Leadership: BOARD OF DIRECTORS > Executives
UK EXECUTIVES

David Lawrence
UK Chief Executive officer
David has over 30 years’ experience in financial services with Lloyds Banking Group where he held numerous senior leadership roles in distribution and functional areas across its Retail, Commercial and Insurance divisions. In 2014, David became the Commercial Director and then Chief Operating Officer for Lloyds’ Private Banking and Wealth businesses with additional responsibility for its Mass Affluent proposition and strategy. Over the last two years, David has played a lead role in the establishment of Schroders Personal Wealth (a joint venture wealth management business between Lloyds Banking Group and Schroders). David became Chief Commercial Officer for this business in March 2019 with primary responsibility for its client proposition, client experience and business development.

Patrick Goulding
Chief Financial Officer
Patrick is a Chartered Accountant with more than 25 years experience in strategy, finance and operational roles in the global financial services industry including senior roles at Morgan Stanley, Lend Lease, ING and Schroders in the US, Australia and Europe. Patrick works with the senior executive team to manage the business on a day to day basis to ensure financial and other performance targets are met. Patrick is a member of the Executive and Investment Committees as well as serving on the Audit and Risk & Compliance Committees.

Richard Bernstein
Chief Risk Officer
Richard joined Kingswood Group in March 2020 as Chief Risk Officer having worked at Close Brothers Asset Management for 8 years in senior Risk & Compliance roles. Prior to this Richard worked at F&C Investments and Barclays Wealth having graduated from Nottingham University in 1999 and subsequently completing a Masters in IT from Queen Mary College. Richard is a CFA charterholder, a Charted Fellow of the CISI and a Chartered Wealth Manager. Upon joining Kingswood, Richard will be responsible for ensuring Kingswood maintains a robust Compliance & Risk framework.

Harriet Griffin
Chief Operating Officer
Harriet joined Kingswood Group in March as COO. Harriet joins from Charles Stanley where she held role of COO of their Private Client Investment Management business and brings considerable experience in investment operations management, process and control. Harriet is a graduate of the University of Bath and a Chartered Member of the CISI. She recently completed her MBA at Cranfield University. Harriet had been with Charles Stanley since 2012, holding positions that included Operations & Business Development Manager and Learning & Development Manager. Prior to Charles Stanley, she was Senior Client Relationship Manager at the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

Jeff Grantham
Head of Wealth Planning

Leigh Philpot
Head of Wealth
Leigh joined Kingswood in 2019 and as Head of Wealth leads the private client business in the UK. His role is to help the firm to grow and enhance our proposition and service for clients and intermediaries and as well as having responsibility for the client facing staff. Leigh has over 20 years’ experience in the Private Client industry and joined Kingswood in 2019 from Kleinwort Hambros Private Bank, where he was Head of Regions. Prior to this he founded and led the Discretionary Fund Management (DFM) business strategy for the bank, providing DFM and private banking solutions to IFAs. Based in London, Leigh worked with Kleinwort Hambros for 13 years and had previously held the role of Group Head of Privilege Banking while at the firm. Prior to this Leigh spent the earlier years of his career as an Investment Manager at Rathbones, and was a graduate of the Stockbroker Development Programme at Killik & Co.

RUPERT THOMPSON
Chief Investment Officer
Rupert has a MA from Oxford University and has worked in the City for over 30 years as an economist, equity strategist and head of research at a variety of institutions including PAM Global Investments, Henderson Global Investors and UBS. Rupert leads the central investment team team which is responsible for the investment and fund selection process.

Rachel Bailey
Managing Director - HR
Rachel is fully CIPD qualified (Associate CIPD) with 20 years experience in human resources. Rachel has worked in a number of different industries including leading UK commercial property company British Land. Rachel is a member of the senior executive team and manages all human resource functions and initiatives and is a member of the Executive Committee.

NIGEL DAVIES
Managing Director, Fixed Income and Institutional
Nigel Davies is Managing Director and heads up Kingswood Institutional. The Kingswood Institutional business specialises in the management of surplus cash funds for institutions on both a discretionary and an advisory basis. Nigel has wealth of experience working with universities, charities, institutes and Plc’s amongst others. Throughout his 40 year career Nigel has specialised in all aspects of treasury business with particular emphasis on the UK and European bond markets. He has managed fixed interest and short term liquidity portfolios for major institutions and specialises in advising both university and charity sectors.

RICHARD KLEIN
Managing Director, Alternatives and Distribution
Richard is a member of the Executive and Investment Committees with primary responsibility for distribution and expanding client access to Alternative investments in key asset classes including Hedge Funds, Private Equity, Infrastructure, Real Estate, Liquids and Credit. He spent almost all of his 30-plus year investment banking career at Merrill Lynch in a number of leading capital markets roles before moving to two successive senior hedge fund posts. Richard graduated from Oxford University with a MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Paul Surguy
Head of Investment Management
Paul has 20 years of private client experience. Early in his career he managed a varied range of private client and institutional portfolios. Latterly he was head of research for an international investment business responsible for £1.5 billion of assets. He has regularly been quoted in the Financial Press and was recognised as one of Citywire’s Top 100 on several occasions as well as PAM’s Top 40 Under 40. Before joining Kingswood Paul was a UK Director at Kleinwort Hambros.