Angus Aitken exits Bell Potter

The high-profile stockbroker has left the firm after sending a controversial note to clients about ANZ on Tuesday.

Angus Aitken, the high-profile stockbroker and managing director of institutional equities at Bell Financial Group, has left the firm.

It’s understood that Mr Aitken intends to start a new financial markets business but not in stockbroking.

His departure this morning follows a controversial note he sent to clients on Tuesday about ANZ Bank’s appointment of investment banker Michelle Jablko as its chief financial officer (full text here).

The headline on the note read: “that new CFO has to be one of the dumber appointments I have seen ... another reason to not own this stock — Sell ANZ”.

The note went on to say that UK clients were “completely amazed” that ANZ would appoint a CFO whose last major deal was advising law firm Slater and Gordon on its $1 billion-plus acquisition of the Quindell assets in Britain.

“I would be surprised if you saw anything but selling of ANZ from UK investors let alone anywhere else,” Mr Aitken said.

It was unclear this morning whether the note played any role in Mr Aitken’s departure.

A Bell spokesman confirmed Mr Aitken had left the firm but declined to comment further.