Square Mile Investment Consulting and Research (Square Mile) has been appointed by Sutherland Independent, an Edinburgh-based chartered independent financial advisory company, to manage a bespoke range of discretionary model portfolios.

The five Sutherland Independent portfolios will target specific client outcomes, with the asset allocation driven by Towers Watson's risk assessment tool. Hosted on Old Mutual Wealth's platform, the portfolios will combine both active and passive investment vehicles featured in Square Mile's Academy of Funds and drawn from Square Mile's research process. This is the first time that Square Mile has teamed up with an adviser and a platform to offer such a service.

Mark James, Client Relationships Director at Square Mile, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Sutherland Independent to help deliver portfolios that meet the needs of their clients. This will enable their advisers to devote more time to other areas of client service and financial planning."

Jason Betteridge, Managing Director at Sutherland Independent, added: "This partnership with Square Mile will enable us to serve our clients even better and run an even more comprehensive service as we continue to grow. Square Miles' methodology is aligned with our own core values of honesty, integrity, fairness and ongoing service. The combination of Square Mile's investment expertise and Old Mutual Wealth's flexible platform will provide valuable support to Sutherland Independent, meaning we can spend as much time as possible helping our clients achieve their dreams and meet their financial planning goals.

Scott Goodsir, UK Managing Director at Old Mutual Wealth commented: "It's been a pleasure working with the team at Square Mile to offer a range of solutions that place the customer at the forefront of the proposition, while helping to deliver the support and flexibility that allows Sutherland Independent to evolve its business and client offering.