Epworth Investment Management (Epworth), a UK investment manager dedicated to serving the needs of churches and charities, has announced that Simon Woolnough has joined as the head of business development.

Mr Woolnough will be responsible for the management of Epworth’s sales, marketing, and communications functions, and will have overall responsibility for assisting existing and prospective clients to identify the investment solutions that align with their values and support their mission.

Prior to joining Epworth, Mr Woolnough spent 30 years with AXA Wealth, over 20 of which were in IFA-facing roles. Over the last 2 years, Simon has been based in the Isle of Man leading both the distribution and marketing teams for Utmost International, a leading provider of insurance-based wealth solutions.

Following this, Simon became head of sales at Flagstone, a cash deposit FinTech startup, and then head of distribution at Blackfinch, an investment specialist providing solutions across early-stage investing, managed portfolio services and property financing.

David Palmer, chief executive, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Simon to Epworth Investment Management as we embark on our next phase of growth. His skillset, network, and ambition are aligned with our trajectory, and I am confident that the wider team and our clients will benefit from his contributions and expertise.”