“Planning isn’t just what I do for clients – it’s how I live my life.”
Some people fall into finance. I grew up fascinated by it. As a child, I’d watch my mum update my little savings book and feel genuinely excited seeing the balance grow. When my father went through redundancy in the 1990s, money stopped being abstract and it became something real that shaped how a family lived. I understood then that getting it right truly matters.
At 18, I started as a cashier at Lloyds Bank. In a single morning, I might serve a millionaire and then someone paying in their last pound. Eight years in banking gave me something no qualification alone could: a genuine understanding of people and the situations they face. That grounding led me to specialise in pensions from 2006. I joined Mattioli Woods in March 2025, bringing over two decades of experience across Defined Contribution (DC) pension schemes, auto enrolment, group life assurance, income protection, and private medical insurance.
The reason I love pensions above everything else is personal. I’m a planner by nature. I book holidays years in advance and I’ve always got a spreadsheet on the go. Helping employees make sense of their benefits – understanding salary sacrifice, knowing how to get more from what their employer already offers – is something I genuinely care about. On a simple £100 example: would you rather £100 go into your pension, or £80 because you’ve already paid tax on it? That kind of clarity changes everything.
Trust is built by doing what you say you’ll do. Early in my career, I inherited a client who was unhappy with the service they’d been receiving. By listening carefully and delivering on every commitment, that relationship grew to cover 18 companies within their group. I’m still friends with their HR Director today. That’s the kind of long-term partnership I aim to build with every client.
The majority of people in the UK have never received financial advice or guidance. That’s what drives me. Whether it’s helping a business build a benefits package that attracts and retains great people, or making sure employees understand what they’re entitled to – from their pension to mental health support – I want to make a real difference. Completing my Diploma in Financial Services while raising two young daughters taught me something about planning under pressure. It’s a skill that turns out to be rather useful.
Outside of work, my two teenage daughters keep me busy. I sing with the Rock Choir, I’m part of a pub quiz team, and I love spending time with family and friends. As ever, most of it’s already in the diary.
