Will Aston Martin’s brokers be shaken... or stirred?

GONE are the days when City stockbrokers whiled away their afternoons doing deals at the pub.

But if the co-chief executives of Numis, one of the shining lights of the Square Mile, haven’t yet swapped pints for smoothies, it’s clear who should pick up the bar tab.

Alex Ham and Ross Mitchinson share the duties of running the stockbroker, which recently floated James Bond’s favourite sports car maker Aston Martin.

But when it comes to pay, there’s only one man in the driving seat. Numis’s annual report reveals that Ham earned £1.79 million last year, while Mitchinson made just £1.29 million.

Ham takes home more because he is in charge of the corporate broking and advisory division, which does deals and floats companies, while Mitchinson looks after the equities arm.

Perhaps, though, after the recent dire performances of Aston Martin and Funding Circle (shares in both have dived), there may not be as much of a rush for their services next year.

That would mean a smaller pay cheque for Ham. One wonders how on earth he’ll survive...