A former member of the Estonian army is training his sights on the Stock Market as he launches a new business based in Dundee.

‘Stock Doctor’ is the brainchild of Tallinn-born Vladimir Zabnin (pictured above), who served as a leader in the Estonian Defence Forces’ artillery battalion before graduating from the University of Dundee and making his home in the city.

A career in financial services has seen him work for Alliance Trust Savings, where he specialised in analysing data flows of assets, and Baillie Gifford, where he was a portfolio analytics specialist.

Certified by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, he left the investment management giant after three years to take up the position of Head of Portfolio Management at Beamish International, which operates in the alternative assets space (rare and fine whisky) for ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

Using that experience to establish Stock Doctor, which will deliver a series of online investment courses for both beginners and advanced investors from January, the 33-year-old knows he can make a difference to people’s lives. 

Mr Zabnin also teaches the Finance and Financial Management module at Dundee University as part of the UK Government’s ‘Help to Grow’ management programme for SMEs.

He said: “People can have a high income but a low wealth and I aim to change that by helping them have their money working as hard as possible for them.

Whether they want to learn the basics of investing, choose or switch investment platform, understand the fundamental or technical analysis, manage risk in existing portfolios, learn a new investment strategy, or explore new investment opportunities, Stock Doctor provides a wealth of practical information in a range of investment courses to support them on their investor journey.”

Running for 15 weeks, the first Stock Doctor programme launches on 7 January and is designed to help participants find all the necessary tools to successfully invest by analysing stocks from different angles. 

Based on the principle that successful investing is a strategic process running over a lengthy period, it will help people manage their own money by focusing on different systems and techniques.

Mr Zabnin, who is also an honorary researcher at his former university, commented: “Too often I hear about people who are paying someone else to invest their money. I want people to invest in themselves by learning about what to do with their money.”

National service meant he had to interrupt his studies to return home to serve his country in 2012, coming back to Dundee to complete his BSc (Hons) Financial Economics degree.

Now with dual citizenship and happily married to wife Karina for 11 years, he’s excited about what the future holds as the launch of Stock Doctor approaches.

He added: “This is a really exciting stage in my career. My focus will be on delivering unique, hands-on investment courses with a core focus on the US stock market as well as stocks in the UK, EU, Japan and Australia.

Investing in the stock market is a very person-specific thing. Everyone’s risk tolerance is different so it is key that they all do their own research and learn where to look and what to look for.

I don’t offer financial advice but will be able to help people prepare a successful stock market strategy by sharing the growth and income strategies I use depending on what the markets are doing.”