Private Client Team
Gavin joined Becketts in 2015 and is Head of Private Clients. His career began in 1997 at Cook Sheppard Pinhey, where he was mentored in the importance of true holistic financial planning. He is a Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and has a speciality in working alongside, and for, other professionals. He ranks one of his proudest work achievements as never having had a client complaint, due to taking the time to listen and truly understand what his clients need and how best to deliver it. In his spare time Gavin likes to try and keep fit and indulge his passion for live music.
John is a Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the Personal Finance Society, the highest accreditations awarded by our professional body, the Chartered Insurance Institute. With over thirty years’ experience in our industry he is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading exponents in providing independent financial advice, whether to businesses concerning their employee benefits programmes and other corporate financial planning requirements, or by way of wealth management solutions for individuals. The quality of his exceedingly loyal client bank is testament to John’s high standards and attention to detail. In his spare time John is a fitness fanatic and he has a keen interest in sport in general.
Ben joined Becketts in 2010 and was promoted to Director of Private Clients in 2015. He is a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute and, through examination, is a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and Chartered Financial Planner. He is a Registered Individual with the Financial Conduct Authority and authorised by Beckett Financial Services Limited.
As a senior member of BFS Private Client team, he specialises in advising individuals and business owners on wealth management, tax and estate planning matters. With what little spare time Ben has, he spends with his young family and if time permits, and the weather, he plays the odd round of golf – and it is odd!
Peter joined Becketts in September 2013 and has been a financial adviser for more than 25 years with experience covering commercial and private clients. He is a Registered Individual with the Financial Conduct Authority and is authorised by Beckett Financial Services Limited to provide independent financial advice to clients with pension, retirement or protection needs.
Outside of work, Peter’s time is devoted to his family and enjoys running.
Simon began his career at an insurance company over thirty years ago administering pensions and, subsequently, held senior positions at leading accountancy firms and private banks in the City.
He established the corporate pensions department at the then largest ethical-focused IFA and maintains a keen interest in ethical investing for clients. More recently, Simon works closely with a homeless charity in Ipswich which complements his interest in ethical investments.
Simon holds a range of Financial Planning Qualifications including those in Advanced subject areas. He is a Registered Individual with the Financial Conduct Authority and is authorised by Beckett Financial Services Limited to provide independent financial advice to clients.
Outside of work Simon enjoys rounds of golf with his sons, follows rugby (Bath) and football (Palace), and is a confirmed petrolhead.
Jenny joined Becketts as a Senior Consultant in August 2018, having over 20 years’ financial services experience. She specialises in Retirement and Later Life planning, and is an accredited member of the Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA).
Outside of work, Jenny enjoys spending time with her family. When not ferrying her children around to their activities, she can often be found walking the family dog along Felixstowe Prom.
Matthew joined Becketts in September 2018 and has 10+ years of financial services experience. Matthew has worked with personal clients, managing their financial affairs, and also has experience dealing with vulnerable clients, specifically clients who have suffered serious injuries or from medical negligence.
He is a Registered Individual with the Financial Conduct Authority and is authorised by Beckett Financial Services Limited to provide independent financial advice to clients with retirement, investment, inheritance tax or protection needs. He is also qualified to the level of Chartered Financial Planner through the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).
Outside work Matthew enjoys spending time with his wife and three young children and if time allows playing football and squash.
Charlotte has over 20 years of experience in financial services, having worked within accountancy practices for most of her career, before joining Becketts in 2021.
She has a particular interest in retirement planning, as well as working with vulnerable clients (including those in later life). She holds a range of financial services qualifications, including the Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA) accreditation.
Charlotte’s clients appreciate her technical knowledge, coupled with a friendly and down to earth approach. She is passionate about helping people engage and understand their finances, as well as finding the right solutions for them.
Adam is an enthusiastic individual who aims to make financial topics understandable and interesting. He aims to have a thorough understanding of his client’s circumstances in order to help them achieve their longer-term goals. Adam specialises in Investment Planning, Retirement Planning and Tax Planning, particularly in relation to Inheritance Tax. His experience of advising landowners, farmers and business proprietors gives him a particular aptitude for advising on more complex situations.
Adam has been working in financial services since finishing his ‘A’ levels at age 18. Prior to joining Becketts in July 2022, he worked for NFU Mutual as a Financial Consultant, and more recently with NW Brown/ Brown Shipley.
Adam has studied and completed his Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning with the Chartered Insurance Institute and is working through examinations to become a Chartered Financial Planner.
Away from work Adam can be found spending time with his young family and enjoying the Norfolk countryside. He plays the odd round of golf and enjoys participating in most sporting activities.
Paul entered the financial services profession in 1977 and having spent the first 10 years working with two major insurance companies in London he has been an Independent Financial Adviser for the past 27 years.Paul is a Registered Individual with the Financial Conduct Authority and by examination holds the designation Dip PFS.
Having spent sixteen years with the Beckett Group between 1992 and 2008 Paul has just returned to the company in the role of a Senior Consultant. Although he advises his clients on various aspects of tax and financial planning he has tended to specialise in the area of pensions and retirement planning.
Outside of work Pauls interests include music both his sons perform in the same band cartooning and golf. Indeed it is often said that his golf is a bit Mickey Mouse
Ian has been in financial services all his working life, having joined Sun Life Assurance (long since amalgamated into Axa) from school at age 18.
Ian became an Independent Financial Adviser in 1997 and many of the individuals he looked after are still clients today. He has worked at a number of companies in East Anglia and specialises in investment and retirement planning.
After taking a three month sabbatical, Ian is delighted to be back working in the independent financial advice arena with Becketts, and looking forward to renewing relationships with many ex-clients.
Mark commenced his financial services career in 1984 working with Scottish Mutual and Provident Mutual supporting financial advisers with pension and investment services. In 1989 Mark became a partner with a firm of Independent financial advisers and has been providing retirement, investment and tax/estate planning advice ever since. Much of this time has been spent providing specialist advice to British nationals preparing to leave and return to UK.
Mark joined Becketts in July 2021 as a senior consultant and continuing to provide clients with personal and comprehensive financial planning advice.
Outside of work Mark enjoys spending time with friends and family and is a keen cyclist as well as appreciating music of various genres. He Is also a keen sport watcher and makes no apologies for being a lifelong Arsenal fan!
Mike has worked in financial services since 1997 and is qualified to Advanced Diploma standard, being a Chartered Financial Planner. Mike’s experience includes working as a financial adviser for an accountancy practice, national advice firm and a private bank providing advice on a wide range of wealth management topics, seeking to help clients achieve their objectives.
In his free time, Mike can often be found roaming the Norfolk countryside with his dog or dreaming of a return to the premier league for Norwich City.
Anthony (Tony) joined Becketts in March 2023 as a financial planner. Tony has worked in financial services since he was 18 in a variety of roles from being a cashier through to an Investment & Operations Director.
Tony holds the Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning from the London Institute of Banking and Finance (LIBF) and is well versed in advising on retirement planning and tax mitigation. Alongside his financial planner role, Tony is active in spending time in local schools and colleges to educate students on managing their finances and promoting careers in financial services.
Outside of work, Tony spends a lot of his time with his wife, Kate, and son Thomas. A keen angler, when the weather is nice, Tony can be found beside a lake or on the beach when he is not in the garden.
Lee started his career in financial services in 1992 giving sound good quality advice to his clients on a face-to-face basis. He holds the Diploma in Financial Advice. Lee considers his strengths to be relationship building and listening skills which enable him to provide the most effective recommendations that best suit his clients’ objectives both from a personal and financial aspect.
Lee is a proud family man. Married to Carolyn, they have two sons and a granddaughter. Lee is very much a sportsman and when he isn’t keeping fit, he is watching it. An avid football fan, Lee supports Leeds united. Lee played at a reasonable level in his younger days. You will also often find Lee enjoying a long walk along the coast.
David started his career in financial services in 2003 having graduated from Lancaster University with a Batchelors degree in Management Science. He holds the Diploma in Financial Advice.
David is married to Kate, with two young children, and you will often find them on a dog walk with Rolo their cocker spaniel.
When time permits, David loves a game of golf and has a handicap of 7.
Sam joined Becketts at the end of 2016 having moved back to Suffolk from London where he had completed his degree in History & Politics, and worked for an insurance broker. He holds the Advanced Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and has personally achieved chartered status, and is a Chartered Financial Planner.
Sam moved into a Private Client Consultant role in 2019 having previously provided high level technical support to clients and across the team.
George joined the Beckett’s team in September 2020. His career in financial services began at the Woolwich after he finished studying for his degree in Information Technology. When the Woolwich were acquired by Barclays, he moved into sales at Audi, working at Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds Audi.
In 2016, he made the move back into financial services, working up to become an independent financial adviser for a firm in Claydon. This role gave him a solid foundation in administration, and paraplanning before eventually becoming an IFA. Most recently he has been a financial adviser for St James’s Place.
Paul has 30 years’ experience in financial services having begun his career in 1988 with Barclays Bank. Paul then progressed into private banking and wealth management working for HSBC, Royal Bank of Canada and Schroders. Prior to joining Becketts, Paul was a wealth manager for HSBC providing investment, estate and inheritance tax planning, protection and retirement advice.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys walking and exploring the South Cambridgeshire countryside with his wife and two dogs.
Jonathan joined Becketts in 2017 after completing his BA (hons) degree in Economics at Nottingham Trent University where he achieved first class honours. Since joining Becketts, Jonathan has moved through the administration and paraplanning roles before becoming a Private Client Consultant in 2022.
Jonathan is a Chartered Financial Planner having completed the CII Advanced Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, advising clients across a breadth of areas tailored to their own individual needs and objectives. In recognition for his achievements to date, in 2023, he was shortlisted for the CII/PFS trade body’s Gordon Warren Young Achievers Award in recognition of high achievement under the age of 30.
Outside of work, Jonathan is a keen golfer and at the age of 29, he became the youngest club captain at his home course, Ufford Park, Woodbridge. You can also find him on the terraces of West Ham as a long-suffering season ticket holder.
Adam joined Becketts in 2014 after completing his A Levels. He has achieved his CII Advanced Diploma and won the Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning Award 2021 for the region.
Adam has moved into the Chartered Financial Planner role and is currently developing his skills as an adviser at Becketts.
Outside of work, Adam likes to keep active, travel and try new restaurants where he can. He is also a keen supporter of the Chicago Bears American football team, and often visits Wembley Stadium to watch the International Series. He has recently combined this with his love of travel and managed to travel to America to support his team.
David joined Becketts in 2016 after completing his BA (Hons) degree in Business Management at De Montfort University where he achieved First Class honours. He has recently achieved his Fellowship CII Diploma (FPFS).
David moved into a Trainee Adviser role in 2022 and is currently developing his skills as an adviser at Becketts.
Outside of work, David likes to keep active regularly going to gym and is a keen skier when he gets the chance, having skied in France, Austria, Switzerland and Bulgaria.
Joel joined Becketts at the beginning of 2017 after spending 18 months at a legal firm in Ipswich where he completed an NVQ in Business & Admin. He is currently studying for his Regulated Diploma in Financial Planning through the CII.
Helen joined Becketts in 2017 as a Senior Consultant Support in the Private Clients Team and has accumulated over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry.In 2024 she was awarded Chartered Financial Planner status following completion of the CII Advanced Diploma and in 2025 was awarded Fellowship of the Personal Finance Society.
Away from work, Helen enjoys running, cooking and spending time with her family.
Jane has worked in financial services for 35 years. She began her career working for an Insurance company in north London and moved to Suffolk in 1987. Her role at Becketts is to support the Private Client Consultants with providing the best services to clients.
Outside of work, she spends her time taking her children to their various activities, and walking her dog.
Dawn’s Financial Services experience spans 25 years and for the last 15 years she has been a member of the Beckett Financial Services in-house administration team. Having gained a range of expertise in both Private Client and Employee Benefit work, her current role is supporting our senior consultants.
Georgia joined Becketts in August 2021, coming from working at Aviva in the Pensions team. She is currently studying for her Level 4 Diploma in financial planning with the CII.
Outside of work, Georgia enjoys socialising with friends and family.
Sam has worked in financial services since 2011 after previously working in customer service roles. She is looking to add to her qualifications with Becketts, leading to Diploma level.
Outside of work Sam enjoys motorhome adventures to the seaside, spending time with her children/family, days out visiting new places and walks with her Jack Russell.
Gemma started working in the Financial Services industry in 2001. She excelled in her role as a senior personal banking manager for the Lloyds Banking Group, dealing with clients either on the telephone or a face-to-face basis.
Gemma then took a break in 2010 due to the birth of her son Dylan and returned to work when her son was two as a Financial Administrator with Moss and Roberts. Gemma worked there for six years dealing with clients and liaising between them and the Financial Adviser. Gemma really enjoyed the interaction with the clients and the Financial Advisers in helping them achieve and realise their financial objectives.
Gemma then made the move to Waveney Valley IFA Ltd in December 2018 as an Executive Financial Administrator; when the company was formed and was an integral part of the team. Gemma took on more responsibility with Waveney Valley overseeing the day to day running of the office.
Matt joined Becketts in January 2020 and has completed the CII’s Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning. Matt has experience in supporting Private Client Consultants in delivering advice across a wide range of investment solutions. Prior to joining Becketts, Matt gained experience in financial services with roles at Bloomberg and Grant Thornton.
Matt also holds a BA in French and German from University College London.
Outside of work, Matt is a keen rugby fan and avid reader.
Sophie has worked in Financial Services since 2018. She started as a Mortgage and Protection Adviser moving over to a Wealth Management role in 2020. She holds a Level 4 Diploma in Paraplanning with the London Institute of Banking & Finance, having qualified in 2021.
Outside of work, Sophie loves to host dinners and games nights, enjoys keeping fit and enjoys learning (and tasting) different food cultures from around the world.
Kirsty has worked in Financial Services since 2008. She started in Discretionary Fund Management and moved over to Consultant Support in 2010. She holds the Diploma for Financial Advisers, having qualified in 2012 and is now Technical Consultant Support providing high-level support to our Private Client advisers.
Outside of work, Kirsty enjoys running and riding her peloton bike. She has two children and likes music and spending time with friends. She can often be found quizzing, but she’s not at all competitive!
Jess joined Becketts in 2012 and supports the Private Client consultants. She holds the Certificate in Financial Planning from the Personal Finance Society, and is an experienced para-planner.
Jess enjoys being a mum to Poppy and days out with her family.
Keri joined Becketts in 2000 and supports the Private Clients consultants. She holds the Certificate in Financial Planning from the Personal Finance Society.
Jon joined Becketts in 2019, having come from a pension administration background in both Self Invested Personal Pensions and Final Salary pensions. Jon is currently studying for the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning.
In his spare time, Jon enjoys spending time with friends and family and going on holidays. He is also a long suffering supporter of Ipswich Town football club, and the Buffalo Bills NFL team
McCauley joined Becketts in 2017 after graduating from the University of Brighton with a 2:1 in Business. He currently supports some of the Private Client consultants and is currently studying the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning.
In his spare time, McCauley is a keen sports player with a particular affinity with football and American football.
Silvana joined Beckets in Autumn 2021 having worked in financial services since 2015. She is currently studying for her Level 4 Diploma in Financial Planning with the CII.
Outside of work Silvana enjoys socialising with friends, trying new restaurants, and traveling. Silvana also enjoys running and is currently training for her next half marathon.
Lewis has worked in Financial Services since 2014. He currently holds the Diploma for Financial Advisers, having qualified in 2021, and is now working to achieve Chartered status through the CII. He is one of our Senior Financial Planner Support staff, endeavouring to assist to our Private Client advisers.
Outside of work, Lewis enjoys hiking and getting outdoors with the dogs. One whippet and one ‘accident’. Any spare time left after the dogs, kids and partner (and her horse), is usually filled with games with friends and family.
Chelsee joined Becketts after working as a Learning and Development specialist for an insurance broker in Newmarket. She is keen to work towards her financial diploma, having already started her studies, and is excited to further her career with Becketts.
Outside of work, Chelsee is very social and spends time with friends and family. She keeps fit by playing tennis and netball for local clubs. Chelsee also enjoys entertaining her Labrador, Scrappy, with long walks, tummy tickles, treats and pub lunches.
Grace graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2022 with a Law Degree. She decided to test the waters in financial services by doing some work experience week at Becketts and, having enjoyed it so much, decided to join full time.
Grace lives in Ipswich and mostly spends her spare time with friends and family, staying active by going to the gym or walking her dog.
Tomasz graduated from the University of Lincoln after spending three years studying business and finance. He joined Becketts in October 2021 in a role supporting the private client team.
In his spare time, Tomasz enjoys physical activities like going to the gym, playing football and playing golf. He also enjoys spending time with friends whether it is taking part in these activities together, watching football or going out for a meal.
Heather joined Becketts in 2021 following a varied administrative career at woodworking and engineering companies, an animal charity, a Cambridge college, an occupational health company, and a local hospice.
In her spare time, Heather enjoys visiting museums and galleries, and also antiques fairs where she engages in her pursuit of English and Scandinavian art glass. She has completed an art history course and enjoys genealogy research, Scottish island-hopping, theatre, speedway and sewing.
Sam joined Becketts in April 2025 and has worked in financial services for 15 years. Alongside her work in adviser and client support in this industry, she has enjoyed working in the mental health sector as a course facilitator and continues to have a keen interest in and volunteering in mental health.
Home and family are important to Sam, providing happiness and challenge she says, in roughly equal measure! Music, reading, piano playing, singing in a choir, pottering round the garden and having a good laugh with friends, are a few of the things that bring contentment.
Anthony has been in financial services since February 2021 and worked with Willis Towers Watson in their pensions team before joining Becketts in June 2022. He is looking forward to taking the next steps in his new career with Becketts.
In his free time, Anthony enjoys spending time with his family, as well as film and sport. He is a long suffering Arsenal fan; ‘there is always next season’ seems to be his mantra in recent years.
Tracey joined Becketts in May 2023. She has had a varied career in Customer Service, management and administration roles within various environments: Ford Motor Company and BMW. More recently, Tracey worked as a Government Welfare Benefits Consultant assisting vulnerable people with disabilities/illness. Here career has also included being a Personal Assistant to the Headteacher in a Primary School. Before she came to Becketts, Tracey was a Personal Assistant to the Senior Partner of a Solicitors working within the Probate department.
After bringing up her two sons and working her life around them, Tracey joined Becketts to start a new career. Outside of work Tracey enjoys spending time with family and friends. She loves to socialise, travel, music concerts, walking, gardening and listening to music.
After working for Lloyds Bank for three years, Maddy was eager to pursue her career in Financial Services while studying for the Regulated Diploma in Financial Planning.
Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her younger sister, going out for food, and socialising with friends.
Patrick joined Becketts in July 2022 after working for a boutique IFA in Essex for three years. Prior to this, he served for five years in the British Army, and is enthusiastically embarking on a new and exciting career at Becketts.
In his free time, Patrick enjoys keeping fit and spending time with family, as well as keeping track of current events.
Ellina has been working in Financial Services for nearly four years. She graduated from the University of Essex with a Bachelor’s degree in American History and studied abroad at the University of Connecticut in America during her final year. She also recently completed her Master’s degree, also in American History, at the UEA, where she wrote her dissertation on the role of young people in US politics and elections. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two cats, reading, baking, going on walks, and going to concerts and the theatre with her friends.
Daniel joined Becketts in the autumn of 2021, straight from his postgraduate degree in Economics and Finance at UEA. He supports the private client team and is keen to embark on a career in financial services.
Outside of work, Daniel enjoys keeping active through sport and his primary sport is swimming. In his spare time, he also enjoys going out for drinks and travelling, as well as watching different sports games.
Having graduated The University of Sheffield with a degree in History in 2020, Harvey worked with the NHS for two and a half years in project management. He switched career path to financial services in 2023 when he joined Becketts.
Harvey has an interest in history and enjoys hiking and going to the gym in his spare time, as well as following football as a West Ham United fan.
Max joined Becketts in June 2024, having already fully completed the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning. He worked in the financial services sector for six years, including banking, insurance and advice.
In his spare time, Max loves to travel to different countries. He also loves to play and watch football, and exercise as much as he can to keep fit and refresh mentally.
Charlotte has been working within financial services since 2016 and joined Becketts in January 2025 having previously worked in IFA firms as well as Curtis Banks. She is studying towards the Level 4 Diploma in financial planning with the CII.
Outside of work, Charlotte loves to spend time with her family, cooking and going to music festivals.
Hannah joined in December 2024. After 10+ years working in the financial services for Lloyds Wealth Management and TSB, she took a break during lockdown to follow a passion for true crime and embarked on a Criminology and Sociology degree. After graduating in October 2024, Hannah wanted to get back into finance. Becketts seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Aside from work Hannah enjoys days out with her three children and going to the gym.
Ben joined the Private Client’s team at Becketts in April 2022 after graduating from the University of Surrey with a degree in Economics. Ben is excited to embark on a career in financial services.
Outside of work, Ben enjoys travelling, going on long bike rides and spending time with family and friends.
Tim joined Becketts in June 2025 and has been in the finance sector for over 5 years, from working in a customer services role to Financial Planning support.
Outside of work, Tim enjoys playing snooker and badminton, video/board games, spending time with friends and family, watching films and reading.
Craig graduated with a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Greenwich and joined Becketts in 2022.
In his spare time, Craig enjoys watching sports and, in particular, cricket and football. He also likes to spend his time playing strategy games whether it be board games or video games. His favourite time of the year is when he goes on summer holidays with his two dogs, Oscar and Gracie.
Chris was born in Corringham, Essex before moving to Feltwell, Norfolk in 2004 with her husband Paul. She has over a decade of Sales and Account Management experience in the Telecoms industry, before taking a career break to have her two boys Adam and Callum. Chris’ career then took a new direction in the Customer service and Transport Industry, where she worked for a Fire & Security company before more recently working in administration for a Tyre Recycling Company.
In her personal time, there is nothing Chris enjoys more than walking her handsome black lab, Freddie in the forests which are right on the doorstep. Baking is another one of her other passions, with her two boys often working their magic, by making her cakes disappear in a flash! Chris loves to travel and meeting up with family and friends for a coffee and a chat.
Aaron graduated from the University of Kent with an Accounting and Finance degree. He is passionate about personal development, both mentally and physically, through activities such as hitting the gym and boxing. He feels that the motivating atmosphere, surrounded by individuals committed to self-improvement, is a source of inspiration and learning.
Aaron also recharges himself on Sunday mornings by swimming and attending church, preparing for the week ahead with a refreshed and focused mindset.
Agata joined Becketts in June 2024 and was eager to progress with her career in financial services having worked for Lloyds Bank for 9.5 years. Before that, she worked in the travel Industry.
Outside of work, Agata watches her two sons playing football. She loves walking and spending time with family and friends. She also listens to music and plays the piano, which helps her to relax. She would love to travel more, discovering new places.
Harry joined Becketts in 2025 and will soon graduate from the University of Essex with a degree in Banking and Finance.
Outside of work, Harry is a big fan of sport and football with a season ticket at Ipswich. He further enjoys keeping fit by going to the gym, travelling, and socialising with friends.
Callum has completed two years studying Business Finance and Accountancy at West Suffolk College and during that time, he had a talk from three members of the Becketts team which inspired him to join our firm.
In his spare time, Callum has many hobbies including playing football. His family are keen clay-pigeon shooters and Callum would like to excel at this sport. He is also is interested in trading and investing into stocks and shares long term.