Jose Gigante

“Life can redirect you at any moment, so plan for it.”

When I was 17, a doctor told me I’d never play basketball the same way again. I’d been a college basketball player in Spain, training hard and chasing a dream, until my back gave out and the dream ended overnight. It wasn’t the first time I’d watched life change course without warning. My dad had been a promising athlete before an early injury forced him to retrain as a teacher. Watching him adapt, then going through it myself, taught me something: circumstances change, but how you prepare for them matters more than anything.

That lesson shaped a career that’s rarely followed a straight line. I studied sports science in Madrid, earned a master’s degree at Birkbeck University in London, and spent years working across major sports organisations, including FIFA, UEFA, the NFL, and the Paralympic Games. My research focused on how former athletes managed the financial realities of injury and retirement. I was always close to financial services, even when my job title suggested otherwise.

Then life redirected me again. My mum was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. The demands of caring for an elderly parent with a complex condition made a career built on travel and big events impossible to sustain. I retrained as a financial adviser and this time the pivot felt purposeful. I’d seen what poor financial preparation meant for athletes facing early retirement, and now I was seeing it from the family side too.

I joined Mattioli Woods to bring all that experience together. I work with clients across wealth management, pension planning, Inheritance Tax planning, and investment solutions, with a particular focus on people who have international connections or assets, many of whom have properties abroad, live between countries, or need an adviser who understands the complexity that brings. Having lived and worked across Spain and the UK, I understand the nuances, from cross-border tax considerations to the legislative changes that affect property owners in Spain, in a way that goes beyond the textbook.

My background in sports diplomacy and international relations gives me something different too. Financial markets don’t exist in isolation, and clients who have seen global events shift things overnight appreciate an adviser who can put that into context. I also work closely with current and former athletes; people who know better than most how quickly a career can change, and why planning ahead is never optional.

Growing up, I watched my parents, two teachers on modest salaries in Spain, quietly build a portfolio of properties through disciplined saving and careful budgeting. They didn’t have fancy investment strategies, they had focus and patience, and this has influenced how I talk to clients today. Good financial planning isn’t about complexity for its own sake, it’s about knowing what you want, understanding what you have, and making sure you’re ready when life takes an unexpected turn.

Outside of work, I’m a founder of a charity in Spain supporting families affected by dementia, a cause that’s personal and one I’m proud to continue alongside my day-to-day work. Whether it’s a basketball court, a boardroom, or a family dealing with a difficult diagnosis, the principle is the same: adapt, prepare, and don’t leave the important decisions until it’s too late.