“The numbers are secondary. First, I need to understand you, your family, your background – what it is you actually want.”
My earliest memory surrounding money comes from my father. He came to the UK from Mauritius with £40 in his pocket and no safety net. He took whatever job he could find – including cleaning toilets at retail stores. Years later, after qualifying as a chartered accountant, he returned to university in his fifties, studied law, and became a barrister.
His journey taught me everything about humility, hard work, and what truly matters. Money changes lives, but it’s not everything. It’s what you do with it that counts.
I joined Mattioli Woods in 2017 as an intern and spent my formative years alongside Bob Woods. Watching Bob interact with his clients, I saw something that stayed with me – a genuine curiosity about people and a deep respect for what mattered to them and their families. The numbers always followed, but they were never the starting point. That experience shaped my belief that once you truly understand a client’s goals, the technical work becomes a tool, not the focus.
Ian Mattioli always says we should aim to be the first person outside a client’s family to receive important news, such as a birthday, a wedding, a funeral. That’s the relationship we’re building toward, and you can only get there through trust built over time. When investment markets are volatile, clients with those relationships don’t panic. They know their adviser understands them, not just their portfolio.
Early in my career I learned how tempting it can be to demonstrate knowledge in meetings. But the meeting isn’t about me, it’s about the client. Some clients want detail and data. Others want the destination, not the map. Some need to see things visually. My role is to adapt my approach so each person genuinely understands the decisions they are making.
My connection to Mattioli Woods is also personal. My uncles became clients in the 1990s after coming to the UK and building businesses in Leicester’s textile industry. With the support of Bob Woods, they grew wealth from very modest beginnings and now hold multi-million-pound pension schemes. I’ve seen first-hand what good planning, patience and commitment can achieve – and it’s why I instinctively understand clients on similar journeys today.
I’m a family man through and through. My wife is my main motivator, and family is what drives me every morning. Providing security, opportunity and peace of mind for the people you love – that’s what financial planning is really about.
Outside of work, I’m a keen sportsman and a Manchester United FC supporter. I play padel weekly across different cities and value how sport naturally brings people together. It’s a reminder to stay natural and genuine, the same way I aim to be with my clients.
I’m a firm believer in giving back. The more you help others, the more you receive in return. These principles, combined with the humility my parents instilled in me, shape how I work with every client today.
