Financial services holding company Somers Ltd has appointed Mark Brown as a consultant to advise and assist in the ongoing management and development of its UK and Irish investment portfolio.

Mr Brown is also being appointed as executive chairman of Westhouse Holdings plc.

Mr Brown has significant experience in both large and small investment banks with a strong research and wealth management background. He started his career as an economist and top-rated market strategist at HM Treasury and UBS respectively. He went on to be global head of research for ABN AMRO and HSBC, and was also the chief executive of ABN’s UK equities business. More recently, Mr Brown led the successful turnaround of Arbuthnot Securities followed by Collins Stewart Hawkpoint.

Somers chairman Warren McLeland said: “Mark Brown brings a breadth of experience and leadership in the UK financial services sector to Somers and his involvement will allow Somers to continue to develop and enhance its UK investments”.

Somers Limited is a listed financial services investment holding company whose major assets include its 100 percent owned subsidiary, Bermuda Commercial Bank Limited, one of Bermuda’s four licensed banks and a 62.5 percent holding in Waverton Investment Management Limited, a UK wealth manager with over US$8.7 billion assets under management. The Group’s other investments include an approximate 68 percent economic interest in the London Stock Exchange listed Private & Commercial Finance Group PLC, a UK asset financing company, an 84.6 percent stake in Westhouse Holdings PLC, a corporate and institutional stockbroking group, a 30 percent economic interest in Ascot Lloyd Holdings Limited, a UK independent financial adviser and a 21 percent economic interest in Merrion Capital Holdings Limited, an Irish financial services group.