Kirby & Knott Financial Planning

Kirby & Knott Financial Planning, a family-run practice in Gloucester

Kirby & Knott Financial Planning is a financial advisory firm based in Gloucester that presents itself as family-run and describes its work as centred on the client, the family and the business. Its stated aim is to help turn future financial aspirations into reality, and it addresses clients in Gloucestershire and the surrounding areas.

The practice was founded in 2018 by Alex Kirby and Richard Knott, who met at secondary school in Gloucester and later moved together through further education into financial services. What the firm describes as a partnership between two friends and colleagues has since grown into a practice with a wider team, which the company says retains a personal approach despite the growth.

Advice areas: investments, retirement and protection

The service structure published on the site is organised around three advisory areas:

• Investment planning
• Retirement planning
• Protection planning

These are presented as the core of the firm's wealth management and financial planning offer. The practice states that it works with both individuals and business owners.

A five-stage approach to client work

The firm describes its method as a five-stage process. The only stage detailed in the available material is the opening conversation, in which the advisers propose meeting the prospective client to discuss how to begin. The site frames this first step around the idea of starting on the road to financial freedom and invites booking an appointment.

Relationship with St. James's Place

Kirby & Knott Financial Planning operates as a Partner Practice and is an Appointed Representative of St. James's Place Wealth Management plc, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. According to the firm's own disclosure, it represents St. James's Place solely for advice on that group's wealth management products and services. The terms "St. James's Place Partnership", "Partner" and "Partner Practice" are described as marketing terms used for St. James's Place representatives.

The advisory and support team

Both founders hold senior professional qualifications. Alex Kirby is a Director and Chartered Financial Planner, a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and a member of the Personal Finance Society; he began his career in 2005 and worked in a range of roles at large corporate organisations, including Zurich and Santander, before founding the practice with Richard Knott in 2018. Richard Knott, also a Director and Chartered Financial Planner, holds a BSc, the Cert CII and FPFS status, and the firm describes Chartered and Fellow status as the profession's highest level of qualification in financial planning.

The wider team combines advisory, paraplanning and client-service roles:

• Ashley Pooley, a Financial Planner who began his career in 2016 at Coutts & Co and joined the practice in August 2024.
• Alix Whittard-King, a Financial Planner who joined in early 2025 after a career in retail buying up to director level.
• Jordan Lovesey, a Paraplanner who researches financial products, analyses data and writes reports, and who holds the Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning from the CII.
• Emilie Berthold, a Trainee Paraplanner who joined in May 2025 and has achieved the R01 qualification.
• Jess Blakeman, Practice Manager, responsible for back-office functions.
• Catherine Knott and Debbie Kirby, Client Services Co-ordinators, handling review meetings, reports and liaison with providers and clients.
• Jackie Reynolds, Client Relationship Manager since May 2024, who coordinates with third-party providers and clients.
• Colby Agg, Apprentice Client Services Coordinator.

Local community involvement

The firm states that supporting the community around it is an essential part of its role as a local business, and it dedicates a section of its site to that activity.