20/11/20: Some sponsors in sport are content to simply have their name on a shirt or courtside hoarding, but Advanta Wealth is no ordinary sponsor for the Eton Fives Association. The two organisations have an active, hands-on partnership and a shared love of Eton Fives, which is why the financial services provider’s executives are just as likely to be found on an Eton Fives court as in a boardroom.
Take the recent “Advanta Hosts” evening with the Brigands Club at Charterhouse School, where Advanta Wealth’s Eton Fives-playing executives were among those working up a sweat on court before Advanta Wealth hosted a friendly, informal evening with nibbles and drinks. It was the first of many planned get-togethers supported by the financial services provider’s London-based team. “The Eton Fives scene is very friendly and social so it’s a good fit,” says Advanta Wealth Investment Analyst Sam Welti. “The night at the Brigands was really good fun, and it allowed us to put some faces to names and say hi to people. We just want people to know what we do and how we’re helping Eton Fives.”
In normal times, Advanta Wealth also supports the EFA’s annual Awards Dinner, which was held at the RAC in 2019 and proved to be a hugely enjoyable evening spent celebrating the sport and its players. One of the other key pillars of its support is that EFA members who become a client can directly help the development of Eton Fives thanks to Advanta Wealth’s commitment to giving 20% of its commission from any mortgages and insurance it manages for EFA members straight to the EFA’s Five Star project.
Three of Advanta Wealth’s top team – Investment Analyst Sam Welti, Chartered Financial Planner Chris Hughes and CEO Craig Webster - are all keen players. “All three of us play fives and love the game; we’re fanatical about it,” explains Welti. “We’ve always had a lot of Eton Fives players as clients and we’ve always really enjoyed the relationship we’ve had with them. Our sponsorship is a natural way to build on that.”
Advanta Wealth is now in the third year of its sponsorship of the Eton Fives Association and the two organisations share a commitment to developing and growing the sport n/nationally and to helping it reach new audiences. “We love the sport and we liked the people involved, plus we wanted to support a growing sport that is doing really good things at grassroots level and actively trying to reach out and be more inclusive,” explains Welti. “We wanted to be part of that.”
This personal connection is typical of Advanta Wealth’s approach in many ways. Their boutique services are based on a personal service, designed to work for everyone, whatever their financial needs, and built on a strong foundation of trust. The company shares an ethos of inclusivity with the Eton Fives Association, which is another reason why the partnership works so well. “When people hear “wealth management” they think that you need to be a millionaire to qualify, but everyone needs our services,” says Welti. “There are lots of people in the EFA community who already benefit from our advice but there are lots more whom we could help as well.”
The EFA has certainly benefited from Advanta Wealth’s bespoke expert advice when it comes to its own financial management, according to EFA Treasurer Martin Powell. “As a charity we are looking at many ways to grow the sport and, with their generous support, Advanta Wealth are making a big difference to us by helping us fund some of our initiatives,” says Powell. “I’m also very pleased with the portfolio performance and their investment strategy since they began advising us in December last year. I hope more of our members can benefit from their skill and expertise as well.”
Advanta Wealth does not just offer management of investment portfolios, its team can also help with insurance for small businesses and the self-employed, give advice on long-term financial planning and investment management and can also tailor their services to suit people of all ages and incomes.
As Welti puts it: “No-one should think that they’re not worth our time. Anyone and everyone can benefit from financial support and help.”
Just don't expect any mercy on an Eton Fives Court.
Advanta Wealth is hoping to host more “Advanta Hosts” evenings when COVID-19 restrictions allow. If you would like to arrange one for your club, please email Alex Knight.
Or to email for a chat please contact Sam Welti or Chris Hughes at Advanta Wealth.