LONDON (ShareCast) - Three of the founders of Brooks Macdonald, an AIM-50 wealth management group, have sold a total of 385,000 shares for 1,275p, but insisted they remain 'fully committed' to the company.

Chris Macdonald, the Chief Executive, reduced his stake by 150,000 shares, Richard Spencer by 130,000 and Jonathan Gumpel by 105,000.

Christopher Knight, Chairman, said: "They have sold down their stakes for personal investment diversification reasons. The disposal has the benefit of improving liquidity in the company's shares. Retaining approximately 20.4% of the company's shares in aggregate, the directors are fully committed to the company and their interests remain wholly aligned with those of all shareholders."

Following the sale the directors have entered into a lock-up agreement whereby each of them and their families will not sell or transfer any of their shares without the written consent of the company for the next two years.

All three were co-founders of the company in 1991.


Timothy Woolley, Chief Executive Officer of Polar Capital Holdings, an AIM-listed specialist investment management firm, sold half a million shares in the company on March 21st at 200p each.

The director cashed in of the firm's soaring share price, which is up over 50% during the past year, equivalent to a 70p rise.

In January the company posted net inflows of $193m during the three months to December 31st, following a series of lucrative contract wins. Speaking at the time, Woolley said he expects the ongoing uncertain macroeconomic conditions to constrain future industry fund flows in the near term.

The £1m transaction takes his total holding to 6,500,000 shares, equivalent to 8.46% of the company's issued share capital.

The director helped to establish Polar Capitals in 2001 and has been Chief Executive since 2009 after his predecessor resigned.


Top Director Buys

Capital Shopping Centres Group (CSCG)
Director name: Mr John Whittaker
Amount purchased: 300,000 @ 350.49p
Value: £1,051,470

Symphony International Holdings Ltd. (SIHL)
Director name: Mr Pierangelo Bottinelli
Amount purchased: 583,402 @ $0.22
Value: $128,348

Symphony International Holdings Ltd. (SIHL)
Director name: Mr Pierangelo Bottinelli
Amount purchased: 113,500 @ $0.75
Value: $85,125

Progressive Digital Media Group (PRO)
Director name: Mr Mark Freebairn
Amount purchased: 349,600 @ 15.65p
Value: £54,712

Symphony International Holdings Ltd. (SIHL)
Director name: Mr Pierangelo Bottinelli
Amount purchased: 100,000 @ $0.30
Value: $30,100

Symphony International Holdings Ltd. (SIHL)
Director name: Mr Pierangelo Bottinelli
Amount purchased: 40,000 @ $0.72
Value: $28,800

MirLand Development Corp. (MLD)
Director name: Mr Eliezer Fishman
Amount purchased: 13,794 @ 176.00p
Value: £24,277

HaloSource Inc. (Reg S) (HAL)
Director name: Mr James Thompson
Amount purchased: 87,000 @ 23.00p
Value: £20,010

Edinburgh UK Tracker Trust (EUK)
Director name: Mr Kevin Ingram
Amount purchased: 7,517 @ 266.00p
Value: £19,995

Symphony International Holdings Ltd. (SIHL)
Director name: Mr Pierangelo Bottinelli
Amount purchased: 50,000 @ $0.39
Value: $19,650


Top Director Sells

Brooks Macdonald Group (BRK)
Director name: Mr Chris A MacDonald
Amount sold: 150,000 @ 1,275.00p
Value: £1,912,500

Brooks Macdonald Group (BRK)
Director name: Mr Richard Spencer
Amount sold: 130,000 @ 1,275.00p
Value: £1,657,500

Brooks Macdonald Group (BRK)
Director name: Mr Jonathan Gumpel
Amount sold: 105,000 @ 1,275.00p
Value: £1,338,750

New World Resources A Shares (NWR)
Director name: Mr Hans-Jörg Rudloff
Amount sold: 21,388 @ 454.11p
Value: £97,125

New World Resources A Shares (NWR)
Director name: Mr Hans-Jörg Rudloff
Amount sold: 10,000 @ 435.22p
Value: £43,522

New World Resources A Shares (NWR)
Director name: Mr Hans-Jörg Rudloff
Amount sold: 6,379 @ 453.90p
Value: £28,954

New World Resources A Shares (NWR)
Director name: Mr Hans-Jörg Rudloff
Amount sold: 5,000 @ 445.12p
Value: £22,256

Pittards (PTD)
Director name: Mr Stephen Boyd
Amount sold: 450,000 @ 3.50p
Value: £15,750

New World Resources A Shares (NWR)
Director name: Mr Hans-Jörg Rudloff
Amount sold: 3,455 @ 444.75p
Value: £15,366

Imagination Technologies Group (IMG)
Director name: Mr Ian Pearson
Amount sold: 1,500 @ 680.00p
Value: £10,200

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