A Message From Warren

This year marked a significant milestone for me—I turned 50. It also led me to reflect on a career that began when I was just 21. Back in 1995, I knew I wanted to make a meaningful impact with my career, but I couldn’t have imagined the journey that lay ahead or the privilege of serving clients like you and I genuinely wholeheartedly mean that.

When I founded Lexington Wealth, it was intentionally “boutique” (you could read small). I’ve always cherished the balance between my professional ambitions and my family life, ensuring I could attend my children’s sports matches (and enjoying match tea!) and school performances. But as Nicky and I prepare to become empty nesters, it’s a natural moment to consider Lexington’s future trajectory.

My passion for financial planning is stronger than ever—I love the work I do and the people I work with, and I can’t imagine retiring (gardening and endless rounds of golf are not my style). That said, I recognise the importance of building a resilient structure around Lexington to ensure its longevity for decades to come.

The Next Chapter for Lexington

To that end, we’ve decided to expand our team, with the goal of creating a collaborative “family office” environment. This growth will allow us to continue serving you with the same personalised care while ensuring Lexington thrives for decades to come. This year, we bid farewell to Lewis, who worked with us for nearly four years. Many of you met him and, like me, appreciated his dedication and knowledge. Lewis made the difficult decision to leave Lexington due to the challenges of balancing his young family’s needs with the commute from Cornwall. We fully support his choice and part on the best of terms. I expect one day our paths cross again, we enjoyed working together.

Meanwhile, I’m delighted to introduce two wonderful additions to our team.

• Matthew Newman joined as a Client Account Executive, working alongside Poppy to provide you with the outstanding service you deserve. Matt brings several years of financial services experience, an exceptional “team-first” mindset, and some impressive football skills (though we keep him busiest off the pitch!).
• Christiaan Coolen, a Chartered Financial Planner, has joined us as an Associate Financial Planner. Christiaan comes from a highly regarded firm in Bristol, and his professionalism and kindness have already left a lasting impression. We’re excited about the expertise and care he brings to Lexington and his magnetic personality.

We’re currently recruiting for a Paraplanner, a position that performs more research and writes the technical reports, to round out the team. Once this role is filled, we’ll be fully equipped to embark on this exciting new chapter.

The Shute Family

On the home front, 2024 has been a year of milestones.

• Olly left university after deciding that traditional student life wasn’t for him. He’s now thriving as an apprentice with Dalcour Maclaren, balancing on-the-job learning with university studies—proof that finding the right path can be far more valuable than sticking to a conventional one. I am particularly pleased Olly joined Dalcour Maclaren as I have done some work with them, and met many of their team, they have an exceptional team culture that I admire.
• Bella turns 18 in February (how did my little girl grow up so fast!) and is preparing for her A-levels. She’s received an offer to study Environmental Business at Exeter—a bittersweet moment for Nicky and I as it’s a bit further from home than we’d like (I asked for a hour commute!) Her recent decision to delete Instagram and TikTok to focus on her studies impressed me greatly (or the reality is setting in for her!)

Nicky has made 2024 extra special with her brilliant idea to mark my 50th year with an activity every month, from simple meals out to weekend getaways, I’ve enjoyed it so much that I’ve decided to make it a tradition for my next 50 years—we’ll see how it goes!

Looking ahead, 2025 brings another significant milestone: my father, Howard Shute, will celebrate his 100th birthday. Music has always been his passion, and we’re planning a grand celebration with family traveling from America and a performance by the Wroughton Silver Band, where he once played. Born in 1925, my father grew up during the Roaring Twenties and the American swing era. Even today, listening to Tommy Dorsey’s “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” brings a tear to his eye—a beautiful reminder of his passion for life.

House Move

After 20 wonderful years at Orchard House, Nicky and I have decided it’s time for a change. I still vividly remember her decorating the house while heavily pregnant with Olly, always supporting me 110%. With Bella heading to university and Olly starting his career, we feel a new chapter and fresh experiences will be healthy for us.

Our home is now on the market, and while we don’t expect much activity until spring, we’re planning to find a new office near our next home. This transition may take time, and I appreciate your understanding during the process. Rest assured, Lexington’s setup will remain familiar—we’re not looking to change what works!

Closing Thoughts

As I reflect on 2024, I want to thank you for being part of my journey. It’s a privilege to be your financial planner, and I’m committed to ensure Lexington continues to be one of the UK’s leading financial planning firms. More importantly, I want to continue helping you live your life by design, not by default.

Time is precious for all of us. This Christmas, I encourage you to take a moment to celebrate your wins from 2024 and set your sights on making 2025 your best year yet.

With love and warmest regards,

Warren