Strengthening Evelyn Partners’ commitment to entrepreneurs with new leadership appointment

Evelyn Partners has appointed Ann-Marie Atkins as Head of Entrepreneurs, reflecting the continued focus on providing tailored advice to founders and business owners at every stage. The role reflects a strategic decision to invest in a dedicated, specialist approach to one of the most dynamic and demanding client segments in UK wealth management.

Entrepreneurs are often described in broad, celebratory terms. Ann-Marie prefers a more grounded view.

“Sometimes a business owner may not call themselves an entrepreneur,” she says. “But they have gone through the pain of setting up and running a business, which comes with significant hard work and sacrifice. There is real blood, sweat and tears behind it.”

Having worked closely with business owners for over a decade, Ann-Marie has seen first-hand how early decisions shape long-term outcomes. From shareholder agreements and articles of association to key person risk and succession planning, the foundations of a business can have significant implications for personal and family wealth years down the line.

Too often, she says, those links are not made early enough.

“Business wealth and personal wealth are completely interlinked, but people tend to look at them in isolation. They might focus on growth and trading years without thinking about tax years, gifting strategies or what happens if something unexpected occurs.”

One of the motivations behind creating a dedicated entrepreneurs vertical is to move away from a purely transactional model of advice.

Traditionally, many financial planning firms engage with founders only at the point of exit. A liquidity event happens, capital lands in a bank account and the conversation begins about how to invest it. Evelyn Partners’ approach is different.

“Our view is that the earlier you start thinking about exit, legacy or succession, the smoother it can be,” Ann-Marie explains. “Every tax year or trading year that passes can mean missed opportunities. You might have been able to make gifts earlier, use business relief more effectively, or structure things differently with foresight.”

This thinking aligns closely with the firm’s Next Exit report, which highlights how unprepared many business owners feel when approaching a sale. Planning in advance offers greater flexibility, resilience and control.

By working with entrepreneurs well before a transaction is on the horizon, we aim to help clients avoid rushed decisions and ensure that the eventual outcome reflects years of hard work.

Entrepreneurs tend to operate at speed. They are decisive, creative and used to moving quickly. Ann-Marie believes advisers need to mirror that energy while maintaining rigour.

“They want things done and they want them done fast. We are geared up to deliver at that pace, but also to make sure other advisers are coming to the table with ideas, not just reacting.”

The entrepreneurs team operates with what she describes as a ‘hybrid family office’ mindset. That means stepping back two or three stages, coordinating with accountants, solicitors and corporate finance advisers, and challenging assumptions where necessary.

“One conversation with one adviser can be very transactional. We are trying to look at the bigger picture, not just for the next two years but for the lifetime of the individual and their family.”

That includes complex considerations such as liquidity planning, intergenerational wealth transfer, inheritance tax mitigation, access to capital, and even the possibility of relocating or restructuring in response to legislative change.

The aim is not to replace other specialists, but to collaborate more effectively with them so that clients receive coherent, joined-up advice.

A recurring theme in Ann-Marie’s work is the importance of language and empathy.

Founders often feel that traditional wealth management conversations do not reflect their reality. They are used to building, reinvesting and taking calculated risks. They may be more focused on growth than on portfolio construction and also carry the emotional weight of payroll responsibility and personal guarantees that are invisible from the outside.

“There is a different way to talk,” she says. “The language is different. The speed is different. The mindset is different.”

We have invested in building teams that understand those nuances. That includes recognising that not every entrepreneur fits a single mould. Some plan to pass the business to the next generation. Others are focused on a sale and a new venture. Some are only just beginning to think about life beyond the company. 

In each case, the objective is to provide advice that is as unique as the business itself.

The appointment of a Head of Entrepreneurs formalises a coordinated, specialist offering for a vital segment of British business.

Entrepreneurs play a central role in driving growth, innovation and employment across the UK, and supporting them effectively requires more than a well-timed investment proposal at exit. It requires early engagement, integrated thinking and a willingness to challenge.

By combining dedicated leadership, insights from research such as the Next Exit report, and practical guidance through initiatives like entrepreneur-focused Autumn Budget content, we see ourselves as a long-term partner to founders, not simply an adviser at the point of liquidity.

Our goal is to ensure that when the time comes, whether that is a sale, succession or reinvestment, opportunities have not been missed and decisions have been made with clarity and confidence. To discuss your business or personal wealth, speak to your usual Evelyn Partners contact or book an appointment.