Westbury Private Clients LLP
Westbury Private Clients LLP (FRN 595603) was an FCA-regulated investment management firm that created and managed portfolios for clients, including pension holders. The firm became the subject of FCA and FSCS scrutiny after serious concerns emerged about the suitability of the investment strategies it employed on behalf of clients.
The FCA identified that James Paul Goodchild, the portfolio manager at Westbury, had created portfolios that were plainly unsuitable for the clients whose pension funds were placed in them. Working in a connected arrangement with Stephen Joseph Burdett of Synergy Wealth Limited, Goodchild placed approximately 38% of overall client holdings into a single offshore property developer. The portfolios managed by Westbury comprised 232 personal pension funds worth over £10 million. The FCA intervened in 2016 to protect consumers, and both Westbury and Synergy subsequently went into liquidation.
The FCA banned both Burdett and Goodchild from working in regulated financial services. The Upper Tribunal upheld both the bans and the financial penalties imposed, with those decisions confirmed as recently as February 2026. The FSCS declared Westbury Private Clients in default on 6 May 2022, and has paid out over £1.4 million to victims.
Issues / Why You May Have a Claim
Former clients of Westbury Private Clients who had their pension funds placed into unsuitable, highly concentrated investment portfolios may be eligible for FSCS compensation. If you were introduced to Westbury by Synergy Wealth or another financial adviser and your retirement savings were exposed to high-risk investments without your proper understanding and consent, please speak to our team.
