| Speaker biographies |
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| Leigh Ashton Founder The Sales Consultancy Leigh is the author of “iSell” a speaker, trainer and coach. She helps people generate more sales by changing the way they think – leading to positive changes in their attitude, their approach and their sales results. She works with individuals and teams to identify and eliminate the psychological barriers that get in the way of consistently great sales. Leigh’s mantra is to leave people feeling inspired and motivated to take action! | |
| Martin Bamford CFP Managing Director Informed Choice | |
| Andrew Brook-Dobson CFP Director Brook‐Dobson Brear Andrew has been a Financial Planner since joining Acuma in 1992. He is passionate about Financial Planning and communicating the differences and superiority over traditional ‘financial advice’. He sits on the board of the IFP and chairs the IFP’s Ethics & Practice Standards Committee. Brook‐Dobson Brear was established eight years ago, was nominated as a New Model Adviser firm of the year in the North in its second year and won it in its third. They were one of the first cohorts of Accredited Financial Planning FirmsTM. BDB is progressive and deliberately different. | |
| Clare Brooks CEO NPT-UK Clare Brooks is CEO of NPT-UK, an independent UK registered charity dedicated to providing philanthropic expertise to donors, foundations and financial institutions. She has also served as CEO of the Australian Communities Foundation, Director of Philanthropy for Community Foundation Network (CFN) and has also worked for the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the Civic Forum Foundation. Clare is Chair of NESsT-UK, a social enterprise fund for Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America, and Board member of the Food Education Foundation UK. She also advises on a number of advisory committees around the world. | |
| Lucian Camp Principal Lucian Camp Consulting Lucian began his career as a copywriter working on food, drink and automotive accounts. He then spent some 25 years in agencies specialising in financial services, chairing two agencies which he founded, developed and eventually sold on. He stood down from the second in 2010 and set up his one-man business, Lucian Camp Consulting, offering brand, marketing and communications advice to financial services clients. He writes, blogs and speaks extensively on financial marketing matters. | |
| Doug Carter President Carter International Training and Development, Inc. Since 1978 Doug Carter has conducted over 11,000 talks, workshops, and coaching sessions to over 20 million people from five continents. Carter's primary focus is working with Financial Executives and Advisors. He is known for providinvg practical, down-to-earth ideas that reveal missing insights for creating measurable increases in effectiveness, efficiency, and profitability. It's common sense at work. | |
| Michael Clarke Partner – Commercial Litigation Clarke Willmott LLP Michael Clarke is Commercial Litigation lawyer at national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP. Michael acts in commercial disputes and pursues international fraudsters. He is a practised defamation and media lawyer and reads for libel. | |
| Andy Coleman Director of Distribution Cofunds Andy has been driving the rollout of the platform’s new products and services, including the implementation of the explicit pricing model, since joining at the start of 2012. Before taking up this role, he was Head of Distribution at AXA and was instrumental in creating and delivering to market the Elevate proposition, since its inception in 2006. | |
| Bob Gordon Pensions Consultancy Manager Standard Life Bob Gordon is Standard Lifes Pensions Consultancy Manager. Since 1987, Bob has worked with DB, SSASs, SIPPs and spent seven years as trustee of a large DB scheme. His current focus is on engaging policymakers to influence pension policy, and articulating issues and opportunities from legislative change. Bobs goal is to help Financial Planners and Paraplanners tailor solutions to their clients pension needs. | |
| Steve Groves CEO Partnership Steve is Chief Executive Officer of Partnership Assurance, a leading provider of Enhanced Annuities. He joined in 2005 and helped lead Partnership to a successful IPO in June 2013, a move which also saw the Company join the FTSE 250. Steve previously led the actuarial team at Swiss Res Admin Re startup, overseeing the pricing of acquisitions such as Virgin Money Life and Zurich Life. | |
| Marcus Grubb Managing Director, Investment World Gold Council speaking on behalf of ETF Securities o Marcus joined the World Gold Council in 2008; he is the global strategist responsible for its view of asset allocation and the gold market globally. He overseas research and is responsible for investment marketing worldwide with partners such as ETF Securities. Marcus has over 20 years’ experience of global investment banking as a management board member at Rabobank and as a top-rated global investment strategist. | |
| Royston Guest CEO Pti Worldwide Royston Guest is CEO of Pti Worldwide, a global consultancy and training company with a proven track record in delivering business growth, people transformation and peak performance. As well as being an accomplished Business Strategist and Consultant, he is also an acclaimed Conference Speaker. Having worked with a wide range of individuals and organisations in his career, Royston has developed a passion for understanding human potential; what makes people tick and why they do what they do. | |
| Melony Holman CFP Managing Director Compliance & Training Solutions Ltd Melony has worked in compliance for 16 years and established Compliance & Training Solutions in 2005 to help Financial Planners and advisers meet their regulatory requirements. The firm now looks after financial advisers and Financial Planning firms throughout the UK. Whilst to many compliance is a dull subject, Melony enjoys the interaction with planners in the ever changing world of finance. Melony is a CFPCM professional and Chartered Financial Planner. | |
| Michelle Hoskin Founder Standards International As the leading global expert on 'Operational Best Practice' in financial planning, Michelle understands the challenges facing many in the profession today. Michelle is well known for her endless enthusiasm and energy, infectious personality and unique outlook on what she describes as a "magical industry". With over 13 years experience, she is internationally recognised as the font of knowledge and the leading expert in best practice standards of operation. | |
| Chris Keeble Supernumary Fellow Harris Manchester College, Oxford Christopher Keeble was born in Quetta, Pakistan in 1941, educated Douai Abbey and at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Granted a Regular Commission The Parachute Regiment. Awarded Distinguished Service Order in Falklands War. In 1986 establish a unique consultancy and lecturing practice to enable senior leaders from national and international public and private sector institutions and corporations, balance the ethic of business growth with the ethic of peoples flourishing. | |
| Dan Kemp Co-Head Investment Consulting and Portfolio Management Morningstar Investment Management EMEA Dan leverages Morningstar’s global investment capabilities for best practice investment consulting and portfolio management for both UK and European clients. Including Morningstar’s Manager Discretionary Portfolio Service. With extensive investment management experience, he has managed a wide variety of portfolios, specialising in multi-asset risk graded products, and built several market leading quantitative tools. Dan is a well-known commentator on investment issues. | |
| Justin King CFP Managing Director MFP Wealth Management Justin is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM, Chartered and holds BS:ISO 22222. He is a Master of Life Planning® with the Kinder Institute and has also studied under Dr. Maria Nemeth. Justin believes that great Financial Planning can make a significant difference to people's lives. His goal is to find out what inspires clients and inspire them to do just that. | |
| Peter Legg Head IHT Planning Matters Peter has nearly 30 years experience advising on estate planning and trust taxation. He began his career in the Capital Taxes Office (now Inheritance Tax Office) of HM Revenue & Customs. Peter is Head of IHT Planning Matters Limited, a consultancy dedicated to providing support to other professionals. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Peter has sat on their Capital Taxes Technical Sub Committee and is a member of STEP. | |
| Jacqueline Lockie FIFP CFP Head of Training Association of Investment Companies Jackie has worked in the financial services sector since 1988 in technical and training roles and also as a financial planner.Jackie liaises with the FCA, Institute of Financial Planning, Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment and other UK organisations to further their education and examination programmes particularly in relation to Investment Trusts, VCTs and other closed-ended investment companies. | |
| Mark Loosmore Executive General Manager, Wealth IRESS Mark has a successful track-record of business leadership in the IT and Financial Services market, including helping NCR, AT&T and Focus Solutions to establish themselves as key technology suppliers. In 2006 he set up AT8, a specialist ecommerce consultancy for financial services. In his role at AT8 Mark wrote a weekly technology column for Professional Adviser and has appeared regularly on the conference circuit. Mark joined IRESS in 2011 as part of the UK executive team and currently leads the Wealth division. | |
| Andy Marris CEO MICAP Andrew has worked in financial services since 1988, as a financial advisor, stockbroker and an equity derivatives broker. In 2004, Andrew founded dcarbon8 Ltd, a successful sustainability consultancy, selling to Deloitte in 2010. He has since consulted to the alternative investment sector before setting up MICAP. Andrew has a 1st class degree in Structural Engineering from Bath University and an MSc and post graduate diploma from Imperial College. | |
| Richard Mullender Former lead trainer at the Hostage and Crisis Negotiation Unit at Scotland Yard The Listening Expert Richard Mullender is an expert in elite-level listening with a lifetimes experience tackling communication challenges at the sharp end. Today, Richard brings those skills into the business world, helping business owners and executives from all walks of life to build rapport, gain trust and exert influence more effectively. | |
| Justin Onuekwusi Lead Manager - Multi-index range of funds Legal & General Investment Management Justin joined Legal & General Investment Management from Aviva Investors where he was lead manager on a range of risk-targeting multi-asset funds, as well as co-fund manager on a number of unit-linked life and pension funds and manager of manager products. He worked as a fund research analyst at Merrill Lynch and an investment consultant for Aon Consulting. Justin graduated from the University of Warwick with a degree in Economics and also holds the CFA designation. | |
| Rory Percival Technical Specialist FCA Rory worked in the industry for 20 years and has Chartered Financial Planner status. He joined the regulator in 2006 and has involved with high profile projects such as pension switching, structured products, platforms and intermediaries, risk profiling, centralised investment propositions, RDR implementation, RDR adviser charges and services and non-advised/simplified advice. | |
| Mark Polson Principal the lang cat Mark Polson is founder of the lang cat, a specialist platforms and pensions consultancy. The lang cat works with IFAs and providers, helping them develop new propositions, turn marketing strategy into action and articulate their services in such a way that people without financial services degrees have a hope of understanding them. | |
| Dr James Rouse Founder Optimum Wellness Media Dr. James Rouse is the founder of Optimum Wellness Media. An author of 10 books and a successful entrepreneur. James has coached and presented to Fortune 50 and 500 Companies (Coke, Google, NBC, Major League Baseball and US Government) across North America, Europe and Asia on Success, High Performance Living and Fulfillment. | |
| Tom Simpson Associate Professor of Philosophy and Public Policy Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford Tom Simpson is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and a Senior Research Fellow at Wadham College, University of Oxford. His research centres on the notion of trust, both its theory and practical applications. Between degrees he served as an officer with the Royal Marines Commandos (tours in NI; Baghdad, Iraq; Helmand Province, Afghanistan). | |
| Steve Skelding Head of Wealth Management Octopus Steve joined Octopus in 2013 with 24+ years’ experience working with financial advisers, private banks and large distributors. He started his career at Eagle Star (which then became Zurich) in 1990. After 20 years he joined Brewin Dolphin to work with advisers. Steve is a SRA CPD Accredited Trainer in Trustee Investment & Taxation, regularly presenting to large law firms on the subject. | |
| Nancy Slessenger Managing Director Vinehouse essential Ltd Nancy started Vinehouse in 1995. She has a degree in physics and started her career at Mars. At 21 she had a team of 40 and worked her way up to director level in the electronics industry. Author of over 20 publications including How to Write Objectives that Work (over 250,000 copies sold) she specialises in recruitment and performance management. | |
| Rob Stevenson Director Kingmakers Rob started Kingmakers in 2005, having spent 20 years in the Financial Services sector, working for product providers and Independent Financial Adviser firms of all shapes and sizes. His depth and breadth of experience, coupled with a no nonsense, plain speaking approach, mean that he is able to add value at both strategic and operational levels. | |
| Stephen Thomas Professor of Finance Cass Business School Steve Thomas joined Cass in February 2007, after being Professor of Financial Markets at Southampton University since 1996, and prior to that at the University of Wales, Swansea, from 1992. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Business Finance and Accounting and in a recent review was ranked 11th in Europe for finance research. He is a director of Bear Stearns' Global Alpha (hedge) fund, and has been consulting editor of a range of credit publications for FT Interactive Data. He is an examiner and training manual author for the Investment Management Certificate of the Society of Investment Professionals. | |
| 0 | Caroline Totterdill Head of Philanthropy Macmillan Cancer Support Caroline has worked in the voluntary sector for over 20 years, and been a part of some of the UK's most successful fundraising campaigns including the NSPCC's £250m Full Stop Campaign. At Macmillan, she leads the Philanthropy Team which is responsible for stewarding relationships with the charity's most significant supporters, both individuals and grant making trusts. |
| Shaa Wasmund CEO Smarta.com Shaa Wasmund is the UK no. 1 best selling business author of Stop Talking Start Doing, Shaa inspires positive action with her no-nonsense, no-excuse advice. Entrepreneur. Prolific speaker. Digital native. Champion of small businesses via Smarta. With a galaxy of stellar connections from professional boxer Chris Eubank to Theo Paphitis of Dragon’s Den, she radiates success. | |
| Tina Weeks Director Serenity Financial Planning Tina has over 18 years experience as a financial adviser and over the last five years has been an active proponent of the role of Life Planning in Financial Planning. She is a Master of Life Planning with the Kinder Institute and has also studied other Life Planning methodologies. Her firm has more Registered Life Planners than any other firm in the UK and she truly believes that Life Planning is a vital component of Financial Planning. | |
