How a Former Recruiter Built a £266M Financial Planning Business - Vikash’s Journey from BD to Chartered Adviser

In this episode of the Financial Planner Life podcast, Sam Oakes is joined by Chartered Financial Planner Vikash, who shares how he made the bold move from a successful recruitment career into the world of financial advice.

Vikash’s story is one of intentional reinvention. After building a strong career in recruitment and business development, he stepped away from the boardroom and into financial planning - starting from scratch, taking a pay cut, and retraining in his early 30s.

Now, ten years later, he co-leads Chatsworth Wealth Management, a thriving practice with £266 million in Assets Under Management, serving over 1,000 families.

We talk about:

• What made him walk away from recruitment
• Why recruiters are uniquely skilled for financial planning
• How he took over and scaled an existing practice
• Building client trust and social proof through content
• The future of advice, succession planning, and team culture
• The value of understanding client happiness and purpose

If you're in recruitment and wondering what’s next, or you're considering a second career in financial advice, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

Be sure to follow Financial Planner life on YouTube for extra content about career development within Financial Planning.

Reach out to [email protected] in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or podcast production.

Want to appear on the Financial Planner Life podcast? drop Sam a message.