Our Advisory Panel

The experts who are supporting and mentoring our Innovators' journey.

John Macpherson

Acting Chair of Advisory Panel

Independent Advisor

Advice to Innovators:

“More is learnt in rejection than in acceptance if you are prepared to listen.”

Olivia Vinden

Deputy Chair of Advisory Panel

Head of FinTech and Innovation, UK, Alpha FMC

Advice to Innovators:

In the words of Simon Sinek “Start with why…”

John Thompson

Delivery Lead – Investments, Abrdn

Advice to Innovators:

“Clearly identify your USP along the value chain, engage early with both prospective customers and regulators and embrace agile practises.”

Daniel Lehmann

Head of Business Management Technology, Operations & Products, Allianz Global Investors

Advice to Innovators:

“Have a critical view about the value your idea adds to the business and customers. Once you find it, be passionate about it and don’t give up!”

Olivier Bouteille

Deputy CEO and COO,

Amundi UK

Advice to Innovators:

“Grow your network within your industry and your ecosystems. Your solutions will have to dock onto your clients and partners environments and value chains, so you need allies who will help you position them successfully.”

 

Giuseppe Tedone

Head of Global Portfolio Solutions, Barings Asset Management

Advice to Innovators:

“Think big, start small, act fast”

Joe Parkin

Head of Banks and Digital Channels in the UK, BlackRock

Advice to Innovators:

“Get live quickly with a Minimal Loveable Product (MLP) and learn from your customers”

Andrea Tedone

Head of Change and Transformation, UK and Middle East, BNP Paribas Securities Services

Advice to Innovators:

Electric light did not come from the continuous improvement of candles.” – Real progress often comes from disruptive innovation, think bold!”

Gareth Johnson

Head of Digital Channels and Investment Services, Brewin Dolphin

Advice to Innovators:

“Do or do not, there is no try!”

Jack White

Digital Innovation, Securities Services, Citi

Advice to Innovators:

“Don’t be afraid to pivot your proposition (within reason). If your core innovation is sound and you commit to it, you’ll find your niche”

Charles Kerrigan

Partner & Global Head of FinTech, CMS

Advice to Innovators:

“Know your (target) customer”

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.”

Colin Bennett

Head of Digital Distribution, Global, 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”

Maria Knight

Global Head of Business Intelligence and Automation, Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Advice to Innovators:

“Be patient. You never know when a prospective client is contemplating a deal with you: Understand their challenges and partner with them to support a shared agenda”

Paul Dimambro

Investment & Retirement Director, Hargreaves Lansdown

Advice to Innovators:

“”

Rezso Szabo

Partner, Illuminate Financial

Advice to Innovators:

“”

David Reed

Director – Distribution Strategy & Innovation, Invesco

Advice to Innovators:

“”

Mahesh Nair

Chief Technology Officer, Lumyna Investments

Advice to Innovators:

“The value of an idea lies in how it’s used”

Rodney Hutchinson

Head of Business Solutions, M&G Investments

Advice to Innovators:

“”

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.”

Kate Webber

Head of Product Strategy, Northern Trust

Advice to Innovators:

“”

Naqash Tahir

Director, Head of Systems – Europe & Chair of the European Innovation Council, PGIM Real Estate

Advice to Innovators:

“Don’t focus on the number of functions your applications has, focus on the impact and quality of each one”

Siobhan Clarke

COO, Royal London Asset Management

Advice to Innovators:

“”

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.”

Sam Sundera

Head Future Business & Global Partnerships, SIX Group

Advice to Innovators:

“Does your product solve for a genuine problem, are customers willing to pay for it, and are they willing to buy it from you?”

Allee Zhang

Director, Risk Officer & Sustainability Specialist, 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.”