Andrew
Dines

WHO I HELP

Individuals. Business Owners. Oil and Gas Executives.

HOW I HELP

Financial Planning. Wealth Planning. Legacy Planning.

“FOCUS ON THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL.”

Andrew Dines is Head of the Wealth team. Based in Aberdeen, his role is two-fold. Firstly, he is part of the leadership team, providing strategic direction to help the business reach its objectives.

Secondly, as a financial planner, Andrew works directly with individuals, discovering what their own aims and ambitions are. Then he helps them create a plan to live their desired lifestyle, without fear of running out of money. He’s a people-person who likes nothing better than working with clients and doing his bit as part of a team.

WORKING TOGETHER

“I work with a wide range of different clients. They come to me because they want to sell their business, have money to invest or want to start drawing down income from their pensions. Some are just looking for a better place to grow their cash.

Whatever the reason, it’s essential that the relationship works and feels like a comfortable fit. Potentially, we’re going to meet up every six months for the rest of our life. So it really helps if we actually like each other! And of course, having trust is absolutely crucial.”

A LIFETIME OF SUPPORT

“My clients are mostly in their 50s. They’ve forged their career and probably built up some capital, but they’ve still got a lot of things going on – weddings, grandchildren, retirements, travel. So what they want to know is whether they can do all the things they want to do without fear of running out of money.

So fundamentally, my work is all about offering support through life changing events – and all the tax planning, legacy planning, and investment management that goes with it. And that’s a difficult thing to put a tangible cost or value on. So when clients want to introduce me to their family or friends, that’s a really big compliment. And actually, the main way we’ve grown our business.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

“Often I’ll suggest something to one of my clients – perhaps something they’ve never even considered before. And seeing them act on that, and thrive because of it, is something that really makes me happy. Sometimes, they might be thinking about leaving a legacy for loved ones and I’ll say why don’t you do it now? To actually see people get the benefit of the money, often when they need it most, is so much more fulfilling than sticking it away in a trust until after you’ve gone. It’s helping make things like that happen that’s really satisfying for me.”

HELPING YOU LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE

“The norm for most financial advisers is to take their client’s money and invest it. Then in a year’s time see whether it’s gone up or gone down and move it around a bit. I don’t work like that. I believe it’s better to make a plan and stick to it – and let the markets do the work. If you keep your costs low, remain disciplined and diversify, that will allow you to have a successful investment experience.

Anyway, I don’t want to base my relationship with a client on getting a certain return in a year. Because the moment you don’t achieve it, that’s the moment when the relationship starts to break down. My approach is to focus on things you can control. Focus on what you want to do, how much you want to spend, what you want to spend it on. And then come up with a plan to make it all work.”