My journey into financial services began over 44 years ago — by chance — over a cup of tea at a party. I was 22, working in retail management, and feeling unfulfilled. A newly qualified sales manager sitting beside me asked if I was happy in my career. When I admitted I wasn’t, he invited me to come in for a chat. Three months later, I joined Imperial Life of Canada as a life underwriter. By the age of 25, I was heading one of their top-performing advisory teams, which led me to be invited as a keynote speaker at an Imperial Life conference in Acapulco. In the audience were the company’s top two life insurance advisers, who were planning to set up their own independent financial advisory brokerage. The following year, they invited me to join them as their Managing Director. It felt like a huge leap forward at the time, but when those two founders fell out, the business collapsed almost overnight. That experience taught me one of the most valuable lessons of my career: resilience. I picked myself up and resolved never to work for anyone else again.

In 1993, I co-founded my own brokerage with a trusted colleague, and before the year was out, a game-changing opportunity presented itself. A chance conversation on a squash court led us to secure Lidl as our first major corporate client — a relationship that I’m proud to say continues to this day.

Another pivotal moment came in 2004, when I merged my firm with Robert Stein’s to form Vintage Financial Ltd. We reassessed our direction in 2008, and launched our own fund management business — Vintage Asset Management. Robert and I remain Directors to this day. Our investment philosophy reflects the needs of our client base: predominantly those in or approaching retirement who prioritise capital preservation over high-risk growth. For us, managing wealth is about ensuring your investments are aligned with your goals and risk tolerance.

An area I feel particularly passionate about is helping families with intergenerational wealth planning. At Vintage, we work closely with families to help them pass on wealth smoothly and sensibly. Starting these conversations can feel daunting, but I often advise clients to begin with shared values — whether it’s funding education, supporting charitable causes, or preserving a family business — rather than jumping straight into figures. From there, discussions about estate plans tend to unfold more naturally. I encourage clients to treat these talks as ongoing dialogues. Transparency — tailored to each family’s dynamic — can prevent misunderstandings and create unity. It’s a privilege to facilitate these conversations and help ensure that the legacy our clients have worked so hard to build is passed on with purpose and care.

Of course, I have faced challenges over the years, as every business owner will recognise. One of the most difficult periods came in 2009, when Keydata, an investment company we had thoroughly researched, was shut down by the Financial Services Authority, for wrongly describing some of its investment policies as tax-free Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs). Despite our due diligence, no one could have foreseen what was happening behind closed doors. The fallout affected nearly 30,000 UK investors, including our own clients. Eventually, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme stepped in and agreed to pay out all these investors, including our own clients, satisfied that the marketing produced by Keydata did not comply with the Financial Services Authority’s rules. But the legal process dragged on for five long years, and I was heavily involved in it. It was a sobering reminder that even with the best intentions and rigorous research, uncertainty is sometimes unavoidable. One day, I may write a book about it!

What I’ve learned through my career is that success in financial services isn’t just about markets or margins. It’s about trust, resilience, and having the right people around you. That’s what Vintage was built upon, and it’s what we continue to deliver every day.

Circle Square Q&A

What 3 words best describe you? Hard Working, Sociable, Entertaining.

If you could offer your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be? There is no true substitute for experience. At times, someone may believe they possess greater insight than their elders. While this may ultimately prove to be the case, it is wise to first consider the perspective of those with greater experience.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? Taking on Lidl was not only a significant achievement — it was a clear validation of our vision, values, and commitment to delivering high-quality financial advice from day one. What makes this milestone even more remarkable is the longevity of the relationship. More than 30 years later, we are proud to continue serving LIDL. Additionally, I take great pride in the high standards that have earned us recognition as one of the UK’s Top 100 Financial Advisers for four consecutive years.

Which person (dead or alive) would you most like to invite to dinner? My Wife.

What inspired Vintage Wealth’s partnership with Circle Square? Our clients are mostly approaching or in retirement, looking ahead to the next chapter of life. Circle Square understands the challenges and opportunities of this life stage and aligns with our values of making the most of it.