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​After a period teaching music in west London secondary schools I trained in financial planning and worked for a couple of well-respected independent advice firms in central London before setting up Fiduciary Partners in 2009. 

Teaching gave me the skills (hopefully, most of the time) to explain complicated things in ways that are pitched at the right level for the listener. I’d rather talk about investments being ‘more or less wobbly’ than ‘exhibiting greater or lesser standard deviation’.

Jargon is unhelpful, and is often a façade that can create an imbalance of power in the advice relationship, so I rarely use it (and if I do, I’ll explain what it means in plain English).

I’m also deeply aware that most of the money problems people experience are not because they’re necessarily feckless, but come as a result of simple behavioural biases and the baggage around money that we almost all carry with us to some extent. 

That could be as simple as an ingrained belief that ‘the love of money is the root of all evil’, or someone struggling to accept that an inheritance is now ‘theirs’ to use as they wish. It could be what’s known as ‘recency bias’ - the unconscious belief that what just happened will continue to happen. In other words, rising markets will continue to rise, falling markets will carry on falling. I have studied and dealt with this - and much more - personally, and am happy to offer help as and when necessary.

Thinking independently is a passion for me, and advising clients impartially is fundamental to my core values. Independence is a values-based mindset, not just having access to the entire financial marketplace in the traditional sense of an ‘IFA’.

I find myself working mainly with clients who want to save and invest in ways that are less harmful for the planet and its people. It’s probably worth stating that at outset. I try to live in a way that ‘does no harm’, and that’s reflected in my advice practice. That said, I have a fair few clients who don’t take this approach, and it’s not my job to shoehorn anyone into something that doesn’t feel right for them.

​Financial planning should, ideally, allow you to live your fullest and most authentic life. Some are fortunate that their greatest love is also their occupation. Others, perhaps the majority, frequently need to shelve more meaningful pursuits while they work at making a living. At its worst it leads to frustration and a feeling that life is missing something really central to one’s core. If I can help in that process, I will.

To help look forward to your future self and finances we use cashflow and scenario modelling software, which will give you a reasonable idea of how things may be down the line. It also means we can look at any plans you may have and work out if they’re do-able. 

I’m a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Personal Finance Society, with which I hold the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, by examination.

​What’s important to me? (I’m going to be asking you such questions, so you can expect me to reciprocate)
  • I’m a composer, though I took a long time away from writing music while focusing on business and family. My recent work has been performed at London’s Wigmore Hall and on BBC Radio 3, among other venues.
  • I’ve a strong relationship with Thailand, and have a place out in Phuket. I love cooking Thai food and continue trying (pretty unsuccessfully) to learn the language.
  • I’m a keen walker, with my last really big trip being to Everest Base Camp, Nepal. 
  • I have completed the first two years of a Diploma & MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy at one the UK’s leading training schools. I took a break during Covid and hope to restart soon.
  • I was a Samaritans listener for over two years.