We help clients live the lives they want

Those who work in the sports industry face unique challenges relating to their wealth management, particularly in ensuring that sufficient capital is accumulated to ensure their future livelihoods.

We understand that professional sports careers can be relatively short and that a fresh approach to your wealth management may be required to maintain your lifestyle now and plan for a financially secure future.

Our experience with clients in the industry gives us an informed and educated perspective on how best to approach asset management for sports professionals.

Since 2007, DBL Asset Management has provided independent financial planning and advice to clients from our offices in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

We are a truly independent financial advisory firm, providing a bespoke service to a broad client base with a variety of life goals.

Our philosophy is to create long-term relationships and build a deep understanding of our clients’ motivations and future plans, which will enable us to advise them in making the right decisions about their wealth.

The firm was established by Paula Staines and Dacre Staines, who between them have over forty-five years of combined financial planning experience. Their history of working for small regional and large national advisory firms enables DBL Asset Management to fully understand client needs and make expert recommendations.

We’re a VouchedFor Top Rated Firm

DBL Asset Management profile
Vouchedfor Top Rated

We have been included in the VouchedFor Top Rated 2024 Guide, distributed by The Times.

VouchedFor’s Top Rated Guide aims to identify and celebrate the UK’s best financial advice firms based on client feedback. Better yet, we are Wilmslow’s only Top Rated Firm of financial planners.

Meet our team

DBL’s team all work closely with our clients, sharing their industry experience to help them reach their life goals.

Click on the names below to read a bit more about them and the knowledge they bring to our clients’ investments.

Dacre Staines

Partner

A qualified IFA since the year 2000, Dacre started his career working for Redcliffe Associates (now AWD Chase de Vere) in Wilmslow, before leaving to establish DBL Asset Management in 2007.

Dacre’s thinking behind creating DBL was to build a company which worked more quickly and more personally with clients than large multinationals ever could, placing a high level of emphasis on personal service and meeting client needs and expectations faster.

As well as performing the core duties of an IFA, Dacre is managing partner of DBL Asset Management, with responsibility for the day-to-day strategy and operations of the company.

In his spare time, Dacre enjoys golf and rugby and can be found occasionally completing the odd DIY project.

Paula Staines

Partner

Paula began her career in the industry in 1984 and was one of the most acknowledged senior consultants at Canada Life, when she left the insurance company in 1998. Since then she has amassed a wealth of experience within the financial services industry, which she pooled together with her son, Dacre, when they set up DBL Asset Management in 2007.

With responsibility for many of DBL’s clients, Paula brings a holistic approach to financial services, believing that meeting regularly with clients is the best way to understand their requirements and help them to achieve their life goals.

When she can, Paula enjoys travelling to meet friends abroad, as well as enjoying spending time learning about the cultural history of the locations she visits.

Emer Fitton

Client Services

Emer joined DBL from the Manchester branch of Coutt’s private bank in April 2013, where she was a financial planning support officer for six years.

Her role at DBL Asset Management involves several elements of our business and client processes, enabling us to work harder and smarter for our clients.

With a total of well over ten years of experience in the industry, Emer is also involved with our business development and brings her great knowledge of financial adviser support processes to help make sure DBL’s clients are expertly serviced.

Away from work, Emer has three children who take up most of her time, although she manages to enjoy some football and reading, whenever she can.

Michelle Hayes

Client Services

Michelle first came to work for DBL Asset Management in 2007, having previously worked in both small regional firms and larger national services companies.

She has over twenty six years experience in the financial services industry and is often the first person with whom clients speak when contacting our offices.

Michelle provides vital assistance to all DBL clients regarding many of their queries and assists Paula and Dacre in much of their work.

In her spare time, Michelle enjoys time with family and friends, and can often be found watching Manchester City at The Etihad Stadium, where she is a season ticket holder.

Michelle Coulton

Client Services

Michelle has been a member of the DBL team since June 2016. She started her financial services career in 2002 and prior to that worked in the hotel and catering industry for eleven years. She holds the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Financial Planning Certificate: Stage One.

Michelle is part of our client services team and supports our planners, Dacre and Paula, by assisting them in their day-to-day duties, liaising with clients and providers and keeping our back office systems updated.

Much of Michelle’s free time is spent with her fiancé Brett and young daughter Megan. She is brushing up on her golf skills but is the first to admit she is not ready to leave the driving range yet!

Mark Easter

Financial Adviser

Mark joined DBL at the beginning of 2018, having been a professional rugby player.

He first played rugby at school at Dulwich College and then studied Geography and Business at Nottingham University, where he also played for Nottingham Rugby Club. After graduating, a trial at Northampton Saints resulted in him staying there for six years. He transferred to Sale Sharks in 2011 and he and his family moved to Wilmslow.

On retiring from rugby at the grand old age of 33, Mark taught business studies at Wrekin College in Shropshire and was Director of Rugby. Financial services had always been a profession, which had interested him, and as he had benefited from Dacre’s financial advice himself, he decided to make the career change.

Mark has completed his professional examinations and is now a fully qualified financial adviser. His first hand experience of the issues sports professionals face is invaluable.

He is married with two young daughters and two dogs, all of whom ensure Mark maintains an active lifestyle.