Our company
Ginkgo Financial is a financial advice firm based in Blackheath, serving families and professionals across Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley and Bromley with retirement planning, investments and estate planning.
We work with people through life’s big moments. Providing for a family. Planning for retirement. Growing your wealth. Passing it on. Or simply getting your financial affairs into shape.
Our story
Ginkgo Financial Ltd was founded in 2012 by Daren Wallbank and Debra Blundell, a local husband and wife team.
Daren had spent his career as a financial adviser. Debra brought a background in communications and customer focus.
They started Ginkgo to fill a gap they could see widening. Once upon a time, every high street had a bank branch where you could make an appointment with the manager, sit down over a cup of tea and talk through your money. Most have gone. Ginkgo was their answer – financial advice that’s expert but approachable, and grounded in the community.
We’re part of the same community you are.
Fourteen years on, we’re a team of fourteen at Blackheath Standard. Three advisers and eleven specialists in case processing, client care, operations and marketing. We’re not a branch of a national chain. We’re not a London adviser servicing the suburbs from a glass tower in Canary Wharf. We’re part of the same community you are.
Why we chose the name ‘Ginkgo’
The ginkgo is one of the oldest trees on the planet, with a history stretching back over 200 million years.
It’s also one of the most resilient. A handful of ginkgo trees were the only plants to survive the atomic bomb at Hiroshima, protected by an unusual plasma. As the burnt and broken trees bloomed again, they brought hope to the survivors.
We think good financial planning works the same way. Patient. Built to last. Strong enough to weather whatever life sends.
You’re in safe hands
If you decide to work with us, you’ll have a named adviser who knows you, your goals and your story. They’re not working alone.
When the conversation widens – to estate planning, trust work or long-term care – the right person on the team picks it up.
This matters most when life shifts. If you’re recently widowed, the last thing you need is to brief someone new on your circumstances. The same client care team has been with you from the beginning. They know your story. So does your adviser.
We listen first, then explain things in plain English.
We listen first, then explain things in plain English. No pressure, no jargon. The advice starts with what you actually want from life.
All of our advisers are highly qualified and regulated.
Daren is a Chartered Financial Planner and a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society – the gold standard qualification for UK financial planners. Catriona Bryden and Rachael Childs, both hold Diplomas in Financial Advice.
We’re regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as an appointed representative of Quilter Financial Services Ltd, part of Quilter PLC, a FTSE 250 company. So you get a local, family-run firm with the strength of one of the UK’s largest financial planning networks behind it.
We’re a restricted advice firm. There are good reasons why →
Verify our credentials:
- FCA reference: 912144
- Companies House: 08220047
- Verified client reviews: VouchedFor 4.9/5
- Industry profiles: Unbiased | LinkedIn | Crunchbase
You can read more about how we work and what we charge.
A firm rooted in its community
We’re a Living Wage Employer with a family-first ethos. Through Grow with Ginkgo we sponsor local events and charities, run free talks on money matters, and support causes that matter to the area we serve.
Our office is a shop front in Blackheath Standard, offering a warm welcome whenever you’d like to drop by.