Our specialist charity investment managers are dedicated to helping you help others.
Charities have entrusted their investments with us for over 100 years, and our dedicated approach has seen Rathbones become one of the leading investment managers for charities and not-for-profit organisations in the UK.
With a team of investment managers working exclusively for charities, we are responsible for £8.8 billion* in funds under management for around 3,000 charities. Our portfolios range in value from £10,000 to more than £100 million.
At Rathbones, your dedicated investment manager is accountable for every aspect of your charity’s portfolio, tailoring it to align with your goals and principles. And with a team, many of whom are trustees in their own right, they’ll manage it for sustained, long-term growth.
From navigating the complexities of charitable investing to offering timely advice on changes in legislation and regulation, we’ll be there to ensure you can focus on providing a stable future for those who benefit from your work.
Together, we can help you achieve your charitable goals. Please contact Mark O'Connor@rathbones.com to find out more and start a conversation.
* As at March 2025
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
Charity Investment Management
CHARITY MULTI-ASSET FUNDS
Support for your trustees and management team
Charity Publications
Responsible Investment
Our dedicated team has extensive experience in building responsible investment strategies that align with an organisation’s mission. We understand the importance of helping charities balance their ethical and financial goals. As a company with a long-standing commitment to business ethics, we believe that investment decisions can be a powerful force for good.
Responsible investment is at the core of our approach, guided by four core principles: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) integration, voting with purpose, engagement with consequences and transparency.
We are also a signatory to the United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment.
FTSE Russell (the trading name of FTSE International Limited and Frank Russell Company) confirms that Rathbones Group Plc has been independently assessed according to the FTSE4Good criteria, and has satisfied the requirements to become a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index Series. Created by the global index provider FTSE Russell, the FTSE4Good Index Series is designed to measure the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. The FTSE4Good indices are used by a wide variety of market participants to create and assess responsible investment funds and other products.
Get In Touch
Charity Events
Each year, we provide complimentary training designed to help charity trustees feel confident in their role. We also produce white papers to give thought leadership on key investment strategy issues.
We also look forward to meeting you at the various events we host on behalf of the community throughout the year.
Our courses are CPD accredited and attendance can be recorded as one hour towards annual CPD requirements.
Charity Expert Series
Webinar: Building financial resilience in uncertain times
Webinar: The Changing Face of Legacy Giving
Trustee training
Trustee training - Birmingham
Trustee training - London
Trustee training - Edinburgh
Trustee training - Bristol
Trustee training - Winchester
OUR TEAM
Natalie Yapp
Business Development Director, Charities
Natalie Yapp
Business Development Director, Charities
London
Natalie joined Rathbones in 2020 as head of business development, charities, following her previous role as business development manager at Brewin Dolphin. Natalie has also worked at Heartwood Investment Management and specialises in charities, trust and other not-for-profit organisations.
Natalie is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (CISI). She holds a master's degree in Drama and Movement Therapy and achieved the Investment Management Certificate in 2016. She also holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management. Natalie is also an ambassador for Girls are Investors and a Girl Guiding leader.
Natalie joined Rathbones in 2020 as head of business development, charities, following her previous role as business development manager at Brewin Dolphin. Natalie has also worked at Heartwood Investment Management and specialises in charities, trust and other not-for-profit organisations.
Natalie is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (CISI). She holds a master's degree in Drama and Movement Therapy and achieved the Investment Management Certificate in 2016. She also holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management. Natalie is also an ambassador for Girls are Investors and a Girl Guiding leader.
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.
Alex Dow
Investment director
Alex Dow
Investment director
London
Alex is an investment director, he has a joint honours degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from UEA. Alex is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments, holding the Diploma, and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder.
Prior to joining Rathbones in December 2007, Alex worked at HSBC Investments (formerly James Capel) for eight years managing investment portfolios for charities and private clients. At HSBC Alex was a member of the UK Stock Committee and specifically covered the engineering, aerospace and defence sectors.
Alex is an investment director, he has a joint honours degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from UEA. Alex is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments, holding the Diploma, and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder.
Prior to joining Rathbones in December 2007, Alex worked at HSBC Investments (formerly James Capel) for eight years managing investment portfolios for charities and private clients. At HSBC Alex was a member of the UK Stock Committee and specifically covered the engineering, aerospace and defence sectors.
Insights
Managing risk and identifying opportunity
Stay informed with our latest 10-minute investment update video, exploring the impact of recent geopolitical tensions, oil market dynamics, and global economic trends on your portfolio.
1 min
Monthly digest: A catalyst-rich environment
May wasn't short of market-moving news - much of it about tariffs. In response, investor sentiment on the US economy soured - and then sweetened (somewhat) again.
12 mins
Weekly Digest: Weapons Of Mass Distraction
The world is a very noisy place at the moment, and it’s increasingly designed to be that way. It doesn’t seem to matter where you go or what you do, someone or something is always trying to attract your attention. The proliferation of media outlets only increases the competition, potentially distracting us in the short term from longer-term goals.
7 mins
Weekly digest: as time goes by
Some calm has returned to markets amid a temporary truce in the tariff wars, but the clock is ticking and there is plenty of potential for further volatility. Meanwhile, things are less rosy in bond land. Still, as John notes, there is reason to relax and enjoy the bank holiday weekend.
7 mins
