Our Advisory Panel
The experts who are supporting and mentoring our Innovators' journey.
Simon Swords
Chair of Advisory Panel
John Macpherson
Deputy Chair of Advisory Panel
Independent Advisor
Advice to Innovators:
Chris Hill
Independent Advisor
Patricia Guillierme
Digital Transformation & Innovation Manager, Allianz Global Investors
Advice to Innovators:
“Identify your unique selling proposition and how it compares to your competitors, especially if you are looking to challenge or disrupt well-established and market-leading companies.”
Ania Krzysica
Director – Asset & Wealth Management Consulting, Alpha FMC
Anurag Agrawal
Delivery Manager – Investment Systems & Emerging Technologies, Baillie Gifford
Henry MacLeod
Co-Head Digital Distribution, EMEA, BlackRock
Gerald Rehn
Head of EMEA Distribution, BNY
Advice to Innovators:
“Innovation starts with an idea, but lives or dies by execution.”
John Wallis
Global Head Market Opportunities, Brown Brothers Harriman Innovation & New Ventures
Charles Kerrigan
Partner & Global Head of FinTech, CMS
Advice to Innovators:
“Know your (target) customer”
Ash Malik
Head of Technology Corporate Functions, DWS
Advice to Innovators:
“Step deep into your client’s world – you are here to help. Be clear, be bold. Listen broadly, but don’t dilute your direction chasing consensus.”
Prasad Chandrasheker
Global Head of Emerging Technology Strategy, Fidelity International
Advice to Innovators:
“Focus on the unmet needs of the customer and deliver them using strong technology and service foundations.”
Rashid Adam
COO, Findlay Park Partners
Colin Bennett
Chief Marketing Officer, GAM (UK) Limited
Advice to Innovators:
“Know your customer. Relentlessly validate your idea in partnership with your market. Make your product a must have, not a nice to have”
Paul Dimambro
Investment & Retirement Director, Hargreaves Lansdown
Advice to Innovators:
“Have an in-depth knowledge of your customers, their needs and pain points. Be clear with your proposition and the benefits it will deliver for customers”
Amit Ratanje
Head of Analytics & Data Science, HSBC Asset Management
Advice to Innovators:
“Data is your unique leverage in an AI world, so invest in clean, well-governed data from day one, and it will compound into superior intelligence and better product.”
Adrian Barrett
Head of Product Management, Insight Investments
Advice to Innovators:
“Even at an early stage, show your idea in action from the user’s perspective and make it as memorable as possible”
Aubrey Price
Regional Technology Head – EMEA, Invesco
John Thompson
Business Analysis Lead, Director, Janus Henderson Investors
Advice to Innovators:
“Clearly identify your USP along the value chain, engage early with both prospective customers and regulators and embrace agile practises.”
Richard Cassidy
Head Of Technology, Jupiter Asset Management
Ian Carr
Head of Engineering, Legal & General Investment Management
Mahesh Nair
Chief Technology Officer, Lumyna Investments
Advice to Innovators:
“The value of an idea lies in how it’s used”
Alex Houseman
Head of Enterprise Architecture, M&G Investments
Ferdinand van Heerden
Chief Executive Officer, Momentum Investments
Advice to Innovators:
“To change established thinking, simplicity and clarity of thought are key, but often complex to explain, deliver and monetise.”
Stephen Wood
Director of Operations & Business Delivery, Rathbones Asset Management
Advice to Innovators:
Siobhan Clarke
COO, Royal London Asset Management
Cecile Rousseau
Chief Technology Officer,
Ruffer LLP
Advice to Innovators:
“There are multiple paths to innovation. It is less about offering products than understanding clients’ problems and possible solutions.”
Charlotte Wood
Head of Innovation, Schroders
Advice to Innovators:
“Go after specific, validated use cases – don’t leave it up to potential customers to figure out how or why your product is relevant to their business.”
Tamsin Hobley
Country Head UK & Ireland, SIX Group
Advice to Innovators:
“Build a strong network of supporters and partnerships and use these to help open doors. Be clear about the problem you are solving for your customers. Listen to feedback about your product and don’t be afraid to pivot and make changes based on this feedback.”
Tom Back
Head of Investment Data & Technology, St James’s Place
Ray Fuller
Head of Partnership Solutions, UBS Asset Management
Advice to Innovators:
“Launch, gain feedback, pivot if needed, plan for the worst, and plan for the exit.”
James Hubbard
Fund Manager, Wesleyan
Advice to Innovators:
“Every industry has locked doors blocking the way to progress. Innovation is the key to opening them.”
