“Manchester’s size and reputation as a UK financial growth engine dictated our decision to establish the Handelsbanken regional operations centre in the city.” Anders Bouvin, Regional CEO, Handelsbanken
KEY SECTORS
Liverpool’s broad financial and professional services talent pool was an important factor in JPMorgan INVEST’s decision to set up a major pensions operation in the city.
A long-established financial services niche, Chester is home to major businesses such as HBOS, M&S Money and the European HQ of MBNA. A division of Bank of America, MBNA’s huge credit card operation is supported by more than 5,000 staff at its Chester Business Park location. The Northwest also has traditional strengths in the insurance and pensions sub-sector and is home to leading businesses such as RSA, Friends Provident, Direct Line and Royal Liver – one of the world’s oldest mutual assurance companies. The region enjoys an 11% share of the UK insurance market, employing close to 40,000 people.
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and stunning financial district. In Liverpool, JPMorgan INVEST operates an asset management and corporate pensions division, further strengthening the city’s financial services sector. Over the past few years, Liverpool has also become a significant location for wealth management activity. Both Barclays and institutional investment bankers Panmure Gordon have opened offices in the city, joining other major private equity and fund management specialists such as Coutts, Rathbones, Rensburg, Deutsche Bank and Midas Capital. In Bibby Financial Services and Intrum Justitia, Liverpool also hosts two of the biggest factoring/ credit management businesses in the UK.