The hires follow the firm's announcement earlier this month that it plans to relocate its Manchester team to a new office in Spinningfields in mid-2026, providing a larger, modern setting for clients.

Bell has more than 20 years’ experience advising high net worth private clients on the management of their financial affairs, the firm said in a statement. His expertise spans pensions and retirement planning, tax-efficient investing, inheritance tax planning, personal protection and wealth structuring, particularly in relation to business exits.

Before joining LGT Wealth Management in 2025, Bell was a senior wealth planner at Swiss private bank UBP. Prior to this, he spent five years at Investec as a senior financial planner and ran his own directly-authorised advice firm, specialising in joint ventures with accountants and solicitors. Bell is a chartered financial planner, a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), and a fellow of the Personal Finance Society (PFS).

In his expanded role, O’Brien’s will take responsibility for developing the business, alongside leading the firm’s Leeds office as it continues to grow its client base and advisor team in the region.

“As LGT Wealth Management continues to grow its presence across the UK, investing in experienced advisors and strong local leadership is key to providing specialist wealth planning for families and business owners,” O’Brien said. “Andrew’s depth of experience and client-focused approach will be a real asset to our team, allowing us to support the next phase of growth for the Leeds office and the wider business.”

The move reflects the growing number of wealth managers and private banks who are continuing to establish presences beyond London and the Southeast. Organisations such as UBS, Julius Baer, Coutts, Barclays, HSBC and Brown Shipley, among others, have a regional footprint, which this news service analysed in the aftermath of the pandemic at a time when people assumed that offices would be displaced. See more here and here.

LGT Wealth Management UK is a UK-based wealth management partnership which provides a range of investment management, wealth planning and private investment office services. LGT Wealth Management employs over 650 staff and has offices in London, Jersey, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester.