AROUND 150 business people attended an event to mark the 15th anniversary of wealth management firm Citi Quilter's presence in the city.

The firm, part of the huge Citi Group, has doubled the size of its team to 16 in that time.

David Rothburn, pictured, head of Citi Quilter's Manchester office, said: "Fifteen years ago, Manchester was a burgeoning, vibrant city brimming with entrepreneurial spirit. Today, the city rivals London as one of the UK's most important hubs and we are lucky to have been part of the growth story."

Colin Sinclair, chief executive of Manchester's investment agency MIDAS, said the city could `rightly claim' to be the UK's largest regional centre for financial and professional services.