Investment advisory group de Vere is planning an office in Lisbon, to help expatriates in Portugal deal with the evolving crisis engulfing their new homeland, among various other peripheral eurozone countries.

De Vere's expansion in Portugal's capital next month will add to its Iberian offices already in Marbella, Madrid, Barcelona and Denia.

As part of its global expansion plans, de Vere will also open offices next month in the Ukraine and Hungary.

Of the Portuguese plans, group director Mike Coady said Lisbon remains "an extremely vibrant business hub, with expatriates being some of the city's leading employers, top-earners and major investors.

"Since the economic downturn there has been an increasing awareness, especially amongst expats, of the need to seek professional, independent financial advice if they are to maximise their wealth.

"As those who live abroad require a completely different planning strategy to their counterparts in the UK, the deVere Group believes that tailor-made financial solutions should be devised with the client wherever they may be."

De Vere is planning to open 12 new offices this year, and bring its total to 100 within five years. It now has more than 60 offices worldwide, serving more than 60,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

Other offices are planned in centres such as Texas, Italy, Qatar, Lebanon, Turkey, and China.