Financial Advice & Guidance Conference 2025

Fiona is Head of Policy at TPR, leading on changes to how TPR regulates areas such as value for money in DC schemes, funding for DB schemes and standards for trustees. She has more than 20 years' experience in developing private pension standards and leading regulatory change. She is passionate about delivering pragmatic solutions which both protect members and work for those implementing them. She has recently returned from a loan as a Deputy Director at DWP where she led on the government response to effect of gilt rises on pension schemes, and way to ensure that pensions schemes including defined benefit schemes invest more productively.

Alessandro Pulzone has over 15 years’ experience in ombudsman services and currently working as Ombudsman Manager and Practice Lead for Consumer Investments at the Financial Ombudsman Service. Specialised in complex and multi-faceted complaints, with a focus on high-risk and non-mainstream investments, he has been leading the Consumer Investment Practice Group at the Financial Ombudsman Service through a period of significant change. Using data analytics to improve training, development and improve timeliness within Consumer Investments, he has helped train investigators and ombudsmen to resolve complaints about investments at pace. More recently, he's used his considerable experience to engage with stakeholders in the industry in order to work collaboratively to resolve complaints and improve consumer outcomes.

Head of Division - AI & Machine Learning at St. James's Place and an actuary. Over 15 years' experience across retail wealth management and institutional DB pension investment consultancy. Now focusing on employing innovation and technology to transform advice journey.

Clare is an Independent Financial Adviser, with over 20 years’ experience within the financial services profession. Clare made the leap to become a self-employed financial planner over 3 years ago, the need for more women to be client facing was a big driver for this decision. Specialising in supporting women, particularly those in business and families Clare is building a community-based business, focusing on empowering and educating her clients to take control of their financial futures. At Slaiyburn Financial Planning we understand fully the journey our clients are on, we believe that Financial Planning is for everyone.

Alastair has over 30 years experience in financial services. Currently he is Head of Savings Policy at abrdn responsible for external engagement across the Industry to input into and support development of UK Savings Policy. With previous responsibility for developing abrdn's Platform and Flexible Retirement Products he is passionate about helping Advisers meet the challenge of the exponential growth in at and post retirement clients.

As Head of Personal Finance at Moneybox, Brian provides invaluable financial education empower all to work towards their financial goals with greater confidence. Brian works closely with Moneybox product teams across saving, investing, home-buying, and retirement helping deliver intelligent features that help our customers make better financial decisions. Brian works closely with the FCA, HMT, HMRC and the government on consumer facing policy development. Brian is a Chartered Wealth Manager and Fellow of the CISI. 

Prasad Chandrasheker is the head of AI value discovery and emerging technology strategy at Fidelity International. Prasad leads our efforts on supporting the adoption of new and emerging technologies across Fidelity and currently retaining a specific focus currently on identifying opportunities across the business where the new forms of AI can help deliver value. Prior to this, he led a multi-disciplinary approach focusing on technology research to identify emerging trends, creating ecosystems for internal and external incubation of the research themes, building centres of excellence and partnering with 8Roads, FISV, FMR and Fintechs as well as investigating other potential strategic partnerships with the aim of achieving practical and commercial outcomes for FIL. He has held various leadership positions across architecture and data for Fidelity. He has close to 30 years of experience in the technology industry with specific focus on architecture, data, shared technical capabilities and creation of a product mindset within the technology delivery areas. Outside of work, Prasad has a keen interest in walking and photography, hobbies that go well with one another.

Malcolm is a data protection and technology lawyer, with more than 30 years' experience in commercial practice. His financial sector work has included advising on issues relating to electronic payments and drafting, and obtaining regulatory approval for, the rules and user agreements for a crypto assets exchange platform. Direct marketing experience includes advising website publishers and adtech providers on the law relating to contextual, targeted and behavioural advertising and other businesses on the use of exceptions such as “soft opt-in” where direct marketing includes the use of email campaigns.

Tom is Head of Digital Advice at Octopus Money, a money advice brand for everyone. Tom spends his time designing the logic and customer journey to deliver regulated financial advice to the many, using the best of technology and humanity. Like many of our colleagues, Tom is passionate about bridging the advice gap and making money advice accessible to all. Before he was wrapped up by Octopus Money’s tentacles, Tom played a leading role in building and scaling robo-advisers in the UK, including Wealthsimple (which was later sold to Moneyfarm) and Nutmeg. But don’t just take our word for Tom’s aptitude for all things financial advice: he’s a fully qualified and chartered financial planner: one of the highest designations for a financial adviser in the UK.

Donna has worked for Legal & General for 5 years in a number of Product and Proposition roles and is currently working with our Financial Advice business. She’s spent her career developing products and propositions that harness technology to create solutions that really meet customer needs. She’s passionate about the customer, and delivering solutions that put them at the heart.

Alex was appointed as Director of Advice at SJP in January 2025 and is responsible for the Group’s Advice Policy and supporting distribution of the Advice Proposition to SJP’s 4500 strong Partnership and 1 million clients. A tax lawyer by background, with 15 years’ experience in wealth management, Alex has extensive knowledge interfacing with clients in the advice market and is passionate about driving financial awareness and better client outcomes.

Mark worked at a large insurance company prior to joining AJ Bell in 2008. After working in roles across the Operations, Technical and Commercial Teams since joining the business, Mark is now responsible for the marketing and development of AJ Bell Investcentre and AJ Bell Custody Solutions.

Stuart is the Head of Global Platform Solutions and is a member of the Global Operating Committee at Fidelity International (FIL). He is responsible for managing FIL’s Platform business which serves Plan Sponsors, Advisors, and Investors across its growing Workplace Investing, Personal Investing, Advisor Solutions, Global Stock Plan Services and Wealth businesses. Prior to joining FIL, Stuart held various positions at several large financial institutions including JP Morgan Chase’s investment bank where he was responsible for supporting the front and middle office and for setting up the near-shore Technology development centre in Houston, Texas. Stuart graduated from the University of Kent in 1993 with a Bachelor of Applied Science (BA Sc) Honours degree in Physics and Computing. Stuart is proud to drive the shift towards an organisational model aligned to customer journeys using a product-centric approach supported by autonomous teams, a transformation which plays an integral part in the development and delivery of FIL’s overall business strategy. He is passionate about innovation and outside/in thinking and proactively builds his teams to create an inclusive and diverse workplace. His commitment to supporting FIL’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) agenda is further demonstrated by his active membership of the company’s D&I Council and his roles as chairperson for Early Careers and executive sponsor for social mobility.

Sophie joined TISA in January and has already got stuck into our work on the Advice/Guidance Boundary Review, TISA’s Inclusive Investing initiative, and leads our Financial Crime and Taxation committees. Before joining us, Sophie worked in Wholesale Markets Policy at the FCA, gaining experience in Primary and Secondary legislation, as well as FCA consultations. She has worked on Brexit and the LIBOR transition, and recently returned from a secondment to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Renny has been at TISA for over 7 years and is the Head of Retirement. He has been in the industry for over 30 years and has held various management and senior management positions at organisations ranging from a large mutual life and pensions company, a bespoke SIPP provider, an IFA and a platform technology provider. Qualifications wise he holds the CII accreditations of Certificate in Life and Pensions, Certificate in Financial Planning and Diploma in Financial Planning. He is a frequent commentator in the media and has significant involvement in the ongoing government agenda of change through his TISA role and membership of several industry working groups and committees.