The hire comes hot on the heels of that of Barney Hawkins, formerly an investment director at UBS Wealth Management, who will be joining Brewin Dolphin later this year, a spokesperson for the firm told this publication a week ago. Hawkins will also be based in Newcastle.

London-based Brewin Dolphin provides investment management and financial planning services for private investors, charities and pension funds. The wealth management house said in July that income in the quarter to 30 June rose 4.4 per cent year-on-year to £66.8 million (around $104.9 million) and that total funds under management stood at £25 billion at the end of June, up from £24 billion at the end of September last year.