The former chief executive of Financial Planning firm Towry -Andrew Fisher - has joined wealth manager Smith & Williamson.

Mr Fisher will become a non-executive director with immediate effect. He has extensive executive and non-executive experience in the financial services and wealth management sectors, having served as chief executive of Towry Group and Coutts & Co. and, more recently, as a non-executive director of private bank, C. Hoare & Co.

The former Towry chief succeeds Bob Bogart, who retired as a non-executive director of Smith & Williamson Holdings Ltd in 2017.

Andrew Sykes, chairman of Smith & Williamson, said: “With a career spanning 30 years in the financial services sector, Andrew has a distinguished record of leadership and governance roles in a range of investment management and financial services businesses. We are pleased to welcome him to Smith & Williamson and look forward to benefiting from his knowledge and experience of our industry as we deliver on our growth strategy.”

While Mr Fisher was chief executive at Towry, the wealth advisory firm lost a high court battle against Raymond James and seven Raymond James’ advisers.

Towry took Raymond James and seven Raymond James advisers to court for breach of restrictive covenants, misuse of confidential information and conspiracy to injure Towry.Towry acquired Edward Jones in 2009 but several Edward Jones advisers then left to join Raymond James. They took with them a significant number of clients.

The trial took two months and involved over 40 witnesses. It was reported at the time that Towry agreed to pay Raymond James' legal costs of £930,936 plus VAT. Mr Fisher stepped down as chief of Towry and was replaced by Rob Devey, former Prudential UK chief executive.