Kingswood Holdings has announced a Lloyds Banking Group veteran as its new UK chief executive as it reshuffles it board.
As UK CEO, David Lawrence will lead the domestic growth strategy as a director of Kingswood’s UK subsidiaries, following regulatory approval.
He will report to Kingswood group chief executive Gary Wilder and to the board of Kingswood Holdings.
Lawrence has more than 30 years’ experience in financial services with Lloyds Banking Group in numerous senior leadership roles across its retail, commercial and insurance divisions.
In 2014, he became commercial director and then chief operating officer for Lloyds’ private banking and wealth businesses with additional responsibility for its mass affluent strategy.
Lawrence has spent the past two years helping to establish Schroders Personal Wealth, as chief commercial officer.
Wilder said: “I am delighted that David has agreed to join Kingswood as our UK CEO to drive us through our next exciting phase of growth. As the business continues to expand, we want to ensure we have an experienced industry leader in place to accelerate our growth plans including our best in class DFM proposition and to drive synergies and efficiencies from our integration efforts.”
Lawrence added: “Kingswood has a clear ambition to build a leading wealth management business in the UK and internationally and I am delighted to be joining the business at such an exciting time.”
The hire comes as Kingswood Holdings announces a number of directorate changes.
Patrick Goulding (pictured right, above, with Leigh Philpot who heads the client proposition) will, from 1 January 2021, become full-time group chief financial officer and support Lawrence as he becomes UK CEO. He had previously been group chief financial officer and platform CEO.
Goulding will step off the board of Kingswood Holdings on 1 January, but continue as a director of Kingswood’s UK subsidiaries.
Graydon Butler will leave the board of Kingswood Holdings on 1 January 2021.
Kingswood Holdings group chairman Buzz West said: “Patrick has been an integral leader of our business over the last two years as we built a foundation for growth and the board is pleased he has agreed to assume the group chief financial officer on a full-time basis as we continue to expand.
“I would also like to thank Graydon for his service to the company. I am delighted to welcome David to Kingswood and look forward to the next exciting phase of our development.”
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