Tilney CIO Chris Godding departs following merger

Part of a wider restructure

Tilney's Chris Godding

Tilney chief investment officer Chris Godding has left the firm just over a month after the £44bn merger with Smith & Williamson.

Tilney said that executive accountability for the "investment philosophy and process" of the combined group will sit within the investment management function, which will be headed up by chief investment management director John Erskine.

The move forms part of a wider restructure following the merger of the two companies in September.

"As a result of this and the integration of the Tilney central investment team into the investment management structure, Chris Godding, Tilney's chief investment officer, will be leaving the business at the end of November following a handover period," a spokesperson said.

"We thank Chris for his contribution to the business in delivering very strong investment performance over the last three years and wish him every success in the future."

Godding joined Tilney in 2017 from Rubicon Fund Management, where he was a partner.

Prior to this, he was CIO and global head of wealth at Signia Wealth and he also spent nine years at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approved the £44bn merger between Tilney and Smith & Williamson on 1 September.

It had previously been delayed after the FCA found "a number of issues" with the previous terms of the deal, and due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tilney hired US funds industry executive John Bunch to the newly-created position of chief commercial director last month.

He will lead the firm's "client facing practitioners", which includes over 290 investment managers and 265 financial planners, and will be responsible for revenue and profitability across the business.

With overall responsibilities for client service outcomes and experience, he will be accountable for client facing new business development, local marketing initiatives across the regions and the pricing framework for Tilney.