At Ginkgol, being local means knowing our clients — their families, their stories — and always answering the phone with a real hello.
Most of us know the feeling. You just need to sort something simple — but instead of a person, you get a maze of automated menus. It can leave you longing for the days when someone simply picked up the phone and said hello.
Clients often tell us that’s one of the main reasons they enjoy working with us. When you call Ginkgo, a real person answers — usually Elaine Regan or Arti Soards from our client care team. You can pop in if you’d rather see a familiar face, and if the person you spoke to last time isn’t available, someone else will still know what’s happening.
As Elaine puts it:
“It’s just nice when someone rings and I can say, ‘Hello — how are you?’ and genuinely mean it. We might not be a huge firm, but we know our clients, their families, their stories. That continuity is everything.”
Rooted in the community
Although we serve clients right across South East London and beyond, our heart is very much here in Blackheath and Greenwich.
Many of our clients live or work nearby, and there’s something reassuring about knowing your financial planner is just around the corner — not a call centre or chatbot away.
Our offices reflect that same warmth. They’re friendly, welcoming and accessible — with flowers outside and good coffee (and conversation) waiting inside. Whether you prefer to meet in person, online or by phone, you’ll always be greeted by someone who knows you.
Your adviser — and your team
Having a dedicated client care team isn’t about putting a buffer between you and your adviser — far from it. Your adviser is always there when you need them. Elaine and Arti simply add an extra layer of communication, keeping everything running smoothly, answering quick queries and making sure nothing gets missed.
It’s a team approach that keeps relationships strong and clients confident — because you always know who to call, and you can trust the person who answers to care as much as your adviser does.
The best of both worlds
Being small and local doesn’t mean being limited.
Ginkgo Financial is an appointed representative of Quilter Financial Planning, one of the UK’s largest and most respected networks. That means our clients get the best of both worlds: personal, local service backed by the strength, compliance standards and financial security of a national organisation.
We’re what the industry calls a restricted firm — but we see that as a positive. It means we use a carefully vetted panel of providers, chosen and reviewed by Quilter, so we can focus on what really matters: helping clients make confident, well-informed decisions without worrying whether a product is right or reliable.
Keeping it human
After years in big institutions, many of us at Ginkgo know how easy it is for clients to get lost in the system. That’s why we’ve built things differently. You won’t be passed from one department to another, and you won’t have to repeat your story each time you call. You’ll be recognised, remembered and looked after — by people who genuinely care.
As Elaine says:
“It’s rare now, isn’t it? To ring somewhere and have someone local pick up the phone. But that’s what people want — a real conversation with someone who actually listens. Sometimes a chat about the weather turns into something really meaningful. It’s the human bit that makes people feel looked after — and that’s what we love doing.”
And that’s really what being local, and being small, is all about.
Approver Quilter Financial Services Limited 10/10/25
