Founding director of Fin International Public Relations and former Sarasin Investment Funds marketing director Ivo Forde has died at the age of 74.
Forde died tragically in a car accident on 5 April.
He began his career in banking before transitioning to the world of financial advertising and public relations. In 2001, he took on the role of marketing director at Sarasin Investment Funds, before a stint with WMC Communications, which led to his work with Fin International PR.
Anthony Shewell, director at Fin International PR, said Forde would be "sorely missed" and remembered his "enduring qualities of friendship, good humour and loyalty".
"Ivo was known to many in the financial services world both for his understanding of the industry, its products, regulation and investment processes as well as its people, and he will be sorely missed," Shewell said. "Ivo helped launch numerous unit trusts, investment trusts, OEICs and ISAs as well as the first VCT, corporate bond fund and REIT in a career spanning four decades.
"Instinctively Ivo was a banker, with roots at Guinness Mahon and Kleinwort Benson, but it was Ivo's gift with words (not least, Latin) that diverted him into financial advertising and public relations.
"He established himself at First Financial with a raft of Scottish clients before a spell in-house with Bank Sarasin as marketing director for their retail funds. He followed this with a stint at WMC before setting up Fin International Public Relations where I have had the pleasure and privilege of being his partner for the last ten years.
"His enduring qualities of friendship, good humour and loyalty led to lasting client relationships, a loyalty that was often repaid as clients moved from business to business."
