Former manager from JP Morgan and Schroders launches independent advisory firm
Casual Take on an Ex-JP Morgan and Schroders Manager's New Venture
William Meadon, a bloke who used to handle some serious dough at JP Morgan and Schroders, has just thrown his hat into the ring with a sleek, new boutique advisory biz. He's calls it "Steppingstone," and it's all about giving UK private companies a helping hand.
Meadon, who steered the JP Morgan Claverhouse investment trust from 2012 until recently, aims to shake things up in the industry. He wants Steppingstone to be the one-stop-shop for businesses seeking various professional services, from legal eagles and number crunchers to branding gurus and capital raisers.
According to Meadon, Steppingstone caters to two unmet needs in the market. First, offering easy access to a suite of more affordable advisors helps meet the growing demand for a streamlined, flexible service. Second, the advisors themselves are eager to ditch the nine-to-five grind and focus on their chosen areas of excellence.
Before he was rocking the corporate world, Meadon started out as an auditor at KPMG. He later moved on to Schroders and Newton Investment Management, eventually landing the top job as head of the core equity team at JP Morgan, where he managed a whopping £7bn of global, European, and UK-focused funds.
During his tenure managing the JP Morgan Claverhouse trust, returns reached a whopping 167% or 8.3% annually, outperforming the FTSE All-Share index by a significant margin. Other funds under Meadon's management included JP Morgan Mid Cap, JP Morgan Income and Growth, and JP Morgan Income and Capital.
Andrew Ballheimer, a former global managing partner at Allen & Overy, weighed in on Steppingstone, commenting that the firm aims to provide a support network for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that often struggle to achieve their full potential.
While Steppingstone's specific service offerings remain unclear, its focus on capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and growth strategy formulation for UK businesses could make it a valuable resource in the competitive market. Meadon's experience in managing multiple investment trusts at JP Morgan suggests that his expertise in equity investments and portfolio management will likely shape Steppingstone's advisory approach.
- In 2024, William Meadon, former manager at JP Morgan and Schroders, aims to expand his new venture, Steppingstone, by adding finance specialists and advisors to cater to the growing demand for professional services in the UK economy.
- As Steppingstone's focus is on advising UK private companies, Meadon has added a team of experts, including lawyers, number crunchers, branding gurus, and capital raisers, with the intention of providing a one-stop-shop for businesses seeking to thrive and grow.
- Meadon's goal for Steppingstone is to be more affordable and flexible compared to traditional advisory firms, making it a steppingstone for small and medium-sized businesses looking to invest, expand, and join the competitive business landscape.
- Using his extensive experience in managing billions of pounds at JP Morgan, Meadon aims to guide Steppingstone's clients with his expertise in equity investments and portfolio management, thus positioning Steppingstone as a significant adding to the UK's financial sector in the years to come.
