BRIGHTER People – BRIGHTER Solutions
Financial Planning Team
Ross is the Managing Director and one of the business owners.
Ross is accountable for the governance of the business with regards to ensuring that regulatory compliant practices are delivered across the practice to a consistently high standard, to meet the needs and expectations of our clients. Ross manages day to day operations and also ensures that the training and development of our advisers continually supports the demands of service provision.
Statement of Professional Standing
- Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning
- Diploma in Financial Planning
- Financial Planning Certificate
- Certificate in Mortgage Advice
- Certificate in Life and Pensions
Financial Qualifications
- AF2 – Business Financial Planning
- AF3 – Pension Planning (inc.Occupational)
- AF4 – Investment Planning
- AF5 – Financial Planning Process
- JO4 – Pension Funding Options
- JO5 – Pension income qualification
- MAQ – Mortgage Advice Qualification
- RO2 – Investment Principles and Risk.
John is one of the most experienced IFAs in the business and one of the business owners.
John’s clients are from the local area and most of them have been with him, as their financial adviser, for over 25 years. He is an experienced IFA who supports the advisers with the provision of financial advice to their clients.
Statement of Professional Standing
- Diploma in Financial Planning
- Financial Planning Certificate, 1, 2, 3
- Certificate in Mortgage Advice
- Certificate in Life and Pensions
- Award in Long Term Care Insurance
- Advanced Mortgage Professional with Equity Release
Financial Qualifications
- JO8 – Financial Planning practice
- MAQ – Mortgage Advice Qualification
- R01- Regulation, Legislation and Code of Ethics
- RO4 – Pensions and Retirement Planning
- CF1- Regulation and Ethics
- CF3 – Financial Protection
- CF4 – Retirement Planning
- CF5 – Integrated Financial Planning
- CF8 – Long Term Care Insurance
Richard joined us in 2019 after running his own successful IFA practice for 17 years.
Richard wants to eventually retire, but that will be in the distant future as there is still too much for him to do at Brighter.
Statement of Professional Standing
- Fellow of the Personal Finance Society
- Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning
- Diploma in Financial Planning
- Financial Planning Certificate
- Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management
- Certificate in Mortgage Advice
- Certificate in Life and Pensions
- Award in Long Term Care Insurance
Financial Qualifications
- AF2 – Business Financial Planning
- G10 – Taxation & Trusts
- G60 – Pensions
- K10 – Retirement Options
- K20 – Pension Investment Options
- JO3 – The tax and legal aspects of business
- J10 – Discretionary Investment Management
- R01 – Financial Services, regulation and ethics
- CF1 – Regulation and Ethics
- CF2 – Investment and Risk
- CF3 – Financial Protection
- CF4 – Retirement Planning
- CF5 – Integrated Financial Planning
- CF6 – Mortgage Advice
- CF8 – Long Term Care Insurance
Jonathan joined us in 2016 and is now operational manager and senior IFA for the business
Jonathan’s role has grown considerably since he joined us. He is able to offer his clients the full range of financial planning services including pensions, investments, mortgages and insurance.
He now manages the mortgage and insurance team, as-well as supporting Ross in the operational development and management of the business on a day- to day basis.
Statement of Professional Standing
- Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning
- Institute of Financial Services (IFS)
Financial Qualifications
- R01 – Financial services, regulations and ethics
- R02 – Investment principles and risk
- R03 – Personal taxation
- R04 – Pensions and retirement planning
- R05 – Financial Protection
- R06 – Financial Planning Practice
- Full Certificate in Mortgage and Practice (Mortgage Advice and Protection)
Jess joined us in 2021 as a mortgage and insurance adviser.
Jess has had previous experience with Santander and has developed excellent client relationships with our existing client bank and new clients. She does an exceptional job for all clients, regardless of circumstances, and prides herself on efficiency and quality of service provision.
Financial Qualifications
- Ce-MAP Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice
- R05 – Financial Protection
John W – not to be confused with John J or Jonathan (!) – joined us in 2020.
John has been with HSBC for five years, a mortgage adviser for First Direct for 2 years and then in sales quality checking mortgages and protection for 3 years. He studied for Dip PFS before he came to us and will be covering not only mortgages and insurance but also financial planning services as an IFA.
Statement of Professional Standing
- Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning
- Ce-MAP Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice
Karen is one of the business owners and has worked for Brighter for over 10 years.
Karen’s role is to co-ordinate the day-to-day operations of the practice, working as the central cog of simply everything and making sure that everything runs to plan. From diary entries, to organising training and ensuring everyone gets paid on time, we could not do without Karen!
Nic joined us in 2017 and is a member of the Brighter Development and Planning Team.
She is responsible for two main areas within the business:
1. Ensuring that the advisers follow case management processes in terms of client delivery and case recording for compliance purposes
2. Collating central financial data for analysis to inform future business decisions in terms of investment and development.
Nicola works as a Financial Planning Services Co-ordinator
Nicola previously worked at Lloyds for 12 years and has joined us to support the financial planning side of the business as well as providing case management support to mortgages and insurance.
Melissa joined us in 2019 with 6 years’ experience in business administration. Her role
Melissa supports Karen in the day-to-day operations of the practice but is also developing her role to manage business MI and administration on behalf of the mortgage and insurance team. Melissa is currently on maternity leave
Anne joined us in 2021 as a Financial Practice Adminstrator
Anne has previously worked at Lloyds and has brought administrative experience with her.
Anne supports reception and also compiles management information on behalf of the company.
Claire joined us in 2021
Claire’s role is to support the development side of the business to ensure that it operates within a Regulatory framework. She is responsible for ensuring that advisers operate to Brighter’s standards of practice from a compliance perspective and that training and development relates to advisers areas of specialism, their current practice and business requirements. She has management responsibility for business support.
Claire is currently studying towards Dip PFS to support her and the advisers in her role.
Mary joined Brighter in 2015 and is one of the business owners.
Her previous roles were with large corporates helping to develop strategies to tackle sickness absence.
Her role on joining Brighter in 2015, was to develop policy and procedure on behalf of Brighter and ensure processes that assisted with central governance of adviser practice.
Today she manages the Business Development and Planning team and most of her work centres on streamlining processes via on-line solutions. Mary is also responsible for marketing and works with local digital providers to ensure that the business is viable and attractive to prospective clients.