Affinity (Shipping) shipbroker Andrew Finn, one of the firm's founding partners, is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.

Andrew Finn helped found Affinity (Shipping). He has left to pursue other opportunities. Photo: Affinity (Shipping)

Finn joined RS Platou in London in 2013 from rival shop Clarksons where he had been working on sale and purchase.

He went on to form Affinity with the company’s now managing partner Richard Fulford-Smith in 2015. The outfit started as a broking house of about 35 people but has now expanded to nearer 200.

Finn, who focuses on newbuildings, projects and S&P business, told TradeWinds he will be on gardening leave until the end of May but will be remaining in the business. “Nobody’s getting rid of me,” he joked.

The shipbroker said he was sad to be leaving Affinity, where he has many friends.

"I really wish them well for the future. It’s a great young team and a lot of them are going to have a really significant role to play in the market going forward," he said.

Fulford-Smith echoed Finn’s thoughts, adding that he was sad to see him go and wished the broker “really good luck”.

The Affinity chief, who confided that he was about to get his first Covid-19 vaccination, said the shipping business is going through some “big gyrations”.

Fulford-Smith said Affinity has made quite a few hires, including a number of young people who he said will take the company in a "rather different direction" and hinted that other changes are afoot.

He said traditional shipbroking skills will also be needed.

But he added: "We are looking forward to a future which is going to be different. Traditional shipbroking needs to move on."