Menopause your finances

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Announcing the launch of the 2025 EQ Future Leaders Sustainability Report

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Alex Hollinshead

Alice is a Senior Marketing Executive at EQ Investors.

Alice Lough

Alistair joined EQ Investors in 2025 as a Business Development Manager, responsible for helping financial advisers across the UK meet the needs of their sustainably-minded clients. While near completion in obtaining an MSc in Environmental Strategy, Alistair also holds an MSc in Finance and Investment. He brings 8 years of investment industry experience, with over 5 of these spent supporting advisers across a range of different product sets, from tax planning to portfolio management.

Outside of work Alistair is captain of his tennis team, a loyal arsenal fan and a music enthusiast, having been a professional DJ in his younger years!

Alistair Yeoman

Amir Ali

My Approach to Financial Planning

I am an experienced and dedicated Financial Planner who joined EQ Investors in 2023. With over 16 years in Financial Services—and a specialist focus on comprehensive financial planning since 2019—I truly enjoy helping my clients navigate their financial future.

My planning approach isn't just about spreadsheets; it's about building a clear road map. I use sophisticated cash flow modelling software to stress-test your goals, allowing you to clearly see your financial future and plan with confidence. A key priority for me is ensuring you’re maximising every available opportunity, utilising tax reliefs and allowances to make your wealth work as hard as possible.

You will always know exactly where you stand with me. I commit to presenting all advice with complete clarity, breaking down complex details, outlining all your options, and fully explaining recommended solutions. My goal is to ensure you feel completely informed and empowered to make sound financial decisions.

Qualifications and Background

I hold the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, along with certificates in Discretionary Investment Management and Securities Advice &amp; Dealing. I am currently working toward my Chartered Financial Planner status. My foundation is built on a strong mathematical background, having studied Mathematics with Actuarial Science at the University of Southampton.

Outside the Office

Away from the office, I enjoy an active life, including cycling and travel. I'm a keen board game enthusiast and you can often find me cheering on Chelsea.

Andrew Birrell

Andrew joined EQ in September 2020 and is responsible for coverage across Asia, Emerging Market and UK equities. Prior to joining EQ, he worked at an investment consultant specialising in manager research, investment due diligence and asset allocation across multiple asset classes.

He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and is a CFA charterholder.

Andrew Cheung

Andrew has over 35 years’ experience in the financial services profession. He started in retail banking, progressing to a bank manager by the age of 30. He left his role as a Wealth Manager in 2000 to become an Independent Financial Adviser and to specialise in Holistic Financial Planning and Wealth Management.

Andrew has a strong commitment to customer service, having established many long-standing client relationships, looking after some clients for over 25 years. He has achieved Chartered Financial Planner status and holds the specialist Care Fees Planning qualification.

Andrew is married with three sons and has spent many years as a trustee for a number of local charities. He is involved in the leadership of his local church and is also a supporter of Stewardship, a charity providing education in better money management.

Andrew Meade

Andrew is an Investment Manager in the Bespoke team &amp; lead manager of the Blended World strategy. He joined EQ Investors from Tilney Bestinvest where he was an Associate Director of Investment Management. Andrew’s area of expertise is managing bespoke portfolio mandates for private clients, Trusts, charities and large family office accounts.

Andrew has a Masters in Wealth Management from the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, a MSc in Finance and Investment from BPP Business School in London and a BA from McGill University in Canada.

Outside of the office Andrew enjoys spending time with his young family and labrador.

Andrew Rees

Angel Ojera

Arjun Parekh

Arjun Wariabharaj

Ben Webb

Ben joined EQ in 2015 and has over 20 years’ of experience across the pensions, financial technology and wealth management sectors. At EQ, he is responsible for developing, managing and implementing the marketing communications strategy.

Outside of work, Ben’s two daughters keep him busy. He enjoys keeping fit, especially running and cycling along the Pilgrim’s Way.

Ben Faulkner

Buse Yilmaz

Office Manager &amp; Charity Trustee.

Taking care of her thoroughbred racing stable...

Catherine Deptford

Damien has an MSc in Management from Reims Management School and an MSc in Wealth and Asset Management from ESCP-EAP Paris Business School. He is also a CFA charter holder, being a regular member of the CFA Institute and CFA UK society.

Before joining EQ Investors, Damien worked for Bank of America Merrill Lynch being responsible for asset allocation, security selection and portfolio construction. Damien now acts as the portfolio manager for the EQ Positive Impact &amp; Future Leaders portfolios and brings an incredible enthusiasm for spreading the word about the benefits of impact investing.

Damien Lardoux

Daniel is a Head of Sustainable Investment at EQ Investors. He joined EQ Investors from Quilter Cheviot, where he managed private client portfolios and developed expertise in specialist fixed interest and equity mandates.

Daniel began his career in Financial Services at RBS after graduating from the University of Nottingham, subsequently joining the investment team at Bestinvest and has over 12 years’ experience as an Investment Manager. He holds a Masters in Wealth Management from the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment and a personal charter as a Fellow of the Institute.

Outside of the office Daniel enjoys mountaineering and climbing, having climbed in the Andes and across Europe. His other passions are travelling, surfing, cycling and sailing.

Daniel Bland

Debra Hensman

Emma Woods

Freddie is a Chartered Wealth Manager. He joined EQ in 2015 having gained experienced in a variety of roles within larger financial organisations. He provides advice and financial planning for a wide range of clients, and is a strong advocate for technological innovation within personal finance.

Away from the office Freddie enjoys cooking, reading, and keeping fit.

Freddie Cleworth

Gary Rogers

Hamed Kone

Harriet Castillo

Hershys Amoncio

Jamad Barud

James Sargent

James Murry

Jeannie has been working in financial services for over 14 years. She joined EQ in 2008 as a Technical Consultant and since 2010 has been a Director of the firm.

When providing advice, Jeannie focuses on clear communication, so that her clients fully understand the facts, options and recommended solutions, enabling them to make well-informed decisions. As a Director, Jeannie concentrates her efforts on ensuring the advice provided across EQ is of an exceptional standard, putting in place processes and systems to ensure our clients remain at the heart of our business.

Jeannie is a Chartered Financial Planner, a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and in 2015 won Money Management’s Ethical Financial Planner of the Year Award. She appears regularly in national and trade media outlets discussing personal finance issues.

Outside of work, Jeannie enjoys yoga, hiking, triathlons and live music.

Jeannie Boyle

Jeff Brown

Jeremy Gray

Johnny Bowie

John is Chair of EQ. After gaining an MA in Engineering at Clare College, Cambridge he went into the City as a research analyst for 10 years then, in 1986, he set up Bestinvest. Over the next 20 years it became a leading private client advisory and wealth management business with over 50,000 clients and was acquired by 3i in 2007.

In 2014 John acquired EQ and acted as CEO until 2021. During this period it became one of the first UK certified B-Corporations, enjoyed industry leading organic growth and won multiple awards. He also established and continues to lead The EQ Foundation - a registered charity that is at the forefront of driving change in that sector.

John enjoys competing in historic motorsport and croquet.

John Spiers

I transitioned into the financial services industry in 2012 after an early career in architecture and property. I joined EQ Investors in early 2022, recognising it as the ideal place to support my clients over the very long term. Since then, I have been a proactive and, I hope, valued member of the team.

I provide high-quality, personalised financial advice, specialising in helping high-value clients navigate complex financial decisions and structures. My expertise includes detailed tax planning, wealth preservation strategies, and sophisticated structures such as Small Self-Administered Schemes (SSASs) and Family Investment Companies. I also have extensive experience supporting recipients of Personal Injury Settlements, working closely with them and their legal advisers to ensure the best possible financial outcomes.

Taking a holistic approach, I often collaborate with clients’ other professional advisers to create seamless, long-term financial strategies. I have qualifications in both investments and financial planning providing the depth of knowledge needed to help high and ultra-high net worth individuals achieve their objectives with confidence.

Outside of work, I am married with three daughters - so weekends are often spent running an unofficial taxi service!

Joshua Pape

Kasia Saunders

Kate West

Katharine started her career in 1998 in PwC’s financial planning team. She joined EQ Investors from Tilney Bestinvest where she worked closely with investment managers and professional advisers to deliver cohesive financial plans for clients.

Katharine’s areas of expertise are wealth management, retirement planning and pensions, investments, estate planning and tax planning. She is a Chartered Financial Planner, Certified Financial Planner, Taxation Technician Fellow and Chartered Tax Adviser.

Away from the office, Katharine enjoys spending time with family, gardening, theatre and is learning the piano after a 30 year break. Katharine is a charitable trustee of the Association of Taxation Technicians and represents them on technical pension discussions with HMRC and HM Treasury.

Katharine Lindley

Louisiana joined EQ in October 2018 after completing a masters in sustainable business at Imperial College London.

She is now responsible for innovating EQ’s approach to sustainable investing. Louisiana oversees EQ’s ESG and impact integration strategy across all assets, EQ’s stewardship efforts and sustainability data reporting.

Previously, Louisiana graduated from UCL with a BSc in Geography and spent a year working for a Cleantech innovation research company before starting her masters. She now also holds the CFA IMC and CFA ESG Investing qualification.

Outside of her career, Louisiana loves travelling and discovering new places, cooking with friends and spending time outdoors.

Louisiana Salge

Mario Angeli

Mark is a Non-Executive Director of EQ with over 25 years’ experience in financial services. His financial expertise is widely based and he practises as a general consultant advising clients on all areas of their financial planning. He also works closely with lawyers and accountants providing financial planning advice to their clients.

Mark has been married for over 30 years and has three children. He enjoys keeping fit in the gym and plays golf. When time permits he loves trekking and has climbed Kilimanjaro.

Mark Kenner

Mathuri Thambipillai

Matt Wiles

Matt Hardy

Matthew Buckingham

Matt returned to the UK in 2019 after travelling the world on and off over a 3-year period with an aim to help those in need. Deeply affected by his first-hand experiences with people struggling in developing countries, he came back with a passion to make a difference. While working for the New Zealand government's Primary Industries department he saw how farmers were overwhelmed by a national biosecurity incident - and was part of a team that helped them recover financially.

Matt maintains the Giving is Great website, doing due diligence on charities' impact measurements, and developing new ways to engage potential donors. He also advises The EQ Foundation on its choice of annual grantees, considering the long-term impact of interventions on beneficiaries to make the best decisions.

Outside of work Matt enjoys attending live music events and is a keen basketball player. He also enjoys endurance running and has completed charity runs with EQ colleagues to raise money for grantees of The EQ Foundation.

Matthew Gould

Matt has been part of the EQ team since 2015 as a Financial Planner. He is recognised as a Chartered
Financial Planner and holds the Investment Management Certificate.

Over the last 10 years Matt has been advising private clients on a holistic basis, taking into account their investment, retirement and protection needs. He believes that an extremely high level of knowledge of financial planning is essential to ensure that the best level of service can be received by his clients.

Outside of work Matt enjoys sport, being a regular skier, runner and triathlete. He has completed
various marathons and the Wales Ironman Triathlon.

Matt Lewis

Mike heads up the investment management team. After completing his BSc in Chemistry at the University of London in 1985, he started his career in the financial markets as a bond trader before attending the Cranfield School of Management to complete an MBA in 1996. Mike joined Bestinvest in 1997 and helped launch the private client discretionary investment team in 2003. The service proved to be a success with clients, and the team went on to win both performance and client service awards.

Mike joined EQ Investors in March 2016 with a mandate to protect the core values of providing clients with the very best possible service &amp; investment performance. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities &amp; Investments.

Outside of the office, Mike enjoys sport and martial arts and is a keen amateur pilot. In 2008, he participated in the Round Britain Powerboat race and still enjoys occasional outings in competitive motorsport.

Mike Neumann

Mike Sharp

Peter has over a decade of experience in Financial Services including five years as a financial adviser. Peter offers a holistic financial planning service, specialising in saving and retirement planning, estate planning, and tax efficient planning.

Peter's primary goal is to simplify the often complex world of finance. With a knack for making potentially complex financial concepts easy to grasp, Peter is committed to guiding clients towards secure and prosperous financial futures.

Beyond his professional life, Peter is a motorsport enthusiast and a competitive cyclist.

Peter Hargreaves

Philip Greenwood

Paul is a chartered accountant with a maths degree from Durham University and acts as the Financial Director of EQ. He has held a similar position in a number of regulated financial services companies, including Bestinvest and SharePeople Group and also holds several non-executive directorships.

Outside of work Paul is a passionate sailor and has been the Commodore of his local club in recent years.

Paul Trueman

I joined EQ Investors in 2023, bringing with me over seven years of experience in Financial Services. I hold the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, as well as certificates in Discretionary Investment Management, Mortgage Advice, Equity Release, and Long-term Care.

I believe financial planning works best as a collaborative process, ensuring my clients fully understand the strategies in place and feel confident in their decisions. Building clear, trusting relationships and guiding clients through tailored plans is at the heart of my approach.

Outside of work, I’m a keen runner and football fan, and I follow Chelsea FC.

Raphael Macharia

Ryan Hamilton

Sherina Moorjani

Simon is a Non-Executive Director of EQ and started his career in the Royal Navy after graduating from Oxford. He then moved into the City to follow a career in financial services where he has qualified as a senior investment manager.

Simon is an expert in pensions and investment and has continued to work with the same clients for more than twenty five years – a testament to the level of service he has provided.

Simon loves the sea and has a Salcombe Yawl which he sails in the Devon estuaries. He also is involved as an actor and technically with the acclaimed Wintershall Passion plays held in London, Surrey, and Gloucestershire. He likes reading and walking in the Surrey hills – not simultaneously!

Simon Callaghan

Simon Noakes

Whatever you are looking to achieve, I am here to help you every step of the way with expert, qualified advice.

I am a Chartered Financial Planner, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments.

I also hold the advanced financial planning and pensions advice qualifications.

I help my clients to achieve their long-term goals by putting a financial plan in place and provide solutions for business owners, self-employed, families and retirees.

My approach to planning involves listening to your needs and objectives and presenting a financial plan which is regularly reviewed to take account of changing circumstances to ensure the solution remains on track.

I advise clients on a range of financial planning needs and products including pensions, investments, protection, cashflow planning and inheritance tax.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with family and friends, keeping fit and travelling to new places.

Simon Starkey

Olusoji Olufunwa

Sophie Kennedy is the Joint Chief Executive Officer of EQ Investors (EQ). As Joint CEO, Sophie oversees EQ’s investment management operations, including its discretionary fund management business. Sophie joined EQ in 2015, excited by the alignment of values with the founding B-Corporation &amp; leader in sustainable investing. Having joined as an Investment Analyst, initially specialising in fund research and top-down asset allocation, she transitioned into a Head of Research role before taking over management of the broader Investment Management business. 

A mother of two young children, Sophie understands the importance of balancing home and City life. Despite her schedule, she is committed to supporting talented people to succeed at all levels, regardless of their background. As a diversity champion, Sophie is responsible for creating a diverse and inclusive culture within EQ and is also Co-Head of the Next Generation Stewardship Hub within the Women in Banking and Finance organisation. Sophie holds a MSc in Finance and Economics from the University of London and is a CFA Charterholder.

Sophie Kennedy

Stefan Martyn

Steve has spent most of his career in the wealth management profession, dealing mainly with private clients. During that time he has overseen investment policies from inception to maturity for many longstanding clients.

He enjoys all aspects of financial planning from retirement planning to tax mitigation and estate planning.

A devoted cyclist and walker, Steve’s journeys have taken him to far flung places such as New Zealand and Watford!

Steve Hollis

Tertius joined EQ in 2016 and is the co-portfolio manager for the EQ Positive Impact, EQ Climate Action, and EQ Future Leaders portfolios. In addition, he is also responsible for covering global and thematic equity investment ideas. Tertius sits on the Fund Selection Committee, the Strategic Asset Allocation Committee, and is a member of EQ's Net Zero Working Group.

Tertius is a CFA charterholder and holds the CFA Investment Management Certificate. He is a regular member of the CFA Institute and CFA UK Society. He graduated with a First in Business with Finance at the University of Greenwich.

Tertius Bonnin

Toby’s route to financial services was by no means traditional. After completing his Economics Degree at Loughborough University, he embarked on a professional rugby career spanning 2 years in both England and Italy. In 2007, he joined a large advisory firm based in the City; where he qualified and went on to mentor a team of 6 advisers. He joined EQ in early 2014.

His financial expertise is widely based and he practices as a general consultant advising clients on all areas of their financial planning. He also works closely with lawyers and accountants providing financial planning advice to their clients.

Toby is a family man with three young sons who keep him busy. He loves sailing and keeping fit when he can.

Toby Walker

Tom entered wealth management after a stint as a Naval Officer, joining EQ in early 2022 having previously worked at a national wealth management firm.  

He focuses on helping individuals optimise their finances, accumulate wealth, and plan for the future, specialising in retirement planning.  

Tom holds a Level 6 Certificate in Advanced Financial Planning from the Chartered Institute for Securities &amp; Investment (CISI). 

Outside of work, he enjoys keeping fit and plays various sports. He’s also a keen skier, but sadly a very average golfer!

Tom Laarberg

Tom Voorsluijs

Tom Wait

William Fay

Yvonne Chan

Zoe Frisenda

Zoe has worked in financial services since 2002. She is very passionate about financial planning and thoroughly enjoys her role at EQ. Zoe finds her role very engaging and loves nothing more than a good deep dive into the technical aspects of financial planning. She enjoys problem solving and finds it incredibly rewarding to find the perfect solution for a client. Zoe feels privileged to play her part in a client’s journey to success and takes great pride in seeing their lives blossom.

In her spare time she enjoys working with a number of charities, travelling to undeveloped countries and socialising with friends.

Zoe Brett

Zohaib has over six years experience in the financial advice profession. He places great emphasis on taking a holistic approach so clients can prioritise the things that matter most, reducing unnecessary time, anxiety, and ensuring they remain on track to meet their financial objectives.

Outside of work, Zohaib enjoys spending time with family &amp; friends, exploring different cultures and keeping fit.

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Menopause your finances 2 min read