Kidston had been head of research at the company since 2004. Previously, Kidston was chief investment officer at Neville Merriam, according to his LinkedIn profile.

In a statement, JM Finn said Kidston was a hugely popular member of the team and would be remembered for his “germane approach to delivering his daily morning meeting to our investment managers”.

“Geordie was the heart and soul of our research which he delivered in a very personal style, and which has been invaluable to our clients and our business for the last 11 years. I, along with all my colleagues, am devastated by this tragedy, and our thoughts are with his family and friends,” said chairman James Edgedale. 

The company, which specialises in private client services, had £7.9 billion ($11.1 billion) of funds under management and administration as at 31 October 2015.