Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Birmingham based Manager operating in the Financial Services space. If you think a Manager is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Lauren Brain
Lead Propositions Development Manager, UK Wealth of HSBC
Lauren is a skilled professional with over 10 years’ experience in Financial Services. Having joined the HSBC branch network in 2008 she quickly progressed and following a successful career in Financial planning and Wealth management she moved to the bank’s UK head office in 2018. In her current role, Lauren combines her Financial Planning expertise and her passion for customer led proposition design to lead the transformation of HSBCs Multi-Channel Wealth offering. This includes helping deliver HSBCs first digital advice service – HSBC My Investment. Lauren has a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning.
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About HSBC: HSBC is a banking and financial services organization that offers a comprehensive range of services.
Fergus Wadsley
Data Science Manager of Capital One
Data Science Manager – supporting Marketing, Operations, Collections and Finance.
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About Capital One: Capital One is a diversified banking company that offers early and later stage venture, and debt financing investments.
Raj Pharhani
Regional Portfolio Manager of Business Growth Fund
Raj Singh Pharhani is the Regional Portfolio Manager at BGF.
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About Business Growth Fund: Business Growth Fund is an influential investor in small and mid-sized businesses.
Sajid Sabir
Investment Manager of Maven Capital Partners
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Megan Power
Implementation Manager of Prepaid Technologies
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About Prepaid Technologies, Prepaid Technologies: Prepaid Technologies is an expertise with innovative technology to manage efficient payments programs for banks and businesses.
Giovanni Finocchio
Investment Manager of Midven
Giovanni joined Midven in September 2010, as investment manager on the Early Advantage Fund. Prior to this, he spent almost four years with Connect Midlands helping early stage businesses prepare for raising equity investment. He also has extensive sales and marketing experience within the SME environment, having held business development and marketing roles in five early stage businesses that were VC and business angel funded. Giovanni is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing having achieved the Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing.
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About Midven: Midven is a specialist venture capital company providing investment to fast growing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), run by an
Larraine Heath
Administration Manager of Midven
Larraine joined the Midven team in 2008 as Administration Manager. She has over 15 years experience of the finance sector having previously worked for a loan company and retail bank. She has also worked in customer relations management in the telecoms and service sectors. She is responsible for all aspects of day to day administration and office management.
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About Midven: Midven is a specialist venture capital company providing investment to fast growing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), run by an
Aanisah Begg
Investment Manager of Midven
Aanisah joined Midven in 2012, to initially support the Early Advantage team, having recently graduated with a degree in Mathematics and Economics from Aston University. As part of her studies she spent a sandwich year placement as an M&A Analyst at Catalyst Corporate Finance. Aanisah is a holder of Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
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About Midven: Midven is a specialist venture capital company providing investment to fast growing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), run by an
Patrick Sluder
General Manager, Sales and Marketing of BankTEL Systems
Recently Patrick Sluder was Senior Vice President of Retail Business Development at FIS. In this role he is responsible for overseeing New Business Development along with Strategic Client Relationship Management for Retail and non-Financial Industry. Formerly, Patrick served as Senior Vice President of Core Processing new business for Intercept Corporation for Community based financial institutions. Intercept was acquired by FIS in 1999 and Patrick was asked to continue his position in the new organization. Prior to joining Intercept Patrick served as Vice President of Sales for SBS Corporation that specialized in technology solutions for community based financial institutions. SBS was acquired by Intercept and Patrick continued to serve in his role of managing the Core and financial products for community based institutions.
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About BankTEL Systems, FIS: BankTEL Systems help financial institutions manage their expenses with easy-to-use software.
Michael Mullis
Managing Partner and Wealth Manager of Kelley & Mullis Wealth Management
A longtime resident of the greater Birmingham, Alabama area, Michael Mullis has served as a wealth manager with Kelley & Mullis Wealth Management for nearly two decades. For the past seven years, he has led this firm as its managing partner. Offering a range of stock market strategy and general investment planning advice, Michael Mullis prides himself on developing a lasting and trusting relationship with each client. His dedication to exceptional client service has earned him a place among the Birmingham Business Journal’s “Top 40 under 40” and Barron’s Magazine’s “America’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors.” In the years before establishing himself as a managing partner in his own firm, Mr. Mullis served several years in public accounting with the massive American holding company Arthur Andersen. He laid the foundation for his successful career with a bachelor of arts in business administration from Samford University in Homewood, Alabama, and a master of arts in accounting from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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About Kelley & Mullis Wealth Management: Kelley & Mullis Wealth Management is an independent financial services firm.
Kiernan Easton
Partner and Wealth Manager of Dynamic Wealth Solutions LLC
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About Dynamic Wealth Solutions LLC: Registered Investment Advisory Firm
