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

Strategic partner and growth director

Ian Dembinski

Strategic partner and growth director

London

Ian joined Rathbones in 2016 as Head of Rathbones Private Office with a focus on serving larger high net worth clients including entrepreneurs, families and successful individuals looking for tailored investment management services. In July 2019 he was appointed to a wider role of Head of Client Development with responsibility for delivering the optimal Rathbones investment solutions to our clients including portfolio management, financial planning, trusts and international services. Following our merger with Investec wealth management, he has in addition been asked to lead the Strategic partnership with Investec bank offering their lending solutions to our wealth management clients and our investment solutions to the Bank’s clients.

Prior to joining Rathbones, he was head of UK domestic private banking at Credit Suisse and head of UK ultra high net worth clients at UBS. He is level 6 PCIAM qualified and studied modern history at Queen’s College Oxford University.

Ian joined Rathbones in 2016 as Head of Rathbones Private Office with a focus on serving larger high net worth clients including entrepreneurs, families and successful individuals looking for tailored investment management services. In July 2019 he was appointed to a wider role of Head of Client Development with responsibility for delivering the optimal Rathbones investment solutions to our clients including portfolio management, financial planning, trusts and international services. Following our merger with Investec wealth management, he has in addition been asked to lead the Strategic partnership with Investec bank offering their lending solutions to our wealth management clients and our investment solutions to the Bank’s clients.

Prior to joining Rathbones, he was head of UK domestic private banking at Credit Suisse and head of UK ultra high net worth clients at UBS. He is level 6 PCIAM qualified and studied modern history at Queen’s College Oxford University.

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

Head of strategic partnership team - Client development director, London/Cambridge

Oliver Craven

Head of strategic partnership team - 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.

Oliver now additionally heads the Strategic Partnership Team which has a focus on delivering the services of Rathbones to the clients of Investec.

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.

Oliver now additionally heads the Strategic Partnership Team which has a focus on delivering the services of Rathbones to the clients of Investec.

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.