Bruce Weatherill, Master of Ceremonies

Bruce is a Chartered Accountant with over 35 years’ financial services industry experience around the world. He was a partner in PwC for 20 years and is now a non-executive director of Compeer as well as other companies.

James Brown – Director of Client Services, Compeer

James joined Compeer in October 2006 as an analyst following his graduation from The University of Warwick, where he studied Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics.  Today he manages Compeer’s team of analysts. He has widely presented key trends in the UK Wealth Management Industry, with in-depth experience of providing statistical analysis of firms’ business performance. He regularly provides recommendations during presentations to Executive boards, and is actively involved in bespoke research projects.

Umar Zaman – Head of Strategy, BNY Pershing

Umar Zaman is the Head of Strategy and a member of the Executive Committee for Pershing Limited at BNY Pershing.

Umar leads the Pershing EMEA’s strategy and value proposition as we continue to support our clients’ needs for simplification, scale and service.

Umar brings over 20 years of experience in wealth and asset management, having worked across financial technology firms, wealth and asset managers and in consulting.

Before joining Pershing, Umar held influential senior leadership positions, notably as the Head of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation at Investec Wealth & Investments, Director roles at PwC and EY, and Chief Administrative Officer at Axa Investment Managers.

Umar holds an MBA from Warwick Business School and a Masters in Telecommunication Technology from Aston University.

Mark Harrison – Advisor, Brooks Macdonald

Mark Harrison is a technology, operations and transformation specialist with extensive experience in multiple aspects of the securities industry. He is a consultant by training and has worked in consulting roles in a very wide range of environments: fund managers, wealth managers and service providers. He has also held senior line jobs in a range of organisations including Cazenove & Co, Henderson, BNP Paribas, Waverton Investment Management and Killik&Co. He specialises in large scale transformation and outsourcing service provider management. He currently works for Brooks Macdonald.

Alexandra Loydon – Director Partner Engagement and Consultancy, St James’s Place

Alex is a Director in the Investment Division at St. James’s Place, responsible for distribution of the firm’s investment, banking and cash management propositions to SJP’s 4500 strong Partnership and 1 million clients.  A tax lawyer by background, with 15 years’ experience in wealth management, Alex has extensive knowledge of interfacing with and supporting the provision of advice to HNW clients, using technology, products and services to drive better client outcomes.

John Porteous FCSI CFP FPFS IMC – Managing Director, Central Financial Services & Chief Client Officer, Charles Stanley

John has over 30 years industry experience having held a number senior executive positions across the wealth management and platform industry.

John joined Charles Stanley in March 2019 as Head of Distribution and has spent the last three years in the role of Managing Director, Central Financial Services.

John joined Charles Stanley from Quilter PLC, where he was the group’s Retail Client Services Solutions Director. Prior to that, John was Director in charge of overall Client Proposition at Tilney (formerly Towry), also chairing their Investment Committee.

A regular presenter at industry conferences events, John, over his career, has been appointed to a number of influential industry roles including Chairman of the Society of Financial Advisers, Director of Institute of Financial Planning and Council Member/Director of APFA.

Stephanie Delaporte – Head of Client Strategy and Experience UK, Julius Bear International LTD

Stephanie has over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry split between Merrill Lynch and Julius Baer. During this time, she has held multiple roles within both the Front Office and Business Management. Until the end of 2023 she led the Change function and oversaw the Business Management team at Julius Baer in the UK. Stephanie also sits on the UK Executive Committee and at the beginning of 2024, she became Head of Client Strategy and Experience.

In her current role she is responsible for supporting the CEO in defining the business strategy and overseeing the execution of strategic initiatives which range from enhancing service to clients, expanding product capabilities and ensuring regulatory compliance. She is also responsible for delivering specific business management initiatives for efficiency and profitability, as well as overseeing the Front Risk Management function which carries out first line of defence controls.

She has also led the Julius Baer Consumer Duty initiative since 2022. Her career is cited by many as an inspiring example of evolution and progression from female junior staff to senior management.