Experts in wealth management transformation

Alan Mathewson

Group CEO

Alan has over 20 years Board level leadership experience in financial services and a track record in delivering performance improvement and transformational change. Prior to joining Verso, Alan was CEO of Brown Shipley where he grew the business to £10bn AUM, led and integrated a £1bn acquisition in Cambridge and replatformed the investment management business. As Head of Wealth Management at Santander, Alan launched Santander Private Banking and brought the Investment Hub to market, an innovative open architecture offering for clients looking to invest through a digital channel. As Verso Group CEO, Alan is responsible for developing and executing the strategy to create a leading technology led Wealth Management consolidator.

Andrew Fay

Co-Founder and Director

Andrew has 30+ years sector experience co-founding Cavanagh Group, later acquired by Close Brothers in 2011. He jointly led acquisition and transformation of 3 new businesses whilst still at Cavanagh. He led Close Brothers Asset Management wealth management division for 3 years, including, as Chair of the Integration Board Responsible for the amalgamation of 4 businesses within the division plus the integration of 2 acquisitions. Andrew is a Director of the Verso Group, responsible for setting the strategic direction and leading the rapid expansion through consolidation and transformation.

Simon Redgrove

Co-Founder and Director

Simon has 30+ years sector experience, starting his career as a financial advisor before co-founding Cavanagh Group. He jointly led the acquisition and transformation of 3 businesses during his time at Cavanagh and served as Head of Advice for 3 years at Close Brothers Asset Management after they acquired Cavanagh and its encompassing businesses. Simon was the Chairman of MedPharm for 2 years, leading to the sale to Ampersand in March 2018. As a Director of the Verso Group, he is responsible for delivering the transformation strategy and ensuring the effective integration and growth of acquired targets.

Richard Griffiths

Group Head of Compliance

Richard has 40 + years industry experience, specialising in Compliance and AML for the last 22. Previously an adviser, Richard has been authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority in these roles since 2003. His most recent roles were acting as a specialist compliance consultant for Paradigm Partner members, then in a project role taking an investment platform from concept to authorisation, remaining as director until 2019. Prior to joining Verso he worked in SJP Acquisition Services Ltd carrying out due diligence, new firm onboarding and then overseeing Compliance and AML as SMF16 and 17 for firms acquired by SJP Partners, so his experience dovetails neatly into Verso.

Lawrence Cook

MD of Whitefoord Wealth Management

With over 35 years in the wealth management sector Lawrence brings to the Verso Group broad experience in successfully delivering services to advisers and their clients. Lawrence was previously a member of the Distribution Executive at Standard Life and spent considerable time with advisers helping them to adapt to the evolution of wrap platforms and investment services. Since then Lawrence managed the Bristol office of Towry (now Evelyn & Partners) working with high quality financial planners many of whom were previously principals of their own business they had subsequently sold. In 2012 Lawrence moved to Thesis Asset Management in the South East. He led the private client team and become a board member during this time. After a period of significant growth the Thesis wealth business was sold to Sanlam and Lawrence moved to the acquirer as part of the deal. An opportunity then arose for Lawrence to join Verso Group to lead the Whitefoord wealth business which provides the core investment proposition to the Group.

Andrew Mann

Group Head of Proposition

Andrew has over 30 years of financial services experience, a sizeable proportion of it managing private client portfolios for a major UK Private Bank. He has also worked as an academic at Birmingham City Business School where his pioneering research into how organisations can prosper in dynamic and fast-changing environments, proved to be a springboard for many other studies in this field. He has also used this background to help companies from industries as diverse as housebuilding, healthcare and leisure as well as public bodies and charities. As Head of Proposition his aim is to support Verso advisers by developing a range of industry leading financial solutions.

Jonathan Fell

Group COO

Jon has over 25 years’ experience in Financial Services spanning Wealth Management, Investment Management, Retail Banking and General Insurance Operations. He brings a breadth of experience in scaling, transforming and running operational centres in both multi-national corporations as well as Private Equity portfolio companies. He has a particular focus on the build and scaling of Digitally-lead D2C propositions having run the Digital channels for a number of top-tier banking institutions. Prior to joining Verso Group Jon oversaw the operational efforts at Assurant Europe, Succession Wealth and Bank of America and prior to that worked as a consultant to Financial Services and Banking clients on their operational transformation strategies. As Chief Operating Officer at Verso Group, Jon is accountable for our day-to-day operational activities, defining and attaining our Group Target Operating Model as well as the successful integration of acquired businesses into the Group.

Miles Joseph

Group Head of Transformation & Change

Miles has been leading strategy and executing transformational change in the wealth and investment management sector for over 25 years. His career has spanned director roles in global firms, Big 4 and boutique management consulting, start-ups and independent consulting. During the course of his career he has launched a number of digital investment propositions to the market, as well as helped firms move to modern and effective operating models. At Verso he is responsible for the integration of acquired firms and the creation of Verso’s differentiated market advice, investment and service proposition through people and platform.