The Judges

Chair, Deborah Benn

Deborah has contributed to a range of publications worldwide and is the author of How to Maximise Your Wealth Offshore. Deborah edited Financial Times Magazine's Investment Adviser and she is the ex-editor of Incisive Media's International Investment magazine. Deborah currently works on a range of financial newsletters as well as conference and awards’ programmes.

Philip Martin, the abacus

Philip has worked for a life company, an asset manager and was part of the original management team that set up Scottish Life International in 1996. In 1999, he established the abacus with David Ferguson. Specialising in financial services product designs and marketing, the abacus worked on a variety of strategic and marketing projects for over 60 life companies, asset managers, intermediaries and other industry bodies. During that time, David and Philip developed plans for the business that emerged as Nucleus Financial, which was launched in 2006.

Peter McGahan, Worldwide Financial Planning

Peter is the managing director of Worldwide Financial Planning Ltd (WFP), which is a team of specialist fee-based Independent Financial Advisers with offices throughout the UK. Prior to setting up WFP, Peter was a financial adviser for London & Manchester and Albany Life. Peter can regularly be heard live on BBC radio commenting on financial matters and world markets. Peter is also asked to comment in national newspapers and writes a regular weekly financial column for the county newspaper - The Cornish Guardian the Dorset Echo as well as one of the national Irish newspapers - The Irish News. Copies of past articles can be viewed on www.wwfp.net

Leslie Smith, Medibroker

Leslie founded and launched Medibroker online in November 1998 and the business now employs 15 staff. In 2005 Leslie was the winner of the entrepreneur of the year award for the North East region in a competition run by the Chamber of Commerce. Prior to founding Medibroker he worked as an international intermediary for Finexco, based out of Guernsey.

Laurence Boyle, Williams de Broe

Head of investment management Williams de Broe. Laurence Boyle is a senior fund manager and head of the intermediary investment management division. He joined Williams de Broë plc in 1996 having spent five years with BWD Rensburg as a senior fund manager servicing the intermediary community. Between 1986 and 1991 he was a private client portfolio manager at AE Sharp & Co. Laurence Boyle has a BA honours degree in Economics from Portsmouth University.

Sam Liddle, MitonOptimal

Sam Liddle, director of fund management at MitonOptimal. Sam began his investment career with Morgan Grenfell in 1984 launching its portfolio service in 1989. In 1995 he moved to Singer & Friedlander and in 1999 he moved to Legg Mason investors to undertake a similar role. In Jan 2003 Sam joined Miton Investments and brought with him the CF Miton Global Portfolio and CF Miton Extra Income Portfolio.

Malcolm Kerr, Ernst & Young

Malcolm Kerr has worked in the financial services industry, for over 30 years during which he has held a number of senior management positions in both intermediary and product providers in the UK and overseas. As chairman of an Isle of Man life company, Malcolm gained a good deal of experience in the offshore market and has maintained a keen interest in this area. Malcolm is now employed by Ernst & Young, advising life companies, Fund Managers and Banks.

David Ferguson, CEO, Nucleus Financial Group

David began his career as a trainee actuary with the much lamented Life Association of Scotland before being part of the teams that launched Ivory & Sime TrustLink and Scottish Life International. In 1999 he left SLI to establish a leading product design and strategic marketing consultancy with colleague Philip Martin. After working with more than 65 clients over seven years, the team secured the financing to launch IFA-led wrap business, Nucleus Financial Group in the summer of 2006.

John Pattison, Director, Scarab – financial services strategy consultants

John’s experience encompases business and distribution strategy development, new business set ups, M & A assitance and turn around engagements.
Over the last few years John has worked with a number of the leading insurers on distribution including intermediary distribution strategy, wraps and multi-tie start ups. John has also worked with a range of banks, private banks and insurers on wealth management issues for the HNW sector.