Bluefin mentors help Davies switch to advice

Bluefin Wealth Management’s Gemma Davies has moved from a paraplanner to an adviser role after receiving help from the firm’s former New Model Adviser® cover stars Julie Lord and Marlene Shalton.

Davies (pictured) joined Lord’s firm Cavendish financial management as a paraplanner in 2006 before the firm was bought by Bluefin, then known as Thinc. After a year working as a trainee financial planner, she is now an adviser in Bluefin’s Cardiff office.

Davies said she was attracted to financial planning after spending time with clients as a paraplanner.

‘I realised I liked meeting people,’ she said. ‘It wasn’t planned; I’d thought I’d spend my time as a career paraplanner. Having the technical skills really gave me a good opportunity.’

She said by moving into financial planning, she had learned more about networking and how to attract clients. ‘I learned a lot from Julie, who acted as a mentor, and got support from Marlene.’

Davies achieved the certified financial planner qualification last year and aims to reach chartered status by the end of the year. She is working towards the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners qualification.