SPF Private Clients is celebrating 25 years in business this month.
Established in May 1997 as Savills Private Finance, the financial arm of Savills PLC, in an office in Finsbury Circus, it has since expanded to become a national mortgage broker with offices across the UK, as well as offering insurance and wealth management advice.
The original launch team of six has grown to 200 employees, including 77 mortgage brokers, 28 on the insurance team, nine in wealth management and seven in protection. Three members of the original launch team – Mark Harris, Mike Boles and Alex King – are still with the company.
There have been a few changes over the years. SPF was formed in 2011 after a management buyout and rebrand of Savills Private Finance. Cabot Square Capital acquired a majority stake in the business in 2018, while the Howden Group announced the acquisition of SPF last month.
Today, SPF specialises in residential and commercial mortgage broking, commercial real estate insurance, high-net-worth personal lines insurance, property title insurance, life assurance and associated wealth management consulting. As well as two London offices, SPF also has offices in Cambridge, Oxford, Bath, Manchester and Guernsey.
Harris (pictured), chief executive of SPF Private Clients, said: “We have enjoyed an incredible 25 years. Very early into our journey we decided to create a diversified business, which has enabled us to build the unique company we have today. It has also helped us navigate our way largely unscathed through three once-in-a-lifetime events – the credit crisis, Brexit and Covid.
“Our strength is in the sum of the parts and the hugely talented people who work at SPF, many of whom have been here for a large part of our 25 years. It remains my absolute privilege to head this business and I remain as excited today, leading us into the Howden Group, as I was 25 years ago when I first walked into Savills.”
