Peter Meinertzhagen, the former chairman of Hoare Govett and one of the most highly-regarded corporate brokers to have worked in London's financial industry, died earlier this week at the age of 66.

Born in Paddington, the Eton educated Meinertzhagen joined Hoare Govett when he was 19 and rose to become "City aristocracy without any of the snobbishness", said one close associate.