Geoffrey Pointon, self-invested personal pension (SIPP) and small self administered scheme (SSAS) pioneer and founder of Pointon York, has died after contracting coronavirus.
According to local newspaper Rutland & Stamford Mercury he died on Thursday April 2 in Kettering General Hospital. The 82-year-old leaves behind four sons and a daughter.
More to SIPPs founder John Moret paid tribute to Pointon. He told Professional Adviser: “I first met Geoffrey Pointon nearly thirty years ago. This was shortly after SIPPs were established and the company, which bore his name, was one of the first SIPP providers. That was no surprise as he was a pioneer having set up Pointon York back in the seventies. The company became a major player in the SSAS market in the eighties before moving into SIPPs.
“Geoffrey was a larger than life figure. He could seem quite intimidating but, during the next twenty years, we met on several occasions at conferences and trade events and I always enjoyed his company. He was an entrepreneur and was always keen to talk about new ideas. One lunch I remember was at the Oriental Club off Oxford street where he was a member – somehow Geoffrey seemed totally at home in the surroundings and history of the club. He had a great sense of humour and plenty of anecdotes, often about his travels.”
Pointon York’s SIPP book was sold to Suffolk Life in 2012 and then Pointon York itself was sold to Curtis Banks in November 2014. The business went into liquidation in November 2018 after 48 years in business.
Moret added: “He had strong opinions, which not everyone agreed with, and I am told he could be a hard taskmaster. But he built a successful and diverse group of businesses, which were eventually broken up and sold to various organisations. Arguably the company never delivered its full potential in the SIPP market but there is no doubt that Geoffrey was a strong influence on the development of the SIPP market, particularly in its early days. His passing coming so soon after Martin Cadman leaves the SIPP industry short of two of its elder statesmen.
“My thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time.”
Pointon’s five children told the Rutland & Stamford Mercury that he was well-known for a “long and illustrious career in the pension and insurance industry”.
They added: “He will be missed by all who knew him, his charisma and good humour never failed to make people smile. A great man, and a wonderful father who meant the world to all of us.”
Bob Woods MBE, founder and senior adviser at Mattioli Woods, told Professional Adviser: “Both myself and Ian Mattioli met Geoffrey Pointon when we worked for him in the eighties. We both want to pay tribute to Geoff because, without him, it is quite unlikely that there would have been a ‘Mattioli Woods’. He was charismatic, courageous and a visionary – a truly powerful persona.
“In the late 1960’s, Geoff became a director of a national financial services company at the then impossibly early age of ‘early 30’s’ and, in the early 1970’s, he left that company to establish Pointon York. Pointon York didn’t just become a market leader in SSAS and SIPP, it developed an integrated approach to the delivery of financial services, embracing advice, asset management and products, breaking the mould of IFA and product provider.
“As phenomenal as all his accomplishments were, what we will remember most about Geoff is his love of life, his warmth and his vitality. A truly exceptional man. We were privileged to work for him and will miss his presence.”