NZBritannia

Lee-Ann Scarth of the Rosedale-based financial services company NZBritannia is moving towards building a client base closer to home – from Pūhoi to Mangawhai.

It’s a natural move for the South African-born Lee-Ann, who has lived in Warkworth since moving to NZ in 2001 and is deeply involved in the local theatre scene.

NZBritannia has grown from dealing largely with UK pension transfers to providing a range of financial services helping clients prepare for retirement.

Lee-Ann’s particular interest is on empowering women, including suddenly single women who face the often-daunting task of managing finances alone.

During an earlier banking career – she managed BNZ branches in Warkworth and Wellsford for nine years – she recalls meeting women in that situation, uncertain about paying the bills, let alone
investing for retirement.

For younger clients, retirement may be decades away but good financial decisions are necessary now.

Many think financial advisors are there to tick boxes, charge a fee and move on, she says.

“My aim is to help people make informed decisions, with me on the sidelines, facilitating that.”

Lee-Ann feels it’s important to get to know clients – pets, children, values – to create a plan suited to them rather than something generic.

She also eschews “stuffy suit jargony meetings”, preferring to meet clients in a relaxed environment – a coffee shop or over cheese and a glass of wine.

And every client is different.

“We live in a real world. Not everybody’s a millionaire. Somebody’s one thousand or 10 thousand is as important as someone else’s 10 million.”