Howden’s Bloomer dies suddenly and unexpectedly

Howden has announced that Will Bloomer – the broker’s chief corporate and legal affairs officer – has passed away.

In a statement, the firm said Bloomer died suddenly and unexpectedly last week.

It described him as a family man “first and foremost” and as a person who had a “huge heart”.

”We will miss his whip-smart counsel, extraordinary encyclopaedic general knowledge, indomitable and acerbic sense of humour and his huge heart,” chief executive David Howden said.

“His wife Nikki and his children have all our love and support.  We know that many in the market will offer the same.”

Career

Bloomer joined Howden in 2012 – this week would have marked his 12th anniversary of joining the broker.

”In those 12 years, he has had a very significant hand in everything, from our largest and most transformative merger and acquisition and equity transactions, to his tireless drive to develop our employee ownership structure from 200 employee shareholders to more than 5,000 today,” said Howden.

Bloomer joined the firm from Heath Lambert, later Gallagher Heath, where he had been general counsel.

He started his career as a solicitor with Cameron McKenna.

Howden said that “his impact was far wider than Howden and the messages and conversations over the weekend show just how many people loved him”.

“He was a brilliant lawyer with a commercial mind and a friend to many, many people,” he added.

“Details of how we will celebrate and remember Will will be shared in due course and we will follow the wishes of Nikki and his family in this regard.”