Tilney Smith & Williamson has set out a statement of purpose for the group to mark its first anniversary since completing its merger.
Tilney and Smith & Williamson merged 12 months ago and said to recognise this milestone, the stated purpose for the firm was to ‘place the power of good advice into more hands’.
Tilney Smith & Williamson said it had “aspirations and ambition" to reach a wider set of clients and was developing services that will be accessible to a wider cross section of the population.
To deliver its purpose, Tilney Smith & Williamson has set out three core values that it is committed to embedding in the culture of the business.
These are to deliver a friendly, inclusive and personalised service to all of clients; to develop relationships spanning multiple generations; and to be a forward-thinking and innovative business.
Chris Woodhouse, chief executive of Tilney Smith & Williamson, said: “Our purpose and values reflect our unique combination of financial services and professional services, our depth of expertise and the breadth of our offering from supporting clients at the start of their financial lives making their first investments online, through to wealthy individuals with complex affairs, as well as businesses with a wide range of needs and challenges.
“The launch of the new purpose and values has been incredibly well received within the business and over the coming months further work will be undertaken to bring these to life in everything we do.”
Tilney first announced the purchase of Smith & Williamson in September 2019, in a deal worth £625m.
However, following the announcement it faced regulatory hurdles and was in discussions with the Financial Conduct Authority in January 2020 to get the proposed takeover approved.
In August, the firm received shareholder approval from Smith & Williamson and in September it completed the purchase and renamed the business.
In today’s update, the firm reported that the integration was ahead of plan, with teams and processes combined and a busy programme of digital innovation.
It has also been actively hiring professional services partners and directors, financial planners, investment managers and business development professionals as it eyes growth opportunities.
Earlier this year, Tilney Smith & Williamson also appointed former Barclays boss Chris Grigg and former chief executive of The Vanguard Group, Bill McNabb, as directors to the board.
Woodhouse added: “We believe that a strong culture, based on a shared sense of purpose and values is imperative to the success of a business.
“As we said when we first announced the planned merger, the cultural fit was an important consideration. Both previous businesses had a strong ethos of professionalism and putting the interests of clients first, which was a fantastic starting point as we have brought the two firms together.”
Meanwhile, last month, the group published its first full half-year results since last year's merger and reported that assets under management grew to £54.8bn.
In the results for the six months to June 30, Tilney Smith & Williamson reported a 7 per cent increase in its AUM, up from £51.2bn at December 31, 2020.
sonia.rach@ft.com
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