Today we turn to Shaun Wood, MD & CIO at Simpson Wood Financial Services Ltd (Leeds and Huddersfield) as we continue our 2025, popular festive spotlight — featuring regional businesspeople from across the north. We are quizzing a notable name with 12 quickfire questions.

1. What were you hoping to achieve by December when you sat down in January, and did you get there?

We wanted to be in a position where we were beating the benchmark by 1% per annum, so I am absolutely ecstatic that we are miles ahead with that.

2. Tell us about three moments from 2025 that made you proud of your business.

1) Being recognised for the second consecutive year by the Financial Times’ as being one of the top 25 financial services firms in the UK.
2) Our portfolio performance at the year-end in September was exceptional, so I’m very happy with that.
3) When two senior advisers left to move onto the next stage of their careers, the clients they were dealing with largely remained with us because of the trust they have in the firm as a whole, which was a proud moment.

3. What's been your biggest headache this year - supply chains, recruitment, costs, or something else entirely?

With the workload we have at the moment, I think that, realistically, we are one director short right now. This has meant that I and other directors have had a very heavy workload this year. It’s a nice problem to have in some ways, but it’s also a challenge.

4. If you had to describe 2025 using a Christmas film title, which would you choose?

Die Hard! I’m a one-man financial John McClane!

5. What's your number one priority when the office reopens in January?

The evolution of our investment process. June 2026 is the 3-year anniversary of the new portfolios, and so we are extremely focused on the returns we are delivering for clients — it’s the number 1 most important thing as far as we’re concerned.

6. Which business in the region has caught your eye this year - for all the right reasons?

Time4Sleep, which sells beds, mattresses and bedroom furniture is a great business. They’ve got their operations down to a fine art and sell a great product that everyone needs. Every part of their approach is about how they can consistently make the business run more elegantly. It’s just a really well-run, modern business.

7. Crystal ball time: what does 2026 hold for businesses like yours?

There should be growth. We are an industry that has been tightly strangled by the regulator for a long time, and it sounds like they’re finally relaxing that a little bit, which will be helpful. Simplified Financial Advice is something that is a really good idea and would improve more people’s finances but, the regulator has made it very difficult for independent advisors to offer that, so it would be good all-round if that starts to become possible.

8. This Christmas, are you a "full production" household or a "feet up and telly" one?

Feet up and telly! It’s the only time we get a proper rest because the markets are closed. Even when we go on summer holidays we still have to work to a certain extent because the markets are still moving, so Christmas is the only time we can really relax. It’s feet up and Christmas jumpers on!

9. Crackers, Brussels sprouts, or pudding - which one best describes your year?

Brussels sprouts but I don’t know why!

10. Which business book, podcast or piece of advice has been your "surprise hit" of the year?

I heard David Ventura give a presentation at Vistage and it was excellent. He’s a specialist in critical account management, and he talked about understanding the “win, keep and grow” mentality. It was basically about how to properly share out the right responsibilities to the right people in your firm to help foster genuine client loyalty. Even though the content itself wasn’t new to me, it was really valuable, because the way he presented it made it easy for me to see how to best implement it with my team.

11. As you wind down for the festive break, what are you most looking forward to switching off from?

The markets being closed so that we can properly switch off.

12. In 25 words or fewer, what would you say to your customers, teams and stakeholders as we head into 2026?

I’d really just like to thank everyone for their loyalty over the last 12 months and say happy Christmas!