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.

Paola Cuneo

Client Development Director

Paola Cuneo

Client Development Director

London

Paola joined Rathbones in January 2020 to head up the engagement with entrepreneurs.

Previously Paola worked for the  London Stock Exchange Group where she led the community of entrepreneurs and the Private Market,  connecting companies with capital. Paola also ran EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and she set up and ran a programme for the Department of International trade aimed at helping foreign graduates to set up their businesses in the UK providing access to capital, mentoring and busines advises.

Paola is a mentor and a regular contributor for RisingWISE, a combined initiative of Cambridge and Oxford University supporting women in STEM who have aspirations to become entrepreneurs.

Paola joined Rathbones in January 2020 to head up the engagement with entrepreneurs.

Previously Paola worked for the  London Stock Exchange Group where she led the community of entrepreneurs and the Private Market,  connecting companies with capital. Paola also ran EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and she set up and ran a programme for the Department of International trade aimed at helping foreign graduates to set up their businesses in the UK providing access to capital, mentoring and busines advises.

Paola is a mentor and a regular contributor for RisingWISE, a combined initiative of Cambridge and Oxford University supporting women in STEM who have aspirations to become entrepreneurs.

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.

Melanie Wotherspoon

Head of Professional Intermediary Business Development

Melanie Wotherspoon

Head of Professional Intermediary Business Development

London

Melanie joined Rathbones in 2014 after spending the previous seven years at Jupiter. Prior to that, she was at Baring Asset Management, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell and EY. She gained international experience working for HSBC in Hong Kong, San Francisco and Mumbai. Melanie is a Chartered Accountant, has a degree in Systems and Management from City University, London and is a Chartered Member of the CISI. She is both a trustee and member of the Investment Committee for the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust that commits over £1m a year to areas of deprivation in Cumbria and North Lancashire. Melanie is also a member of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants.

Melanie joined Rathbones in 2014 after spending the previous seven years at Jupiter. Prior to that, she was at Baring Asset Management, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell and EY. She gained international experience working for HSBC in Hong Kong, San Francisco and Mumbai. Melanie is a Chartered Accountant, has a degree in Systems and Management from City University, London and is a Chartered Member of the CISI. She is both a trustee and member of the Investment Committee for the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust that commits over £1m a year to areas of deprivation in Cumbria and North Lancashire. Melanie is also a member of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants.

Jake Wellesley-Smith

Client development director - North

Jake Wellesley-Smith

Client development director - North

Kendal

Jake joined Rathbones in 2020.  He spearheads the client development activities across the North of England and the Midlands, delivering discretionary portfolio management services to private clients, charities and trusts. He is also responsible for developing and managing intermediary relationships.

Jake started his career in finance at Lombard Street Research before moving into the private client investment world with Border Asset Management in Cumbria.  He joined Rathbones after 7 years working for Aberdeen Standard Capital (formerly Standard Life Wealth) following the acquisition of Newton Investment Management's private client arm in 2013.  

Jake is a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.

Jake joined Rathbones in 2020.  He spearheads the client development activities across the North of England and the Midlands, delivering discretionary portfolio management services to private clients, charities and trusts. He is also responsible for developing and managing intermediary relationships.

Jake started his career in finance at Lombard Street Research before moving into the private client investment world with Border Asset Management in Cumbria.  He joined Rathbones after 7 years working for Aberdeen Standard Capital (formerly Standard Life Wealth) following the acquisition of Newton Investment Management's private client arm in 2013.  

Jake is a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.

Matthew Carr

Client development director - South

Matthew Carr

Client development director - South

Winchester

Matthew joined Rathbones in 2021 to spearhead the client development activities across the South and South West of England. He has responsibility for delivering the wide range of Rathbones services to our clients and is leading the development and management of intermediary relationships across the region.

Matthew started his career in the British Army, before joining Reuters Ltd in London and then Asia. Whilst in Asia, Matthew moved into banking, working for Credit Agricole and subsequently BNP Paribas Equities and Derivatives, returning to London with BNPP. He went on to build an ETF business at Rabobank, before joining Credit Suisse Private Banking in London, where he led the business development team. 

Matthew joined Rathbones in 2021 to spearhead the client development activities across the South and South West of England. He has responsibility for delivering the wide range of Rathbones services to our clients and is leading the development and management of intermediary relationships across the region.

Matthew started his career in the British Army, before joining Reuters Ltd in London and then Asia. Whilst in Asia, Matthew moved into banking, working for Credit Agricole and subsequently BNP Paribas Equities and Derivatives, returning to London with BNPP. He went on to build an ETF business at Rabobank, before joining Credit Suisse Private Banking in London, where he led the business development team. 

Oliver Craven

Client development director - London/Cambridge

Oliver Craven

Client development director - London/Cambridge

London

Oliver joined the Private Office of Rathbones in 2019 as a client director. His main priority is to help families, entrepreneurs, senior corporate executives and professionals manage all aspects of their wealth.

Prior to joining Rathbones, Oliver was a private wealth advisor at Goldman Sachs where his responsibility was both to bring in new business and to manage the investments of UHNW clients.

Oliver started his career in the Royal Navy and after numerous operational deployments, he had the privilege of being the first Navigating Officer of the Navy’s newest Destroyer, HMS Defender.

Oliver joined the Private Office of Rathbones in 2019 as a client director. His main priority is to help families, entrepreneurs, senior corporate executives and professionals manage all aspects of their wealth.

Prior to joining Rathbones, Oliver was a private wealth advisor at Goldman Sachs where his responsibility was both to bring in new business and to manage the investments of UHNW clients.

Oliver started his career in the Royal Navy and after numerous operational deployments, he had the privilege of being the first Navigating Officer of the Navy’s newest Destroyer, HMS Defender.