Financial Planning group Tilney has signed up its second Financial Planner from a bank in a week as part of a major hiring spree following the Towry takeover.

Craig de Jong has been appointed to its Guildford office as a Financial Planner. He joins from Santander, where he was Financial Planning manager. Prior to that, he was at HSBC where he was a premier client manager for HNW private clients.

Last week Tilney announced the hire of Lee Harris as Financial Planner from HSBC. His role at the bank was described as a “premier relationship manager, wealth adviser”.

Tilney told FP Today that having a banking background "isn’t a key factor in our recruitment, however we do wish to employ high calibre individuals who are educated to a high level, whether that is a Chartered status or industry exams, and have a highly tuned skill set".

Mr de Jong has also worked at other banks as a client relationship manager including at Santander and Royal Bank of Scotland.

Tilney highlighted his “substantial knowledge in building relationships with clients from all areas, from professional connections to HNW individuals”.

At Tilney, he will deliver expert advice as part of the firm’s ‘two expert’ approach which involves Financial Planners being paired alongside the firm’s investment managers to provide a high quality integrated wealth management service to clients.

The Financial Planning business started a hiring drive for “high calibre Financial Planners” when it announced in January that it had rebranded as the Tilney Group following the takeover of Towry.

Since the beginning of February the firm has hired eleven individuals to client facing or high level positions, including new CIO Chris Godding, various Financial Planners, investment managers and business development executives.

Rob Chandler, regional head of financial planning at Tilney, said: “Craig joins us as part of Tilney’s continuing expansion within the Financial Planning sector, and follows the hiring of highly talented financial planning staff across the United Kingdom.

“Demand for financial advice is currently higher than it has ever been before. This is important and we are committed to growing our financial planning offering in order to provide the trusted relationships and holistic advice our clients require. As such we are excited to welcome Craig to our fold.”