Who are the Progeny Group?
Progeny is a global professional services company. Launched in 2016, it began with wealth management and legal advice and has since grown to encompass investment management, tax services, property and HR consultancy, all under one roof.
To support this growth, Progeny has acquired a number of like-minded, client centred firms, including Balmoral Asset Management, an Edinburgh-based wealth management firm which Edinburgh Napier University had a strong partnership with.
The Edinburgh Napier and Progeny partnership
Edinburgh Napier and Progeny’s long-spanning partnership began in 1999 through ENU’s connection to Balmoral Asset Management. This was the year that Balmoral was founded, and it was also the year the University’s BA(Hons) Financial Services course had its first graduating cohort. One of these graduates was Euan Atkinson. After Euan completed his studies at Edinburgh Napier, he joined Balmoral’s brand-new graduate scheme. He’s remained at the firm and has risen through the ranks, first at Balmoral and now at Progeny where he is Associate Director.
“My career path has taken me from Balmoral Asset Management to Progeny. It has been a varied career which has seen us grow from a small business into a thriving and highly successful business.
“No two days are the same and with a constantly changing economic and political backdrop there is always much to keep us busy ensuring we continue to help our clients meet their objectives.”
Euan was keen to give back to the University and Balmoral were eager to foster links with Edinburgh Napier. This led to the creation of a series of graduation prizes in 2009 which recognise excellence in Financial Services Management and Economics & Management. Balmoral also secured access to talented graduates by frequently employing interns from Edinburgh Napier.
The John Troy Memorial Trophy
One of the graduation prizes awarded to high achieving ENU students is the John Troy Memorial Trophy. John Troy was Head of Accounting, Economics and Statistics at Edinburgh Napier during Euan’s time at the University. He was a mentor and friend to Euan and passed away a year before the prize was established. John understood the merit in fostering relationships with industry and Euan felt it was right to name the award in his memory.
The John Troy Memorial Trophy was first awarded to the best performing honours graduate in Economics with Management. It now goes to the top Financial Services student. The 2019 winner was Cameron Clark. Having met Cameron on graduation day, Euan was keen to secure him within the firm. Cameron joined Balmoral’s graduate scheme in January 2020 and continues to work for Progeny Wealth.
“I began my training in an administration role, assisting the advisers with their daily tasks such as writing suitability reports, producing client valuations, and researching investment opportunities, amongst other things. During these earlier stages, I also worked towards and achieved my Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning through the Chartered Insurance Institute, providing me with the technical knowledge and expertise to be able to look after clients of my own.
“Fast forward a few years to today, I now look after a bank of 50 clients with the aim of meeting their financial goals and objectives on an ongoing basis. This includes regular contact with clients to provide them with tax planning advice, estate planning and investment advice to meet their immediate and longer-term needs. In addition, I spend a great deal of time networking and seeking opportunities to introduce new clients into the business and assist them with their financial journey.
“Aside from my daily role as a Financial Adviser, I am also working towards Chartered Status which is a designation awarded to financial advisers who are committed to the highest level of professionalism and ethical practice. This accreditation is always something I have been driven to achieve and hope to complete my journey within the next six months.”
In 2023 Andrew Hogg graduated with a Degree in Economics with Management and won the John Troy Memorial Trophy that year. After finishing his studies he joined Carbon Financial Partners, a financial planning firm which is part of The Progeny Group, as a graduate trainee.
“Carbon specialises in financial planning; helping clients achieve their financial goals through effectively managing their funds and assets.
“In my current role, I support the planners by providing excellent client service. My responsibilities include conducting portfolio reviews, addressing client queries, and processing client requests, among other tasks. Additionally, I am pursuing professional exams with the goal of becoming a fully qualified financial planner.”
The Progeny Scholarship
Edinburgh Napier and The Progeny Group continue the partnership first developed by Balmoral Asset Management. In addition to continuing to recognise top performing students, Progeny is committed to ensuring higher education is accessible for all by recently launching the Progeny Scholarship.
The Progeny Scholarship, new for 2024 and the first offered by Progeny in Scotland, will go to a student entering the Financial Services degree, aiming to provide both financial and career support throughout their time at Edinburgh Napier. The aim of the Scholarship is to enable students who would otherwise struggle to afford university life and career-enhancing work experience to have access to both and provide more routes into the financial services sector through the Progeny Group. It is hoped that the Scholarship will be the first of many, cementing the relationship for years to come.