Antony Smith

Director and Chartered Financial Planner

Having seen the impact of bad advice on people’s lives, I was determined to do things differently when I founded Providus in 2015.

As a financial planner, my role is so much more than just advising on financial products and technical issues or building a lifetime cash flow model (all of which we do well). It involves helping you understand and articulate what’s truly important, setting goals and plans for the future and ensuring that you take the actions you need to achieve these. We are coaches, mentors and guides to keep you on track and provide motivation. We’re also here to support and reassure you when the inevitable bump in the road comes along.

By working with Providus you should see both tangible and intangible improvements in your life, safe in the knowledge that you have all the resources available to you to achieve your goals.

At work

Before founding Providus, Antony worked on Endowment review from 2005-2007, helping clients who had been mis-sold endowments in the past. He then spent 6 months working at his dad’s button wholesale business before becoming General Manager for a West End IFA practice in central London.

Antony then became an Independent Financial Adviser for the same practice at the end of 2011. He left in 2014 to move to a firm that was closer to home, enabling him to spend more time with his young family. The firm closed in 2015 when the owner retired, and Antony then set up Providus in the same year.

All of this experience gave Antony the desire to do things differently, putting clients’ interests firmly in the centre of the financial planning process.

Today, Antony specialises in working with fellow business owners, high-earning families and people planning for retirement. His combination of solid technical knowledge and practical experience enables him to make a real difference to clients’ lives.

Qualifications

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional

Chartered MCSI

Diploma in Financial Planning

Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning

Certificate in Financial Planning

Certificate in Equity Release

Certificate in Mortgage Advice

Certificate in Life & Pensions

Award in Long Term Care Insurance

At home

Outside work, Antony loves spending time with his family: at home, on days out and holidays. When away, Antony enjoys exploring new places and cultures; he also has a particular love of scuba diving.

Antony also loves watching and playing sport, and can often be found at Walthamstow Parkrun, playing football, going to the gym and practicing yoga. He ran the London Marathon in April 2019, raising nearly £3,000 for Wessex Cancer Trust in the process. You’ll also find him cheering on his son’s football team (which Providus proudly sponsors!) most Sunday mornings.

Additionally, Antony enjoys reading books on personal development and listening to podcasts on the move. If there’s any time left after all that, you can find him relaxing in front of a good film or box set.

The important stuff

All regulated financial advisers must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and therefore appear on their register. You can find Antony’s entry here.

Furthermore, all advisers must have an up-to-date Statement of Professional Standing (SPS). This shows they are suitably qualified and have carried out the required amount of Continuous Professional Development (CPD). You should be wary of any advisers who refuse to provide copies of their SPS. You can click here to view Antony’s.

Antony’s testimonials