Vanguard appoints Gillian Hepburn to expand UK adviser solutions offer

Vanguard today announced the appointment of Gillian Hepburn to the role of head of adviser solutions, UK. The appointment reflects Vanguard’s ongoing commitment to investing in and prioritising its adviser solutions offering. She will report to Doug Abbott, head of UK Client Group, and will join the UK Distribution Leadership Team.

As head of Adviser Solutions, Gillian will be responsible for driving the development of Vanguard’s Model Portfolio Services (MPS), managing strategic relationships with platform partners, and overseeing the evolution of the broader adviser solutions offer.

Commenting on Gillian’s appointment, Doug Abbott, head of UK Client Group, said:

“We are thrilled to welcome Gillian to Vanguard. She brings deep expertise in the adviser and platform space and joins at a time of continued growth and innovation for our UK business. Over the past couple of years, we have invested heavily in both product solutions and research and insights for UK advisers. Gillian’s experience and insight will be invaluable as we continue to expand our support for financial professionals.”

Vanguard works with over 5000 adviser firms in the UK, who entrust £150bn to Vanguard’s mutual funds, multi-asset solutions, Model Portfolio Services and ETFs. Vanguard launched its first model portfolio service in 2022, consisting of two ranges of index model portfolio strategies, available across 11 adviser platforms. Vanguard has also built custom model portfolios with financial advice firms and institutions in the UK. In 2024, Vanguard launched the Adviser Research Centre (ARC), to provide practical insights and advocacy for financial professionals.

On joining Vanguard, Gillian Hepburn, head of adviser solutions, commented:

“I am delighted to be joining Vanguard and look forward to working with a team that is deeply committed to putting clients first. I’m excited to contribute to the next phase of growth and to help deliver meaningful support to advisers across the UK.”

Gillian has more than 30 years of experience in financial services, with a career spanning senior roles in business development, intermediary solutions, and strategic partnerships. She has led thecreation of award-winning investment propositions, supported adviser firms with growth and succession strategies, and is a well-known advocate for the advice industry. Her work has earned her recognition including “Woman of the Year – Investment” at the 2023 Professional Adviser Women in Finance Awards.