Executives in Wealth Management

Kavi Myladoor, Retail Commercial and Proposition Director at Just Group, joins the podcast to discuss her journey through the financial services industry, the experiences that shaped her leadership style, and how the advice profession is evolving in response to technology, regulation, and changing client expectations. Kavi reflects on her upbringing and the influence of her family before sharing how she built a career across major financial institutions. She explains the importance of curiosity, humility, and mentorship in professional growth, and offers insights into how financial advice businesses can evolve to serve more people while maintaining the human relationships that sit at the heart of advice. In this episode, Kavi discusses: • Growing up in a close-knit family and how her parents’ story influenced her outlook on life • The importance of mentors and supporters who believe in your potential • Why curiosity and asking questions have been central to her career development • Her journey into financial services and progression into senior leadership roles • Balancing customer outcomes with commercial objectives when designing financial    propositions • The challenge of the “advice gap” and why many people still lack access to financial advice • Why advisers need to become more efficient to serve a broader population • The role technology, digitisation and artificial intelligence will play in shaping the future of advice • Why the human element of financial advice will remain essential despite technological change Key takeaway: Kavi highlights that great leaders don’t need to have all the answers — they need the curiosity and confidence to ask the right questions and continue learning throughout their careers.

Juliet Valdinger, Holistic Philanthropy Adviser, joins the podcast to explore the role philanthropy can play within wealth management and why conversations around charitable giving, purpose, and values are becoming increasingly relevant for advisers and their clients. She shares her personal journey into the philanthropy sector and explains how advisors can help clients align their financial resources with the causes and values that matter most to them. In this episode, Juliet discusses: • Growing up internationally and how early experiences shaped her interest in people and purpose • Her first role helping raise over £100 million for charitable causes through global collaborations • A life-changing accident that led to years of recovery and reflection about purpose and impact • Discovering the intersection between philanthropy and wealth management • Why many financial advisers still hesitate to discuss charitable giving with clients • Research showing that a lack of knowledge and incentives prevents philanthropy conversations in advice firms • The growing demand from clients who want their wealth to reflect their personal values • How philanthropy can help families engage the next generation in conversations about money and responsibility • The opportunity for advisers to deepen client relationships through purpose-driven discussions • New policy developments encouraging the financial advice sector to engage more actively in philanthropy Key takeaway: Juliet believes philanthropy offers advisers a powerful opportunity to strengthen client relationships by helping individuals and families align their wealth with their values, creating meaningful impact while building more purposeful financial conversations.

Stefan Fura, Managing Director of Superbia Group, shares the story of how he entered financial services at a young age and went on to build and scale a successful advisory business. He reflects on the mindset required to grow a firm, the lessons learned from leadership and mentorship, and why empathy and purpose play a central role in sustainable business growth. In this episode, Stefan discusses: • Leaving school early and finding his path into financial services through banking • Learning the fundamentals of advice, client relationships, and trust early in his career • Why technical knowledge helped build credibility as a young adviser • The role empathy plays in understanding clients and delivering meaningful advice • Starting and growing Fernley House alongside trusted colleagues • The challenge of transitioning from a small advisory practice to a structured business • Recognising when to scale by employing advisers and building stronger systems • How mentorship and mastermind groups influenced his leadership thinking • The lessons learned from growing a company and attracting external investment • Why businesses should pursue profit alongside purpose and community impact Key takeaway: Stefan believes that building a successful business is less about having all the answers and more about learning continuously, surrounding yourself with the right people, and staying focused on delivering genuine value to clients and communities.

Rachel Kitching Burrows, Managing Director of Chesterton House, shares her extraordinary journey from aspiring actress to financial services leader. She opens up about her unexpected entry into the industry, the transformative power of true financial planning, and the life-altering moment she was diagnosed with breast cancer at seven months pregnant all while navigating new motherhood and rebuilding her career with remarkable resilience and vulnerability. In this episode, Rachel discusses: • Her drama school years at Bretton Hall and how storytelling became her secret weapon in business • Falling into financial services as an administrator and proving early doubters wrong (“you’ll never be technical”) • The defining experience at Chesterton House discovering cash-flow modelling and fee-based planning long before it was industry standard • The dramatic post-2008 transformation at Cooper Perry and rising through paraplanning to leadership roles • Being promoted to director while pregnant, then receiving a breast cancer diagnosis at seven months and the year that followed with early delivery, surgery, chemo, and her newborn son’s battle with Group B strep • The “triple brain fog” of baby brain, chemo fog and chemical menopause and how it forced her to question everything • The gift her cancer journey gave her: radical vulnerability, presence, and the ability to sit comfortably with discomfort • Returning to Chesterton House as Operations Director and now leading as Managing Director feeling like she’s “come home” • Her leadership philosophy: bring your whole self to work, use EOS/Traction for clarity and accountability, and lead with storytelling and authenticity Key takeaway: Rachel proves that the greatest leadership strength often comes from life’s hardest chapters. By embracing vulnerability, rejecting other people’s limiting labels, and bringing her full authentic self to work, she turned personal tragedy into rocket fuel for resilience, connection, and purposeful leadership.

Nathan Thompson Founder of Mylo shares how an internal idea evolved into a live digital proposition now engaging close to a million customers. He reflects on career acceleration, building products inside a large organisation, and why solving the help gap in pensions and wealth is more important than ever. In this episode, Nathan discusses: • Falling into financial services via an unconventional route, starting with a music degree  • How relationships, curiosity, and global exposure accelerated his career at Aegon  • Lessons from working across international teams and large-scale transformation projects  • Why moving from advisory roles to owning delivery became a turning point  • How the idea for Mylo emerged from market shifts, personal curiosity, and timing  • Pitching a new growth concept internally using prototypes, storytelling, and focus  • Why pensions need help and guidance, not just products or digital advice  • Designing Mylo around real life moments, emotions, and customer behaviour  • Launching Mylo at scale and reaching close to a million workplace customers Key takeaway: Nathan believes meaningful innovation in financial services comes from curiosity, customer obsession, and the courage to build — even inside large, complex organisations.

David Carter, CEO of Absolute Financial Group, shares his journey from a disciplined military upbringing to leading a new independent advice consolidator. He reflects on leadership, independence, consolidation, and what building a sustainable advice business really means post–Consumer Duty. In this episode, David discusses: Growing up between Salford and Germany in a military family and how discipline shaped his mindset Why frequent moves made him adaptable, people-focused, and comfortable with change Choosing not to go to university and backing work ethic over traditional career paths Entering financial services at the ground level and building experience across every role Progressing rapidly by embracing responsibility, meritocracy, and opportunity How regulatory change (RDR) accelerated his career and reshaped advice businesses Becoming a director and later CEO, shifting focus from advising to operating and scaling a firm Building adviser academies, developing talent in-house, and creating long-term career paths Leading through growth, M&A, and increased regulatory expectations Being approached to help build Absolute Financial Group from a blank sheet of paper Why independence, culture, and legacy matter deeply to advice firm principals Challenging misconceptions around private equity and modern consolidation The risks of over-vertical integration and loss of adviser autonomy Absolute’s vision: scaling while protecting client outcomes, people, and local identity David believes the future of financial advice depends on independent thinking, strong culture, and long-term client trust, not consolidation at any cost.

In this episode, we’re joined by David Kendrick, Managing Director of Cooper Parry Wealth. David shares his journey from corporate finance and deal-making into leading one of the UK’s most respected wealth management businesses, and what that transition taught him about leadership, people, and sustainable growth. David’s career journey from corporate finance into transactions and advisory work Key turning points and “sliding doors” moments that shaped his path The realities of scaling and leading fast-growing professional services businesses Moving into a CEO role and managing the pressure that comes with rapid growth Experiencing an exit after years of advising others through theirs Transitioning from advisor to operator within a larger group Stepping into leadership at Cooper Parry Wealth Why wealth management is fundamentally a people- and trust-led business Building strong leadership teams as the foundation for long-term success A thoughtful conversation on leadership, growth, and building businesses with intent. Key Talking Points:

What does it really take to build a business from scratch with no safety net? In this episode, host Thomas Spencer sits down with Cathi Harrison, founder of the Verve. From growing up on a council estate to building a multi-service support platform for financial advice firms, Cathi shares a powerful story of grit, resilience, and swimming against the tide. This is an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, culture, risk, and what it really means to build something different in financial services. In this episode, Cathi shares: Growing up in a low-income household and how instability shaped her resilience and drive Discovering financial services by chance and falling into a career she never planned Taking the leap into self-employment with no safety net and surviving the early months How one referral kickstarted sustainable growth and ended constant cold calling Scaling from a solo paraplanner to building Verve and expanding into compliance and training Creating a one-stop support platform now used by hundreds of advice firms Learning to separate personal identity from the business and make difficult leadership decisions Why culture, values, and intentional leadership matter more as a business grows Launching the Verve Foundation to support new entrants and protect the future of financial advice Hit play to hear an inspiring story about resilience, leadership, and building a business that refuses to follow the standard path.

What happens when you spot a billion-pound gap no one else sees? Today host Thomas Spencer sits down with Sebastian Dovey, the insight pioneer who built and sold Scorpio Partnership. In this episode they talk about building a global consultancy, transforming the wealth sector, and why understanding clients is still the biggest competitive advantage. In this episode, Seb shares: What it was like growing up across 11 schools and 8 countries by age 12 How a 2cm newspaper ad led him to a reporting job in Hong Kong and into wealth management The founding story of Scorpio Partnership and why he saw customer insight as the industry's missing link Why “talking to customers” was once seen as a risk and how that mindset needed breaking The long-game mindset behind scaling a global consultancy and preparing for exit What boardrooms still get wrong about insight and why emotion, not math, drives client loyalty Hit play to hear what the wealth industry still gets wrong and where the real opportunities lie.

Get an inside-look at the benefits of neurodiverse leadership in the financial sector in this conversation between your host, Thomas Spencer, and Douglas Boyle, the CEO of Halo Financial.  During the episode, Doug shared his story of adapting to his ADHD diagnosis and shaping his career to suit the way he works, playing to the different strengths that his neurodiversity gives him.  He emphasised the benefits of taking on a leadership position at a young age, despite not going through the traditional university route that a lot of his peers took.  Doug also shared insights from his career history, including his time at Halifax and City Index.  He also discussed the future for Halo, as well as what drew him to the company in the first place, stating that even small teams can make a big impact when their people are properly supported.  Tune in to hear from a different perspective of the wealth management sector.

Explore the relationship between financial advice and technology in this fascinating conversation between your host, Thomas Spencer, and Nicky Sevel Co-Founder of Woven Advice.  In this episode, Nicky shares her journey from Perth to London, as well as her route through the wealth industry and technology sector to the creation of her company.  Nicky highlights the importance of collaboration in the FinTech space, and emphasises how valuable developers’ attitudes towards knowledge sharing are.  She also credits her own resilience and curiosity as driving forces in her career.  Tune in now to discover more about a highly driven woman in the wealth management space. 

Join your host, Thomas Spencer, and David Davies, the Founder of Navos Technologies, as they unpack David’s journey from a Liverpool public school to a board position at Hargreaves Lansdown.  David also shares his stories of founding Navos Technologies and helping to establish a technology hub in Warsaw, Poland.   Throughout the episode, David provides us with a wealth of insights from a career in IT and the wealth management industry. He highlights the importance of communication and trust within leadership teams, as well as between providers and their clients.  He also stresses the need for financial services companies to adapt to new technologies, and urges professionals at all stages to invest in their digital tools.  They also touch on David’s personal interests, such as reading and music.  This episode is full of valuable insights from an atypical career, as well as an unusual perspective on the wealth management industry.  Tune in now to discover how your IT systems can affect the success of your work in wealth management. 

Discover the impact that starting your career in the army can have on your future leadership capabilities in this compelling conversation with your host, Thomas Spencer, and Jonathan Polin, the CEO of atomos.  In this episode, Jonathan shares the lessons he has taken from his days in the army and how he applies them to his current role as atomos’s CEO.  He delves into topics like gut decisions, communicating strategy, and crisis management, and explores how they both apply to the battlefield and the boardroom.  Jonathan also touches on his experiences of being an out, gay CEO, as well as the value of diversity and inclusivity in the financial sector.  Towards the end of the episode, Jonathan also shares his predictions for the future of the industry, while highlighting the role that younger generations will play in it.  Listen now to discover how your leadership mindset can be shaped by every experience you have. 

Find out how a company culture can affect its outcomes in this conversation between your host, Thomas Spencer, and Tracey Davidson, the CEO Hampden & Co Bank.  Tracey shares what drew her to Hampden & Co, citing their empowering outlook on employee autonomy and customer-centric operations as two of the deciding factors.  She goes on to talk about how you can know what the best decision is for your company at any given time as a CEO.  Her response to differing levels of subject matter expertise and holistic understandings of the business as a whole provide fascinating insights into leadership in wealth management.  This episode also covers some of Tracey’s earlier aspirations, from wanting to be a nun to plans to work as a music teacher before finding her place in banking.  She also emphasises the importance of good colleagues throughout the episode, and stresses the value of surrounding yourself with the right people.  Listen now to find out how your company culture could shape everything from your customer satisfaction levels to who your next CEO will be. 

Michele shares her story of growing up in a large family, including the role that older siblings have in supporting their younger counterparts, and the different value that she gets from growing up in such a tight-knit group.  She also explains the impact that her background had on her education and career, before advocating for increased DE&I initiatives to help people from a wider range of circumstances enter the wealth management industry.  This episode is full of lessons about social mobility and the importance of initiatives like the Wealth Academy that Michele helped to establish at Aviva.  Michele also talks about the transferable skills that she has applied to the wealth management space from her earlier career, such as customer-centred communication that she learned in a telecom job.  Tune in to discover how you could help to shape the future of the wealth management industry. 

This week, your host, Thomas Spencer, was joined by Nick Raine, the CEO of Söderberg & Partners, to talk about the company’s UK platform, including the team he’s built to run it and the technology they use.  In this episode, Nick also discusses his background in business and finance, covering his education and early career before touching on the leadership training that has led to his current position.  He also shares his experiences of working in multinational teams, covering everything from the cultural differences to different working styles he has observed in Söderberg.  Nick shares the impact that culture has had on his team, both as an employee and as a leader.  He credits the company culture for the progress that Söderberg has made in the last few years, crediting open communication for the wealth of innovation they’ve experienced.  Listen in now to discover how your working style could impact your success in wealth management. The Executives in Wealth Management podcast is brought to you by Signia Search & Selection, a leading executive search firm specialising in sourcing exceptional leaders in the financial space.       To learn more, follow the link below: ⁠Signia Search & Selection⁠ 

Join your host, Thomas Spencer, and Nneka Orji, the Senior Director of Alvarez & Marsal, for a fascinating conversation about goal setting and its role in the wealth management industry.     Nneka has a fascinating history, featuring a multicultural childhood and an unusual career path, which has given her some unique and engaging perspectives which she shares throughout this episode.     She also talks about the importance of communication, both among wealth management teams and with your clients. She highlights the different ways that you can improve your communication skills and use them to achieve your goals.      During the episode, Nneka also reflects on the challenges she has faced in previous roles. She shares the lessons she has learned from each one, as well as her advice for wealth management professionals who are in similar positions.     She also shares her views on the skills that executives should develop in the current working environment.      Tune in to find out how goal setting could impact your career.      The Executives in Wealth Management podcast is brought to you by Signia Search & Selection, a leading executive search firm specialising in sourcing exceptional leaders in the financial space.       To learn more, follow the link below: Signia Search & Selection 

Unpack the impact of AI solutions within the wealth management industry in this conversation between your host, Thomas Spencer, and Amal Jolly, the Founder and CEO of Saturn AI.    Amal started the episode by sharing his unique journey through the Indian navy and into the financial sector, driven by a desire for financial stability and a love of innovation.     He also spoke about the observations that inspired him to create Saturn AI, and how solving a problem in the sector has been both rewarding and challenging.      Throughout the episode, Amal explained the problems he’s seen in back-office systems across the wealth management space, from under-utilised automations to untapped potential within financial services teams.     He also shared his biggest lessons from founding a company, promoting iteration, team building and customer care as the cornerstones of a successful business.      Listen along to find out more about a fascinating figure in financial services.      The Executives in Wealth Management podcast is brought to you by Signia Search & Selection, a leading executive search firm specialising in sourcing exceptional leaders in the financial space.      To learn more, follow the link below: Signia Search & Selection 

Join your host, Thomas Spencer, and Ben Hampton, the CEO of Wealth Wizards, as they discuss how to navigate transitions in the wealth management sector.  Ben shares his career story, emphasising the importance of curiosity as he moved between companies and roles. He also shares his motivation behind moving from Standard Life to Wealth Wizards, as he pursues a different standard of service. He also talks about the regulatory changes that are set to impact the industry in 2025 and beyond.  Throughout the conversation, Ben shares his advice for other executives, especially those who are new to an executive-level role. He promotes building a network, avoiding being overly critical, and learning from others' experiences as much as possible. He also emphasises the value of human connection in leadership, stating that empathy and consideration are vital to effective management.  Tune in now to find out more about customer-focused wealth management.    The Executives in Wealth Management podcast is brought to you by Signia Search & Selection, a leading executive search firm specialising in sourcing exceptional leaders in the financial space.   To learn more, follow the link below: Signia Search & Selection 

David Newman, the CEO of Firenze, and your host, Thomas Spencer, sat down to unpick the learnings from a two time founder and active angel investor.    David shared his story of transitioning from a corporate, client-facing role in private banking to his current position as the Founder of a SaaS solving a proposition challenge for non-bank wealth managers.    During this episode, David explained how Lombard lending could change how investors and wealth managers operate within the financial sector, suggesting that it provides flexible, cost-effective lending solutions that are otherwise inaccessible.     David also shared his insights as a former Angel Investor, giving advice to other founders who are looking to secure investment opportunities for their companies.      Listen in to discover more about atypical avenues within the wealth management space.      The Executives in Wealth Management podcast is brought to you by Signia Search & Selection, a leading executive search firm specialising in sourcing exceptional leaders in the financial space.       To learn more, follow the link below: Signia Search & Selection