Business expansion leads to two new appointments at Thornton Associates Thornton Associates have announced a substantial expansion of their business, including two new appointments. Kate Brown has joined the company in an Advisor Support role and Jo Johnson has become the company’s first ACII Chartered Insurance Broker. Jo’s appointment comes as part of Thornton’s launch of its new General Insurance Services Division, after being granted a licence from the Insurance and Pensions Authority to conduct general insurance business. Thornton Associates Ltd was established 10 years ago by Managing Director Sharon Sutton, a Chartered Financial Planner, to offer trusted, ethical and transparent financial planning. It was the first such company on the Island. The Business has grown substantially over that time. Now Jo has joined the team in order to develop a range of insurance services for both new and existing customers. Jo will be involved in the day to day running of the new General Insurance Division which has been created to complement the existing financial services business. Sharon commented on the launch of the new services: “We provide a really client-focused service that helps them - whether they are a private individual, trustee or small business owner - to create a financial plan which will help them to achieve their goals. This extends logically to the requirements of a general insurance provision in covering more, if not all, risks. I believe that being equipped to provide clients with both financial services and general insurance will be a major benefit for them, as it will broaden our understanding of the client and help us to be their long term partner in their financial plan, achieving what is most important to them. Giving our clients the ability to review all of their needs under the roof of one trusted company will no doubt give them a greater peace of mind, along with the obvious practical benefits. Jo is one of a limited number of Chartered Insurance Brokers operating in the personal, business and professional environment. She commented: “By using an experienced and qualified insurance broker you can avoid any major pitfalls when organising the most appropriate cover to match your requirements. Many companies, houses and people are not properly insured which could mean either paying for cover which is not required or, worse still, not being adequately covered.” Jo has been working in the general insurance industry since 1986 and has been on the Isle of Man since 2002. In 2008, she became an Associate member of the Chartered Insurance Institute and was awarded the title of Chartered Insurance Broker. Jo is a member of the Isle of Man Insurance and Financial Services Institute Council and plays an active role on the Education Committee. Regarding the new services, Jo commented: “When insuring individuals, we recognise that claims do happen at what can be a traumatic time and appreciate the need for our policyholders to have the confidence of dealing with someone who will provide a personal service, not just a remote call centre dealing with large volumes of calls. We have direct contacts with major insurance companies which mean you only have to supply information once and we will do the rest for you. For commercial insurance we look to maintain an on-going dialogue and regular visits to ensure the client has the right insurance cover for their business. It is surprising how few brokers do visit regularly.” In an expansion unrelated to the move into insurance services, Kate Brown has joined the team in an Advisor Support role to Sharon Sutton and Joanne Dugdale. Kate is Manx born and educated and has a BA Hons in Tourism Management from the University of Chester. Prior to joining Thorntons she worked within the Discretionary Team in the Investment Department at AXA Isle of Man. Kate commented on her appointment: “It’s really very exciting to secure a role with a quality growing business like Thornton Associates, especially at a time when it is branching out into new services. I’m looking forward to a real variety of challenges.” Sharon commented on both appointments: “It’s wonderful to see the business grow and to welcome bright new people into our team. We’re very optimistic about the future of the business and I am confident that both Kate and Jo will gel well with the team and help to make the most of this time of great opportunities. Above all, I am confident that their addition will help us to continue to improve the service that we offer our clients” More information is available at http://www.thorntonfs.com Ends