“I pride myself on building strong client relationships and helping my clients achieve their goals, which is what I consider to be my key strength and passion in my role.”
I started my financial career at Halifax Bank and always knew I was heading towards providing financial advice. I qualified as a financial adviser at age 25 and have spent the past 21 years building deep expertise across wealth planning, Inheritance Tax (IHT) planning, managing trusts and high-level retirement planning. I’ve worked with some of the UK’s most respected names in financial services, including HSBC Premier banking and Investec, where I held an associate director role specialising in complex, high-net-worth cases.
Today, I’m a Senior Wealth Planner at Mattioli Woods’ Sheffield office, and I sit on a consultation group that meets directly with the Board each quarter. That means I’m not just advising clients – I’m helping shape how we deliver advice across the business.
What gets me out of bed every morning is my client relationships. I’ve guided clients through market crashes, the pandemic and some of life’s most difficult moments. One of the most meaningful experiences of my career came when a client told me he had a terminal cancer diagnosis. I asked him to bring his wife in – she’d never been involved in their finances before – and I made them a simple promise: I will make sure she’s taken care of. When he passed away, I was there for her every step along the way. We’ve continued working together ever since, and she once told me, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” That’s what this job is really about.
My approach is straightforward: I listen first, establish what truly matters to my clients by identifying their need in great detail and then build a strategy around that. Building up trust is also a key part of my role. Whether you’re planning retirement, managing a complex estate or simply wondering whether you can take that dream holiday – I want to be the person who gives you the confidence to say yes.
My technical knowledge is very strong, particularly in IHT planning, pension/retirement planning and investment solutions including for high-net-worth clients, but it’s my people skills that make the difference. No two clients are the same, and I adapt to whoever is in front of me..
Outside of work, I travel as much as I can (Italy holds a very special place in my heart). I’m a dedicated animal lover with a dog called Harley and three cats (Rueben, Hugo and Harry), and I still love watching ballet and theatre whenever I get the chance. Life is full and it keeps me grounded – which, I think, makes me a better adviser.
