Our Team

My career in this industry began back in 1997 and I have been overseeing the continued success of Informed Financial Planning since 2004. Since our inception, I have always found great enjoyment in witnessing the development of our very talented staff here. The most challenging aspect of my job is keeping on top of the never ending regulations!

Outside of Informed Financial Planning, I am a massive Rugby League (Hull KR) fan. I also enjoy skiing, cycling and having golf lessons. My favourite memory has to be a toss up between our company being awarded “UK Adviser Firm of the Year” by Money Marketing or seeing Hull KR beat Hull FC in the 1980 Challenge Cup Final!

Qualifications

G10 – Personal Tax & Trust Planning
G20 – Personal Investment Planning
G30 – Business Financial Planning
G60 – Pensions
G70 – Investment Portfolio Management
G80 – Long-Term Care, Life & Health Protection
H15 – Supervision & Sales Management
H25 – Holistic Financial Planning
K10 – Retirement Options
K20 – Pension Investment Options
MAQ – Mortgage Advice Qualification
R01 – Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics
R02 – Investment Principles & Risk
R04 – Pensions & Retirement Planning
SV1 – Savings & Investments
CF1 – Financial Services, Regulations & Ethics
CF2 – Investment & Risk
CF3 – Financial Protection
CF4 – Retirement Planning
CF5 – Integrated Financial Planning
CF6 – Mortgage Advice
CF8 – Long Term Care Insurance
FP1 – Financial Services & Their Regulations
FP2 – Protection, Savings & Investment Products
FP3 – Identifying & Satisfying Client Needs
STEP Certificate in Financial Services
STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients

My Financial Services career began in 2013 and my role entails overseeing our work with regards to The Fair Treatment of Customers. My favourite part about working for Informed Financial Planning is all of the awards we win!

My favourite memory would be either Informed Financial Planning winning Money Marketing’s “UK Adviser Firm of the Year 2018” or arriving by boat to our hotel on a holiday to India. In my spare time I enjoy reading, playing piano, painting, skiing, learning new languages and watching Hull KR!

I joined Informed Financial Planning in November 2015 as our Practice Manager, a newly created role to meet the demands of our ever expanding business, although I have worked in the financial services industry for over 10 years. Prior to working for Informed Financial Planning, I gained management experience in various roles from education, local government, manufacturing and retail.

Out of the office I enjoy spending time with friends and family travelling and eating good food.

Starting in 2016, I am responsible for the management of our income and expenditure and all financial reporting. I also manage our Paraplanning team and am a member of the Senior leadership Team, sharing responsibility for the overall management of the company. I love the diversity within my role, being involved in so many different areas to help drive the company forward. The most challenging part of my role is to stay as knowledgeable as my team as they are constantly learning more and passing exams to prove it! But, as Steve Jobs said, “we don’t hire smart people and tell them what to do, we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do”.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) – Applied Accounting
ACCA – Advanced Financial Management
ACCA – Advanced Taxation
ACCA – Business Analysis
ACCA – Corporate Reporting
ACCA – Governance, Risk & Ethics
ACCA – Financial Management
ACCA – Audit & Assurance
ACCA – Financial Reporting
ACCA – Taxation
ACCA – Performance Management
ACCA – Corporate & Business Law
AAT Level 4 – Technician
AAT Level 3 – Intermediate

My career began in 2010 and I now manage all of our Financial Planners whilst also being Head of Marketing and a member of the Senior Leadership Team, who are responsible for the running of the business day-to-day. This includes the development and implementation of our Strategic Business Plan. My role involves a great deal of creativity which suits my personality down to a tee. I love how every day is different and I genuinely learn something new each day.

My favourite time in my life was when I visited Thailand for my honeymoon. It was incredibly eye opening and it was the first time I had ever witnessed such a different culture. The people there were also the friendliest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. In my spare time I am a self-admitted ‘fadder’. One hobby never sticks and I am always trying different activities in the hope to find ‘the one’. Past hobbies have included cheerleading, dancing and (unsuccessfully) attempting rollerblading, but my next challenge is rock climbing! Fingers crossed…

Qualifications

FA2 – Pension Administration
FA5 – Individual Savings Account Administration
R01 – Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics
CIM Award in Applied Marketing
CIM Award in Planning Campaigns
CIM Award in Customer Insights
CIM Certificate in Professional Marketing

I started work in the Financial Services industry in 2015. My role can be very fast-paced and challenging but I love how varied it is, dealing with everything from assisting with the day to day running of the office to recruitment, project management and HR processes.

My favourite memory was when I went to Las Vegas for my 30^th Birthday. The staff here put a collection together to pay for me to jump from the top of the Stratosphere hotel as a surprise – and now I’ve caught the daredevil bug and want to do a sky dive!

I am also interested in house renovations (not that I have completed one yet!). I follow tonnes of Instagram accounts to help me get ideas for my own home. I’m also a sucker for a Primark haul – I love finding little gems and making it a bit pricier!

Qualifications

CMI Level 5 – Management & Leadership
LP2 – Financial Services Products & Solutions

My Financial Services career started in 2019 when I became responsible for the management of the Administration team. The best thing about working here the is incredibly supportive team around me and the attitude towards continued professional development. Coming from an Educational & Training background is it great to see that our staff are always looking to improve their knowledge.

Outside of work, my best times come on my annual holidays with my closest friends. These are really important to me as it is the only time of the year I get to just be me and not have to worry about mum and wife duties!

Qualifications

CMI Level 5 – Management & Leadership
LP2 – Financial Services Products & Solutions

I began my career in the Financial Services industry in 2017. As a Paraplanner, I enjoy the research involved in my role and how our team will always come together to find the most suitable solution when we have a tricky case.

In my spare time I enjoy football (I’m a big Liverpool fan) and going out with friends. My favourite memory was a holiday to Malia, when my youngest brother thought he could keep up drinking with the rest of us. He soon fell asleep on a sun lounger and came back to the room red raw!

Qualifications

R01 – Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics
R02 – Investment Principles & Risk
R03 – Personal Taxation
R04 – Pensions & Retirement Planning
R05 – Financial Protection
R06 – Financial Planning Practice

I joined Informed Financial Planning in 2017 straight from University, and I love the problem solving aspect of our work. As a Paraplanner I am given the opportunity to think outside the box and come up with alternative solutions to challenges.

One of my favourite memories was visiting Prague in 2016. As a die hard history nerd I loved all the museums and I would highly recommend it as there is so much to do and see! Outside of work I enjoy experimenting with new make-up styles – I tend to get my inspiration from YouTube videos and then adapt them into my own style – and Yoga, which is a new-ish hobby for me. My boldest move so far is an assisted headstand! I am also a scout leader and I find it so rewarding to see how much the kids get out of this.

Qualifications

R01 – Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics
R02 – Investment Principles & Risk
R03 – Personal Taxation
R04 – Pensions & Retirement Planning
R05 – Financial Protection
R06 – Financial Planning Practice

I started my career in Financial Services in 2018. I thoroughly enjoy using my technical skills and logical thinking to help out in other aspects as well such as shaping workflows in our back-office system or assisting the management team with extra projects. I also love training new staff and passing on the teams technical knowledge to other departments.

My favourite memory is when I moved into my first house. It was an incredible feeling of happiness and achievement! In my spare time I like going to music and comedy gigs, watching sport (mostly football, rugby and cricket) and going to the pub to socialise with friends.

Qualifications

1^st Class Degree BSc (Hons) Economics
R01 – Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics
R04 – Pensions & Retirement Planning
R05 – Financial Protection

I began in the financial services industry in September 2019 and I really enjoy working within such a very supportive team who are always happy to help out.

One of my favourite memories is going to Radio 1’s Big Weekend with my friends when it came to Burton Constable in 2017, getting to so many amazing acts perform. In my own time I enjoy going on holidays / weekends away with friends or family as well as spending time socialising and eating out with them.

Qualifications

Level 3 Certificate in Financial Studies

I began my journey in Compliance in 2017, ensuring all departments are working in line with the latest rules and regulations. I find it very rewarding that my work is not just limited to one area of the business as we assist everyone from the Advisers and Paraplanners right through to the Marketing team!

My favourite memory would be when I got the chance to drive a Formula 2 car around a track near Oxford. I’m hardly an adrenaline junkie so this definitely brought me out of my comfort zone. Some say I set a new track record… My sister would have you believe I drove at 30mph all the way round. I’ll let you decide which is true. I love going to gigs when I can, typically with my brother whenever we get the chance.

Qualifications

R01 – Financial Services, Regulation & Ethics
R02 – Investment Principles & Risk
R03 – Personal Taxation
R04 – Pensions & Retirement Planning
R05 – Financial Protection
R06 – Financial Planning Practice
J07 – Supervision In A Regulated Environment

I started my job as a Compliance Assistant at Informed Financial Planning in February 2020. A big part of my role is to protect our business from detrimental risks and to ensure our Financial Advice is always in the client’s best interests. The best thing about this role is how varied it is, I am constantly learning new things. Rules and regulations are always changing and it’s up to us as the Compliance Team to set the bar high so that the quality of our service continues to be something that makes IFP stand out!

My favourite memory has to be the day I went to pick up my first puppy, Hector. He has grown so much since we first brought him home and he already weighs an incredible 40kg! I’d love to say he’s a gentle giant, but he really isn’t!

I started my Financial Services career in 2017 after completing my A-levels. Joining IFP in January 2019 as a Technical Administrator, I assisted the Advisers and the Paraplanners with any technical queries and prepared suitability letters and cash-flows for our clients. I am now pursuing a role in Marketing & Business Development where I am responsible for the implementation of all Informed Financial Planning’s marketing strategies.  This role allows me to show my creative side and there is nothing I like more than a challenge!

My favourite memories are my skiing holidays, as they’re so different to your bog standard summer holiday or city break – although I do love to sit by a pool and do nothing for a week! My best holiday was in La Thuile in Italy where we skied over the border to France (pretty cool) to find the only difference was the price of beer.

Qualifications

R05 – Financial Protection

After finishing my A-Levels in 2017, I started my AAT studies while working for an accounting firm, before moving to Informed Financial Planning in 2020. I get great satisfaction from working with money and figures, to the point where I even keep my own spreadsheets at home for my personal finances.

In my spare time I love following football (Hull City fan), going to the gym, and going out for a drink with my friends. One of my favourite memories has to be watching the World Cup in 2018. Seeing England play at my local pub, surrounded by friends, with an electric atmosphere! Despite England being knocked out in the semi-finals, the whole experience left me with memories that still give me goosebumps to think about!

Qualifications

AAT Level 2 – Foundation
AAT Level 3 – Advanced

Starting in Financial Services early 2019, I love the challenge of my role. There is always something new to learn and I really enjoy that!

My favourite memory would be when Jess and I booked a last-minute holiday to L.A. to surprise on of our best friends who was working there. It was an amazing few days! A lot of my free time is taken up by my 3 year old son, but I love taking him on days out when I can. I also enjoy socialising with friends and I’m a big foodie so eating out is another thing I love to do.

Since 1993, I have thoroughly enjoyed my role in building relationships with our clients. I also love learning new skills all the time and finding out more about financial services through the exams I take.

Outside of work I enjoy running, reading a good book (you can often find me with one on my dinner hour!) and going to the theatre. My favourite memory came from spending time with my dad on Scarborough Sea Front and listening to his stories of the conversations he had with “Dickie Bird” on the open top bus!

Qualifications

FP1 – Financial Services & Their Regulations
LP2 – Financial Services Products & Solutions

Since starting my role at Informed Financial Planning in 2017, I have loved working closely with our clients and taking them all the way through their journey with us. It’s great to see how our work can positively affect their lives.

In my spare time in enjoy socialising and fitness in any form. My most recent favourite memory would be completing my first ‘tough mudder’. It felt like being a child again, sliding, crawling and running through mud without a care in the world. I never stopped laughing from start to finish!

Qualifications

LP2 – Financial Services Products & Solutions

Laura joined Informed Financial Planning in April 2017 and is now the dedicated PA to Senior Financial Planner, Andy Collinson.

Laura previously worked for the Civil Service for over 15 years between HMRC and the Intelligence Team for the Home Office.

She is married with two young daughters who keep her very busy. Laura spends her spare time with family and friends and is partial to the occasional glass of wine!

I started in the Financial Services industry in 2019 after I graduated from Nottingham Trent University. I enjoy learning and developing my knowledge of financial services, helping to provide the best possible service for our clients.

My favourite memory in life would be the experience I had singing at the O2 arena with the organisation Voice In A Million! I love nights out with my friends on the dance floor and time spent with my family walking our dog along the beach. Music has also always been a large part of my life through having singing lessons, performing and playing the guitar, so listening to music is an every day essential!