Doug is a highly experienced and qualified financial planning professional. Having initially trained as a management accountant, he started in Financial Services in 1988 with Prudential. By 2000, Doug realised that he could provide a better service for his clients as an independent, so he left to form Affinity.
Since then he has passed a number of advanced financial planning certificates of the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Doug is married to Norina and they have three daughters, Isabella and Annalise, both of whom attend a local independent school, and Eva born in May 2009.
Doug values time with his family and makes the most of their holidays. Interests include the odd round of golf, visits to the gym (motivation permitting) and watching Southampton FC.
Jon Elkins BSc (Hons.)
Chartered Financial Planner
Holds:
Diploma in Financial Planning;
MAQ – Mortgage adviser qualification;
G10 – Taxation and trusts;
G20 – Savings and investments;
K10 – At retirement planning
K20 – Pension Investment Options;
G60 - Advanced pensions planning;
CF2 – Investment and risk;
ACF5 – Holistic financial planning;
Pension simplification update programme;
Lifetime Mortgages and Equity Release;
Long Term Care.
Jon has been advising teachers and other academics for more than 20 years and specialises in helping them to plan for retirement as well as other forms of investment and family protection.
He continues to refine his technical skills and has been awarded the coveted Chartered Financial Planner status and is an Associate of the Personal Finance Society.
Jon entered the financial services sector after graduating from Bristol University in 1988 with honours in economics. In addition to being an experienced presenter, he also continues to work with a wide range of private clients and receives many referrals from those he has advised.
Peter Andrews
Independent Financial Planner
Holds:
Financial Planning Certificate
Peter joined the Financial Services industry in 1987, with a leading home service life office in the North East. He then moved on to join a leading Bank where he spent a number of years advising individual clients on investments, protection and pensions.
Peter says: “while focusing on investments, I am keen to provide a holistic service to my clients.” Peter has two children; a son and daughter. Before entering financial services, Peter ran a small business, so he is well placed to understand the needs of the business community.
Mike Brooks
Client Account Manager
Holds:
Financial Planning Certificate
Mike has worked in the Financial Services Industry for over 19 years in both an advisory capacity and in various managerial roles. He has been working for Affinity as an Independent Financial Planner assisting Academic Staff with their personal financial affairs and retirement planning since 2000.
Mike is married with two grown up children and two grandchildren. His interests include, Clay Pigeon Shooting both in the UK and Europe, and travelling to Manchester regularly with his son to watch United.
Aleksandr Hulkes
Independent Financial Planner
Holds:
Financial Planning Certificate
Certificate in Mortgage Advice
Certificate in Life & Pensions
BSc (Hons) Biochemistry, UCL 1999
Aleks joined the financial services sector in 2002 with a building society, training as a mortgage adviser. He continued to work as a mortgage adviser until joining Affinity in 2006 where he fulfilled his goal of becoming a fully-fledged Independent Financial Adviser. Aleks continues to offer advice in the area of mortgages but is now able to consider the wider aspects of financial planning. He is currently involved with independent schools as well as dealing with private clients.
Rob O'Neill
Senior Mortgage Adviser
Holds:
Financial Planning Certificate
Certificate in Mortgage Advice
Rob started in the mortgage sector in 1988 with Royal Life Estate Agents where he stayed for 10 years, before becoming Director of a local independent mortgage broker. He built up the business until he left to join Affinity in June 2007.
He has experience in dealing with all aspects of the mortgage market giving independent advice to clients ranging from first-time buyers, re-mortgagors to experienced portfolio landlords. He continues to specialise in the mortgage field and offers a solid background for professional mortgage advice.
He lives with Mel and their 5 children (ages 13-20), 1 horse, 2 dogs and 2 cats. Hobbies include Golf and going to the Gym.
James Saulsbury
Independent Financial Planner
Holds:
Diploma in Financial Planning
Certificate in Financial Planning
Certificate in Financial Planning & Long Term Care Insurance
Certificate in Life & Pensions
James has built up over 10 years of financial services experience and joined Affinity in 2007. He provides a holistic financial planning service to clients with an emphasis on Retirement and Pension income planning.
John Andrews
Technical Manager
Holds:
Financial Planning Certificate
G10 - Taxation and Trusts
Certificate in Mortgage Advice
Certificate in Life & Pensions
Worked at Lloyds Bank for 5 years before joining Equitable Life in 1987. Enjoyed a variety of roles in a 15 year career before leaving after the sale of Equitable to HBOS plc.
John gained valuable experience working for an Independent Financial Adviser in Watford before joining Affinity in November 2004.
Stephen Maxwell
Training & Compliance Manager
Holds:
Diploma in Financial Planning
Certificate in Financial Planning
Certificate in Equity Release
Certificate in Mortgage Advice
Certificate in Financial Planning & Lifetime Mortgage Activities
Certificate in Life & Pensions
Award in Long Term Care Insurance
Stephen started his career with Prudential, in his case as a commercial underwriter, before moving over to giving advice. He became a Financial Inspector and then Sales Manager for Aylesbury.
After more than 20 years with Prudential, he left to join Affinity in 2003 as a Financial Adviser. He has since developed the additional roles of Affinity's Supervisory, Compliance, Training and Competency function.
Helen Allen
Senior Personal Administrator
Upon leaving school in 1985, Helen undertook a Y.T.S at Rank Xerox, where she learnt her Secretarial Skills. From there she enjoyed a career at Ginn & Co, publishers of primary school books for a year before starting a family. Helen rejoined the workplace when her children were a little older, attended college, where she gained RSA secretarial qualifications. In September 1998 she started working for a shop-fitting designer/manufacturer as an Administrator and worked there for over 4 years.
Helen has enjoyed working at Affinity since 2003.
Pippa Rickard
Independent Financial Planner
Holds:
Diploma in Financial Planning
Certificate in Financial Planning
Certificate in Mortgage Advice
Certificate in Life and Pensions
Pippa joined Affinity in 2003, after taking a career break while her children were young. She has over 20 years experience in Financial Services. Pippa offers a planning service to Private clients and also works within the Independent Schools sector.
Rachel Sibley Davies
Technical Analyst
Holds:
Financial Planning Certificate
Rachel has worked for Affinity since July 2009 and has over 20 years experience in Financial Services. Initially in pensions and employee benefits, but also encompassing a wide range of personal and investment products.
Nicola Watson
Office Manager
Nicola had a family relocation in May 2009 from Middlesex to Buckinghamshire. After being on maternity leave Nicola joined Affinity in November 2010 as Office Manager & PA to Doug Muirhead, with 14 years experience in administration and customer service roles. Nicola has worked as a Customer Services Adminstrator for a transport firm, a salon design company and as Sales Administrator for an Asset Management company in Chertsey.
Nicola lives with her partner John and they have three children, Jessica, Caitlin & Aiden.
Mandy Brooks
Business Administrator
Mandy has worked in the Financial Services Industry for over 12 years. Firstly in a large corporate environment as a Clerical Assistant and for the last 4 years with Affinity in Business Administration. Her roles have been varied and consequently she has experience of handling and processing communication received from policy holders and in preparing one to one meetings for our Advisors before their visits to Independent Schools. Amongst other duties Mandy also has a responsibility here as a receptionist and will often be the first person you speak to when you telephone the office.
Mandy is married, has two grown up children and two grandchildren. Much of her leisure time is spent with the grandchldren or when not spending time with them, socialising, gardening and lots of shopping.
