Canaccord Wealth has appointed Gary Steel as a senior wealth planner specialising in lifestyle Financial Planning.

London-based Mr Steel has over 25 years of financial services experience and joins from Brewin Dolphin where he was divisional director and provided Financial Planning advice and investment solutions to wealth individuals and families. He had joined Brewin Dolphin in 2012.

Starting his career in a mortgage advice role in a high street bank in 1999, he moved into Paraplanning in 2005.

He will report to David Goodfellow, head of wealth planning at Canaccord Wealth.

Mr Goodfellow said Mr Steel’s “dedication to lifestyle Financial Planning” would be invaluable as the firm looks to expand its wealth planning services.

Mr Steel said: “I am excited to join Canaccord Wealth and contribute to our purpose of helping our clients build their wealth with confidence. My ethos of aligning finances to clients' ambitions fits seamlessly with Canaccord Wealth's mission. I look forward to going above and beyond for our clients, helping them achieve financial freedom and their ideal life.”

Canaccord Wealth is part of Canadian-owned wealth management firm Canaccord Genuity Group, which has made a number of UK Financial Planning acquisitions recently.

Acquisitions include £900m AUM London and Cambridge Chartered Financial Planner Cantab Asset management in May last year.

In November it acquired Chartered Financial Planning-focused, Glasgow-based £220m AUM Financial Planner Intelligent Capital.

It also recently acquired Brooks Macdonald’s international arm, Brooks Macdonald Asset Management in a £50m deal.

Canaccord paid an initial consideration of £28m, with a further contingent sum of up to £22.85m payable in cash two years post-completion, subject to performance criteria.