IG has launched a new junior stocks and shares ISA, alongside an enhanced investment match of up to £250 for new customers. With the launch, all new junior ISA customers who invest £50 using the promo code NEWJISA will receive a guaranteed £50 matched investment paid as cash into their account. In addition, the first 200 customers to open and invest in a junior ISA with a £50 investment will be eligible for an enhanced match of up to £250. This limited allocation will come on a first-come, first-served basis. The product comes with no commission or platform fees and parents can invest across more than 12,000 stocks, ETFs and funds, with only standard FX fees applying to international share purchases.

District & County Investments has appointed Michael Clifford as commercial director as it looks to enter its next phase of strategic growth. In his new role, Clifford will lead commercial strategy, credit appetite and proposition development, with a focus on clear underwriting frameworks and scalable origination across bridging, refurbishment, commercial and development lending. He brings over 17 years’ experience in banking and finance, having held senior leadership roles across the specialist property finance sector, including at Hodge, and operating as commercial director level within short-term and development finance. District & County Investments said the appointment reflects its ambition to scale with intent, combining pace with conviction with disciplined credit standards as the platform continues to evolve.

Stuart Benge has been appointed as senior business development manager (BDM) at Afin Bank. He brings over 30 years of experience in residential and commercial finance, including 20 years with Norwich and Peterborough, as well as stints at both Recognise Bank and Hodge Bank. Benge is the fourth addition to Afin’s development team this year, as it gears up to support growth across its core mortgage propositions for foreign nationals, the self-employed and high-net-worth borrowers.

---