Women in Financial Advice Awards

Andrea has over 25 years' experience in financial services becoming a specialist in equity release over 10 years ago. As a high profile commentator and industry expert Andrea has contributed to both trade, National Press, TV and radio. Her career has included the position of Director General for the trade association SHIP now known as the Equity Release Council whereby she spent over 5 years as the industry spokesperson helping to educate and inform media, Government and the general public on the safeguards of equity release. As a member of Bowers Board for the last 4 years Andreas experience across providers, solicitors, advisers and customers, along with a deep understanding of the industry has helped to shape and grow Bower.

Cathi is the Founder & Director of Para-Sols, an outsourced paraplanning firm and sister company, Apricity, a new compliance firm launched at the end of 2017. She has been in financial services since leaving university and holds both the Chartered and Certified Financial Planner status as well as being a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society. Cathi splits her time across both companies - supporting her team and clients on a daily basis, managing the strategy and focussing the growth for both Para-Sols and Apricity as well as championing female leadership within, and external to, financial services. Outside of work, she loves nothing more than spending quality time with her young family and is a travel junkie.

Chris has over 24 years’ experience in Financial Services, She is a highly effective consultant who delivers services that adds value to the firms Jigsaw Tree engages with, allowing advisers to focus on client facing activities. Her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for Financial Services is evidenced through her proven track record in the sector.

Claire, Head of Pension Strategy at Technical Connection, has worked in the pensions arena for the whole of her career. This has ranged from a pension transfer specialist to helping advisers deal with the complexities of SIPPs and SSAS in a post simplification environment. Her role with Technical Connection continues to build on her technical insight, thought leadership and ability to make complex issues simple to understand.

Estelle Bibby is Head of Media Relations at Schroders, responsible for Schroders’ investment and wealth management media strategies globally. Over the past decade Estelle has spearheaded many of Schroders high profile media relations campaigns through the power of Schroders’ global PR agency network as well as directly through social media, television, radio, online and print media. Prior experience includes senior positions held at both corporate in-house and PR agencies including Direct Line Group, JBA public Relations and insurance specialist Primary Group.

Gillian has over 30 years experience in financial services and has recently joined Schroders as Intermediary Solutions Director. Previously, Gillian had an extensive career at Standard Life followed by consultancy positions with a range of platform providers, asset managers, life companies and financial advisers. In 2016 she founded DISCUS, a business providing research, insight and educational content for financial advisers about the outsourced investment market and discretionary managers. Following an acquisition of the business by the Embark Group she continued to develop DISCUS, provided expert consultancy services for the launch of the Embark platform and was Head of Strategic Partnerships.

Heather Hopkins is founder and MD of NextWealth, a research business that helps financial institutions adapt to what's next in wealth. Heather has worked in the field of market research, competitive intelligence and industry benchmarking for two decades in North America, Asia and Europe. She has spent most of her career in financial services helping asset managers, platforms and financial advisers improve their propositions, customer communication and to benchmark success against competitors. She was Head of Platforum until December 2017 and has also worked in digital marketing at Hitwise and Econsultancy. 

Helen joined Royal London in May 2017 and creates content and comment across a range of personal finance topics. Before this she was a journalist for 18 years and specialised in retirement issues. She edited trade titles Professional Pensions and Retirement Planner. In 2016 she was voted Pensions Journalist of the Year by the Investment Association and Institutional Journalist of the Year in the Kames Capital Journalism Awards.

Jessica has been with the Curtis Banks Group for seven years, having joined Suffolk Life in 2011. She's worked in various roles, including the SIPP Support team helping customers with general queries and the Product Technical team working on projects to deliver legislative changes and delivering staff training. As the Group's Pension Technical Manager she now focuses on helping advisers, presenting on technical issues and writing for the press. She has been a regular contributor to Retirement Planner since 2016.

Johnny Timpson is Scottish Widows' financial resilience and protection specialist. He has 40 years' experience working in a variety of technical roles and distribution models. He is a member of the ABI Protection Committee and was recently appointed by the DWP to be the disability champion for the insurance industry and profession. He is also a member of the Income Protection Task Force and sits on both its Welfare and Building Resilient Households working groups. In addition, he is a member of the CII's Insuring Women's Futures Programme Advisory Panel and was, until its close, a member of the Seven Families Project team and work stream lead. Until recently Johnny was chair of TISA's Consumer Protection Policy Council. Outside work, Johnny actively supports the Fawcett Society and campaigns for gender equality and a 50:50 Parliament.

Kevin has been in the financial services industry since 1993. Following three years providing mortgage advice on the high street, he progressed through several roles with independent protection specialist LifeSearch including Head of Protection Strategy and Director of Public Relations. In 2008 Kevin joined PruProtect (now VitalityLife) as Director of Protection Development, a role which included all aspects of protection business including sales, marketing, product development and public relations. A previously qualified IFA and mortgage adviser Kevin is a well-known industry figure who speaks regularly to the media and at conferences on all matters related to protection. Kevin is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and has won many industry awards including accolades for protection advice, business strategy, influence and PR. In 2006 Kevin was voted Protection Adviser of the Year and also the UK's Best Financial Services Press Officer.

In 2007 Kevin was voted the 2nd most influential person in the UK protection industry of the last ten years. Kevin is Managing Director of PR and consultancy firm Carr Consulting & Communications, CEO of Protection Review and Co-Chairman of the Income Protection Task Force. A keen Arsenal fan he has also been known to play keyboards in various bands over the years.

Kim has worked in UK financial services for over 35 years. During this time, she provided consultancy to over 100 financial services companies. She's a columnist and an industry judge for many awards. In the early 1990's she created consultancy Pretty Technical Partnership and later founded Pretty Financial a London City based IFA. She has been consultancy head of compliance for 3 major companies and currently works with a Chartered and Certified IFA business and a leading pensions actuarial consultancy.

Patrick Connolly is Head of Communications at Chase de Vere, the Independent Financial Advisers. He has 26 years of experience in the financial advice industry and is qualified as a Chartered Financial Planner through the Personal Finance Society and a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered MSCI through the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. He was named as the Financial Adviser of the Year, Investment Adviser of the Year, At Retirement Adviser of the Year and Value of Advice Ambassador at the Unbiased Media Awards 2017.

Sally is a specialist financial and professional services communications consultant working for Four Communications. With 20 years of experience, she has worked with clients in asset and wealth management, hedge funds, investment services, foreign exchange and trading. Sally holds the investment management certificate and joined Four Communications in 2004, having worked in PR, marketing and advertising roles for M&G, Henderson Global Investors and GAM