice and service to our clients and, with most larger firms now giving restricted advice, we are aiming for Chase de Vere to be the flag bearers of independent financial advice in the UK.”
Chase de Vere, part of Swiss Life, has 13 offices across the UK.
