Fund supermarket pioneer

Bristol-based investment management firm Hargreaves Lansdown was established in 1981 by chartered accountants Peter Hargreaves and Stephen Lansdown. The company owns one of Britain's biggest so-called fund supermarkets, a low-cost platform that allows investors to buy a wide range of funds from investment houses.

Hargreaves Lansdown's in-house investment platform Vantage enables investors to hold different types of investments in one place with one valuation and dealing service. Available products under the Vantage brand include ISAs, SIPPs, and a fund and share dealing account.

The company operates four multi-manager unit trusts. It also provides financial advisory, stockbroking and annuity broking services to private investors and advice to companies on group pension schemes.