Meet Nigel Kettle
Nigel claims three nationalities. He is British by birth, Swiss by virtue of his mother’s origins, and Canadian as a result of having grown up here. “I’d love to visit Switzerland again,” he says, “but I might get detained because I haven’t completed my mandatory military service from a few decades ago,” he jokes.
Growing family
Family is a big thing for Nigel, both in size and importance. He and his wife have four grown children and two new grandchildren, who they still manage to see semi-regularly despite the pandemic. “Fortunately, we all get along well and have lots of laughs together,” he muses. “We started taking winter vacations in Florida a few years ago and I hope to get the family down there again in the future.” There’s also a family dog, which is a cross between a shih tzu and a poodle. “Not sure what the short form of that is exactly, but it leads to some jokes by the other dog owners in the neighbourhood.”
Community matters
Nigel is also very active with non-profits and helping his community. As many Canadians know, our country played a key role in the Battle of Vimy Ridge during World War I, and Nigel went to work raising funds for an educational centre to commemorate the 100th anniversary. Of course, that led to a trip to France in April 2017 to join the observance, with a two-week river boat cruise tacked on the end.
He also assists a couple of other charities, including True Patriot Love, which does work with veterans suffering with PTSD, and Canada Company which helps soldiers transition to civilian life. On the local front, Nigel got involved in his hometown of Oakville, raising funds for a new hospital, which opened at the end of 2015.
And when there’s some free time…
If it’s a sunny summer day, you’re likely to find Nigel jogging or getting in a round of golf at Glen Abbey, either with his wife or his buddies. “Our skills on the links are a little dodgy, but we are addicted,” he jokes. “Luckily, golf is one of the few activities we’ve been able to mostly continue during the pandemic.”
At home, there’s nothing like taking in a movie or series (Chernobyl), which often involves a police drama or two. There’s a bit of anglophile in Nigel, which comes out when he describes his love of various British detective series such as Prime Suspect, Line of Duty and Luther, as well as The Crown and Downton Abbey. However, no show rivals his addiction to Game of Thrones.
A simple menu
When it comes to cuisine, Nigel confesses that he is, “a pretty simple guy.” He’s a big fan of steak frites and enjoys a little surf and turf (steak and lobster) from time to time. Although he’s not a culinary star himself, he tends to leave most of the cooking to other family members.
However, when it’s his turn to “cook”, he banks on the local restaurants in his neighborhood—opting for some Mexican, Chinese or Korean takeout.
Wealth management at Farber
Nigel transitioned to the wealth management business via bond trading and corporate finance on Bay Street and has been helping business owners protect and grow their wealth ever since. “Our wealth management group joined B. Riley Farber in 2020, and it’s been a smooth transition.” notes Nigel. He’s been impressed with the family-type emphasis he sees in Farber. “People have been supportive, collegial and cordial and there is a lot of focus on the family culture.”
Luckily, Nigel’s family values fit in perfect with the B. Riley Farber culture, and he’s excited to contribute to the success of Farber’s wealth management practice.
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