Our People

Our services are delivered by skilled investment professionals and we continue to grow our business through the reputation of our people.

Our investment managers, pensions and financial planners, and tax and legal specialists are listed below as well as our Board and Executive team. Alternatively, please call 020 7399 0000 to arrange to speak to one of our team.

Rupert Baron

Rathbones Investment Management Managing director

Rupert Baron

Rathbones Investment Management Managing director

London

Rupert joined Rathbone Investment Management as an Investment Director in 2000 and became Managing Director in February 2021.  Rupert has over 39 years’ experience in the wealth management sector, attending to the needs of individuals, trusts and pension schemes.

In his investment manager role, Rupert draws upon the wide range of specialists within Rathbones to help him deliver on the requirements of those clients for whom he is responsible.

Client situations vary considerably according to life stage, quantum of wealth, particular areas of interest and planning for the future financial well-being of their families.  Consequently, investment solutions also differ widely, from those seeking income, to those seeking only capital gains.  Investment risk appetite is also very personal.  Importantly, Rathbones creates bespoke solutions to each client’s circumstances and needs.

As a member of the Executive group, Rupert is responsible for the smooth running of the firm’s private client operations.  He leads in a collaborative style and is passionate about developing staff, at all levels, to ensure they can provide the highest quality client service.

Clients are at the heart of all that Rathbones do and Rupert believes cutting-edge technology will assist in the firm’s development.

Rupert is married with one son, lives in the Cotswolds and has a passion for mountain sports.

Rupert joined Rathbone Investment Management as an Investment Director in 2000 and became Managing Director in February 2021.  Rupert has over 39 years’ experience in the wealth management sector, attending to the needs of individuals, trusts and pension schemes.

In his investment manager role, Rupert draws upon the wide range of specialists within Rathbones to help him deliver on the requirements of those clients for whom he is responsible.

Client situations vary considerably according to life stage, quantum of wealth, particular areas of interest and planning for the future financial well-being of their families.  Consequently, investment solutions also differ widely, from those seeking income, to those seeking only capital gains.  Investment risk appetite is also very personal.  Importantly, Rathbones creates bespoke solutions to each client’s circumstances and needs.

As a member of the Executive group, Rupert is responsible for the smooth running of the firm’s private client operations.  He leads in a collaborative style and is passionate about developing staff, at all levels, to ensure they can provide the highest quality client service.

Clients are at the heart of all that Rathbones do and Rupert believes cutting-edge technology will assist in the firm’s development.

Rupert is married with one son, lives in the Cotswolds and has a passion for mountain sports.

Sarah Owen-Jones

Chief Risk Officer

Sarah Owen-Jones

Chief Risk Officer

London

Sarah is Chief Risk Officer and joined Rathbones in March 2015.  She worked for NatWest and RBS group for over 30 years, including 13 years at Coutts. 

Sarah’s career turned to risk management in the 1990s and she worked in Switzerland for three years as the chief risk officer for Coutts’ international private banking business.  She moved to the Non Core division of RBS in 2010 and most recently provided risk oversight of RBS’ transformation programme. 

Sarah has an MBA with a dissertation on operational risk management and she is a member of the Institute of Risk Management. She joined the Group Executive Committee in July 2015.

Sarah is Chief Risk Officer and joined Rathbones in March 2015.  She worked for NatWest and RBS group for over 30 years, including 13 years at Coutts. 

Sarah’s career turned to risk management in the 1990s and she worked in Switzerland for three years as the chief risk officer for Coutts’ international private banking business.  She moved to the Non Core division of RBS in 2010 and most recently provided risk oversight of RBS’ transformation programme. 

Sarah has an MBA with a dissertation on operational risk management and she is a member of the Institute of Risk Management. She joined the Group Executive Committee in July 2015.

Ivo Darnley

Rathbones Investment Management Managing director

Ivo Darnley

Rathbones Investment Management Managing director

London

Ivo is responsible for the specialists, which include our Investment Office, Research and Front Office Investment Risk teams. In addition, he leads our Charities team & Greenbank. Ivo joined Rathbones after graduating from Edinburgh University in 1991 and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. He founded the charity team in London and managed portfolios as an investment manager for almost 30 years. He was appointed to the Rathbone Investment Management Committee in 2006 and joined the Group Executive Committee in July 2015.
 

Ivo is responsible for the specialists, which include our Investment Office, Research and Front Office Investment Risk teams. In addition, he leads our Charities team & Greenbank. Ivo joined Rathbones after graduating from Edinburgh University in 1991 and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. He founded the charity team in London and managed portfolios as an investment manager for almost 30 years. He was appointed to the Rathbone Investment Management Committee in 2006 and joined the Group Executive Committee in July 2015.
 

Richard Smeeton

General Manager of special projects

Richard Smeeton

General Manager of special projects

London

Richard has responsibility for investment management special projects including recruitment. He also manages a large number of client portfolios. He joined the Group Executive Committee in July 2015. 

Richard has responsibility for investment management special projects including recruitment. He also manages a large number of client portfolios. He joined the Group Executive Committee in July 2015. 

Mike Webb

Chief Executive of Rathbone Unit Trust Management

Mike Webb

Chief Executive of Rathbone Unit Trust Management

London

Mike is chief executive officer of Rathbone Unit Trust Management, joining in February 2010. With over 25 years’ experience, Mike joined from Hermes Fund Managers where he was head of business development. Previous roles include chief executive officer of Invesco Perpetual, prior to which he was managing director of the Retail division of GT Global Asset Management and sales and marketing director of Prolific Financial Management.

Mike is chief executive officer of Rathbone Unit Trust Management, joining in February 2010. With over 25 years’ experience, Mike joined from Hermes Fund Managers where he was head of business development. Previous roles include chief executive officer of Invesco Perpetual, prior to which he was managing director of the Retail division of GT Global Asset Management and sales and marketing director of Prolific Financial Management.

Ian Dembinski

Head of client development

Ian Dembinski

Head of client development

London

My team’s role is to ensure our clients’ needs are met by Rathbones’ full range of financial planning and investment management solutions.
We deliver this service by drawing on expert professionals within Rathbones who have extensive experience of supporting clients across a very wide spectrum of requirements. These often vary according to life stage, quantum of wealth, particular areas of interest such as responsible investment and perhaps planning for the future well-being of their families.

We create bespoke solutions to each client’s circumstances, we are advisory driven rather than looking to sell products and put the clients’ needs first rather any internal profit motive.

All of this can be delivered close to our clients’ homes as we can draw on 14 offices across the UK and Jersey ensuring proximity to our local professionals.

My team’s role is to ensure our clients’ needs are met by Rathbones’ full range of financial planning and investment management solutions.
We deliver this service by drawing on expert professionals within Rathbones who have extensive experience of supporting clients across a very wide spectrum of requirements. These often vary according to life stage, quantum of wealth, particular areas of interest such as responsible investment and perhaps planning for the future well-being of their families.

We create bespoke solutions to each client’s circumstances, we are advisory driven rather than looking to sell products and put the clients’ needs first rather any internal profit motive.

All of this can be delivered close to our clients’ homes as we can draw on 14 offices across the UK and Jersey ensuring proximity to our local professionals.

Andy Pitt

Head of Charities

Andy Pitt

Head of Charities

London

Andy graduated from Exeter University with a first class honours degree in Chemistry and Law, and subsequently spent three years as a solicitor in the corporate finance team at Freshfields in the early 1990s.

Andy joined Rathbones in June 2014 following his previous role as head of charities at Newton Investment Management. Andy has also worked at Schroder Investment Management and UBS Wealth Management, and during his career has managed investment portfolios for a wide variety of charities and other not-for-profit organisations, as well as individuals, trusts and corporates.

Andy is a visiting lecturer at the Cass Business School (Centre for Charity Effectiveness), and an external member of the Investment Committee of the Dunhill Medical Trust. He is also an Associate Member of the CFA Society of the UK (ASIP) and a Chartered Fellow of the CISI (FCSI). Andy is a keen sportsman with interests in skiing, horses and tennis, whilst enjoying time spent in the garden and with his family.

Andy graduated from Exeter University with a first class honours degree in Chemistry and Law, and subsequently spent three years as a solicitor in the corporate finance team at Freshfields in the early 1990s.

Andy joined Rathbones in June 2014 following his previous role as head of charities at Newton Investment Management. Andy has also worked at Schroder Investment Management and UBS Wealth Management, and during his career has managed investment portfolios for a wide variety of charities and other not-for-profit organisations, as well as individuals, trusts and corporates.

Andy is a visiting lecturer at the Cass Business School (Centre for Charity Effectiveness), and an external member of the Investment Committee of the Dunhill Medical Trust. He is also an Associate Member of the CFA Society of the UK (ASIP) and a Chartered Fellow of the CISI (FCSI). Andy is a keen sportsman with interests in skiing, horses and tennis, whilst enjoying time spent in the garden and with his family.

Julian Rathbone

Head of North and Head of Charities, Liverpool

Julian Rathbone

Head of North and Head of Charities, Liverpool

Liverpool

After graduating from Edinburgh University in 1994 with an MA (Hons) in Geography (2:1), Julian joined Price Waterhouse, now PWC. On qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, he then joined Rathbones in 1997. He is now also a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.

At Rathbones, Julian specialises in the management of charities and private clients and is head of charities in Liverpool. He sits on the Charity Asset Allocation and Stock Selection Committees. In addition, he is Head of the North and sits on the Group Client Committee. He is a trustee of several charities and a regular speaker at charity seminars.

After graduating from Edinburgh University in 1994 with an MA (Hons) in Geography (2:1), Julian joined Price Waterhouse, now PWC. On qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, he then joined Rathbones in 1997. He is now also a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.

At Rathbones, Julian specialises in the management of charities and private clients and is head of charities in Liverpool. He sits on the Charity Asset Allocation and Stock Selection Committees. In addition, he is Head of the North and sits on the Group Client Committee. He is a trustee of several charities and a regular speaker at charity seminars.

Fiona Gillespie

Head of charities, Scotland

Fiona Gillespie

Head of charities, Scotland

Edinburgh

Fiona joined Rathbones in October 2019 following her previous role as a senior investment manager at Anderson Strathern Asset Management. Previous to that, Fiona spent 24 years at Edinburgh Fund Managers and then Aberdeen Asset Management following their acquisition, where she had principal responsibility for managing multi asset mandates for Charity clients.

Fiona is an Associate of the Society of Investment Professionals, and Member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment.

She sits as a Trustee of Medical Research Scotland, Trustee of the Stafford Trust and Treasurer/Trustee of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). Fiona is also a member of the Future Asset Steering Committee. Until recently, Fiona was also non-executive director of Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) for over 6 years, stepping down in June of 2020.

Fiona joined Rathbones in October 2019 following her previous role as a senior investment manager at Anderson Strathern Asset Management. Previous to that, Fiona spent 24 years at Edinburgh Fund Managers and then Aberdeen Asset Management following their acquisition, where she had principal responsibility for managing multi asset mandates for Charity clients.

Fiona is an Associate of the Society of Investment Professionals, and Member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment.

She sits as a Trustee of Medical Research Scotland, Trustee of the Stafford Trust and Treasurer/Trustee of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). Fiona is also a member of the Future Asset Steering Committee. Until recently, Fiona was also non-executive director of Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) for over 6 years, stepping down in June of 2020.