FEN Frenkel Topping Group Plc

20 February 2024

The information contained within this announcement was deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 as amended.  With the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

Frenkel Topping Group plc

("Frenkel Topping", the "Company" or the "Group") 

Directorate Change

Frenkel Topping Group (AIM: FEN), a specialist independent financial advisor and wealth manager focused on asset protection for clients, is pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher Mills as Non-Executive Chairman with immediate effect.

Mr. Mills joined the board of Frenkel Topping as Non-Executive Director on 20 May 2020. Pursuant to a number of recent exits by Harwood Capital Management, Mr. Mills has consequently stepped down from a number of company boards as a non-executive director. This has given Mr. Mills capacity to take on the role as Non-Executive Chairman of Frenkel Topping and provided him more time to devote to the business in which he is a major shareholder.

Mr. Mills founded Harwood Capital Management in 2011, a successor to its former parent company JO Hambro Capital Management, which he co-founded in 1993 and of which he was formerly the Chief Investment Officer. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer and Investment Manager of North Atlantic Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc, a UK listed investment trust, and a non-executive Director of several companies including AssetCo plc, MJ Gleeson plc and Oryx International Growth Fund Limited.

Former Chairman, Tim Linacre, will remain on the Board of the Company, taking up the position of Senior Independent Non-Executive Director to support Frenkel Topping's  strategy going forward. Mr. Linacre joined the board of Frenkel Topping in 2018 with more than 30 years' experience in financial services as a stockbroker and an investment banker and more latterly in financial public relations.

Chief Executive Officer, Richard Fraser, said: "Christopher has a deep understanding of the business and our ambitions and brings a wealth of experience in financial services and public companies to support us in our next stage of growth. I believe his guidance in the role of Chairman will be of great value to Frenkel Topping.

"I would also like to thank Tim for his contribution and dedication as Chairman since 2020 and I am delighted he has agreed to remain on the board and I look forward to working with him as Senior Independent Non-Executive Director in the future as we continue to grow the company.

As at the date of this announcement 38,350,000 ordinary shares of 0.5p each in the capital of the Company, representing 29.96 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company are held by North Atlantic Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc ("NASCIT") a company of which Mr. Mills is both a shareholder and director.

For further information:     

About Frenkel Topping Group

The Frenkel Topping Group of companies specialises in providing financial advice and asset protection services to clients at times of financial vulnerability, with particular expertise in the field of personal injury (PI) and clinical negligence (CN).

For more than 30 years the Group has worked with legal professionals and injured clients themselves to provide pre-settlement, at-settlement and post-settlement services to help achieve the best long-term outcomes for clients after injury. It boasts a client retention rate of 99%.

Frenkel Topping Group is focused on consolidating the fragmented PI and CN space in order to provide the most comprehensive suite of services to clients and deliver a best-in-class service offering from immediately after injury or illness and for the rest of their lives.

The group's services include the Major Trauma Signposting Partnership service inside NHS Major Trauma Centres, expert witness, costs, tax and forensic accountancy, independent financial advice, investment management, and care and case management.

The Group's discretionary fund manager, Ascencia, manages financial portfolios for clients in unique circumstances, often who have received a financial settlement after litigation. In recent years Ascencia has diversified its portfolios to include a Sharia-law-compliant portfolio and a number of ESG portfolios in response to increased interest in socially responsible investing (SRI).

Frenkel Topping has earned a reputation for commercial astuteness underpinned by a strong moral obligation to its clients, employees and wider society, with a continued focus on its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) impact.

For more information visit:      www.frenkeltoppinggroup.co.uk