One of the Street's finest citizens is calling it a career, as Scotia Capital vice chairman Bob Williams told colleagues Thursday that he plans to retire at the end of the month.

Mr. Willams spent the bulk of his career running the equity capital markets group at the investment dealer arm of Bank of Nova Scotia. This is the group that helps shape financings, by linking the investment bankers with the institutional and retail brokerage teams. He started at predecessor firm McLeod Young Weir in 1967, and moved into equity capital markets in the 1980s, then became department head in 1997, and took the rain-making vice-chairman role in 2007.

In a note to colleagues, Scotia Capital's Lawrence Lewis said: "During his time with our firm, Bob has been instrumental in some of Scotia Capital's most notable transactions, earning a reputation for his creativity, strong relationships, structuring knowledge, pricing expertise and market sense."

Within Scotia Capital, Mr. Williams was known as an early champion of income trusts, for his work in structured products, and for his close ties to western Canada's energy companies and utilities. In retirement, Mr. Williams plans to keep a hand in the financial community as a director on boards.