Smith & Williamson increases its investment in Dublin with Senior Appointments and launch of S&W Europe

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Smith & Williamson increases its investment in Dublin with Senior Appointments and launch of S&W Europe

Smith & Williamson, the financial and professional services firm, have launched a new MiFID-authorised subsidiary as the operating vehicle for its investment and financial planning activities in Ireland...

Smith & Williamson Investment Management (Europe) Limited (SWE), which is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, will act as the firm’s European hub of operations, allowing it to provide practical, effective solutions and advice to domestic and international clients.

The new entity will continue to deliver the firm’s core investment proposition in Ireland. As the regulatory environment continues to change apace, this means clients will continue to receive the same high-quality investment management services to which they are accustomed without interruption if the UK leaves the European Union (EU) with no formal deal or a ‘hard’ Brexit.

As part of the move, Smith & Williamson has appointed Chris Johns as the first non-executive chairman of S&W Europe.

Highly regarded in the financial services sector both in Ireland the UK, Chris has more than 30 years’ experience in banking, stockbroking and investment management and is formerly Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Ireland Asset Management. He has also held roles with ABN Amro, State Street Global Advisers and Allied Irish Capital Management and will divide his time between Smith & Williamson offices in Dublin and London.

In addition, Fiona Ross joins S&W Europe as a non-executive director. Fiona has extensive experience at boardroom level having held senior roles in a wide range of major organisations, including as CEO of the National Library of Ireland and as a managing director for financial services companies in Ireland and the US. Her current roles include Chair of CIE Group and Mental Health Ireland.

Smith & Williamson has continued to expand its activities in Ireland since 2008. A merger with leading Dublin-based accountancy firm LHM Casey McGrath in October 2018 doubled the size of its operations and also strengthened the firm’s presence in an important EU territory in advance of Brexit, where it combines a top 10 accountancy business with a market-leading independent investment management operation.

Chris Johns, non-executive chairman of Smith and Williamson’s European hub, and Cedric Cruess Callaghan, the company’s chief executive.

Announcing the move, Cedric Cruess Callaghan, SWE Chief Executive Officer, said: “This is a significant step for our business, recognising the importance of our Irish operations and underlining that the protection of the interests of our existing Irish clients in a post-Brexit world is our prime focus.”

“Within Europe there is considerable competition between member states, international banks and local firms to win market share. Smith & Williamson enjoys a privileged position, given our significant assets under management, our breadth of services and our focus on private clients and their businesses. We believe the combination of accountancy services and investment management provides our clients with a distinct advantage and the firm with a significant competitive edge.”

“We remain confident that our business model and this signal of our long-term commitment represents a successful proposition for Ireland in terms of scale, performance, reputation and the personal service we can provide to our clients.”

Article Published: 21/05/2019