"A phased retirement makes a lot of sense for a lot of people. Some people retire and they literally just stop. I've not really seen many people who are very happy in that situation because I think it's too sudden for people to accommodate that change. I would like to find a nice blend between continuing doing things that I do and enjoying that experience, but also having some time so that I can do the other things."

The good news is that David isn't going anywhere. Well, not permanently anyway. After a couple of months off at the beginning of 2023 David is still going to be very involved with SeventySeven and his clients. 

"What I'm really looking to do is to step back a little bit. I will carry on being available to clients and the business because I've got a wealth of experience and I'm not ready to quit. I'm fully involved in what I'm doing." 

We speak to David about his stepped approach to retirement how the son of a coal miner born in the north ended up with a rewarding career in financial services. And in the south. 

SeventySeven Wealth Management Limited is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.