Welcome to your February 2024 team update, featuring all the latest news from Intelligent Pensions.
This month we’re delighted to welcome two new members to the team.
Stephen Ooi joins us as a financial planner, and Gordon Surfleet has joined our team of paraplanners.
We’re also celebrating Sophie Tinney’s promotion to the role of financial planner.
Read on to learn more about these exciting changes in the team.
Sophie Tinney receives a well-earned promotion
We sat down with Sophie over a cuppa to find out a little more about her background and what her promotion means to her.
Can you tell us about your previous role and how your responsibilities have changed during your time on the team?
I come from a paraplanning background. This requires a lot of technical knowledge and analysis. It’s an interesting role that has helped develop my financial planning abilities over the years, and it will benefit me moving into the role of financial planner.
I’ve been working closely with the existing team of financial planners to help construct and deliver our advice, and I’m now looking forward to working with clients myself.
What excites you most about taking on this new role?
Helping people plan for the future.
Planning for retirement can be daunting for a lot of people. It requires careful planning and consideration. It’s a subject that has piqued my interest since I was at university, so I’m passionate about helping people who find themselves in this position.
I’m also a keen problem-solver. I enjoy using my expertise to find the best solution available to people who need financial advice.
What do you think might be your biggest challenge?
I’m currently studying to become a Chartered financial planner. This requires a lot of commitment and “brain power” outside of work.
While I’m confident this will benefit both me and my clients going forward, it will require some personal sacrifice to achieve this in the meantime.
What are you looking forward to in 2024?
5 pm on Friday 5 April (the end of the tax year). Kidding… I’m looking forward to the change in role, meeting more of our clients and hopefully making good progress towards obtaining Chartered status.
If you could offer one piece of advice to someone looking to work with Intelligent Pensions or in the financial services industry, what would it be?
Don’t hold back with new ideas.
We are always looking to improve our proposition and services. If you have something to bring to the table that you think would benefit both us and our clients, speak up! We love to hear fresh ideas.
Anything else you wish to add?
Intelligent Pensions has been a great place to work over the past couple of years. I’m really looking forward to building a home for my career here.
Thank you, Sophie. It’s great to support you in your ongoing professional development, and we’re looking forward to having you as part of the financial planning team here at Intelligent Pensions.
Intelligent Pensions welcomes 2 new members
As Intelligent Pensions continues to develop, we’re growing the team to ensure that you receive consistently excellent service and support.
This month, we would like to introduce the two newest members of the Intelligent Pension family.
Stephen Ooi, finanical planner
Stephen
What is your job title and who do you work alongside?
I’m a financial planner. I work closely with the other advisers and a small team of support staff who provide an invaluable service helping me focus on providing the best advice that I can to my clients.
What were you doing before you joined Intelligent Pensions?
Before I joined Intelligent Pensions I was working as a financial planner with another firm in Aberdeen.
Tell us a bit about your new role.
My main role is to look after Intelligent Pension’s clients in the north-east of Scotland and Northern Ireland. I provide them with a holistic advice service.
I look forward to meeting all my new clients, getting to know them, and providing the same excellent level of service that they have become accustomed to.
How was your first day at Intelligent Pensions?
My first day was stressful yet exciting. I’m based in Aberdeen, so I travelled down to the head office in Glasgow. Despite getting a little lost trying to find the building I made it and met the team.
I had a lovely lunch in Glasgow with some of the other team members, and after picking up my equipment I began learning all about Intelligent Pensions and how the company works.
So far, what do you enjoy most about your new role?
It’s been a challenge adapting to a new system and way of doing things, but I’ve enjoyed it.
Over the past two weeks I’ve really enjoyed getting out and seeing my new clients – getting to know them and being able to help them pursue their financial goals.
What are you looking forward to in the coming months?
I’m looking forward to meeting more of my clients and getting stuck into the job!
Gordon Surfleet, paraplanner
What is your job title and who do you work alongside?
I am a paraplanner who works closely alongside Fiona, Shelly, Sophie, and Robert.
I also meet with the advisers and customer support on a daily basis, either in the office, or at home when working remotely.
What were you doing before you joined Intelligent Pensions?
I previously worked alongside my father, starting in a sales support role, before moving on to paraplanning and advising positions after gaining my qualifications.
Tell us a bit about your new role.
I discuss prospective cases with advisers and customer support.
I also complete due diligence and research before drafting a suitability report outlining our recommendations for the adviser to present to the clients.
How was your first day at Intelligent Pensions?
I was nervous but excited. The team quickly put me at ease introducing me to everyone in the office, explained my role within the company and even took me out for lunch.
So far, what do you enjoy most about your new role?
I enjoy the camaraderie with my colleagues and working together as a team to help provide solutions for our clients.
What are you looking forward to in the coming months?
As I am still relatively new, I am looking forward to continuing developing my knowledge and understanding of the technical aspects of my role and gaining more experience in the efficient use of our back-office systems.
We hope you will join us in congratulating Sophie on her achievement and welcoming both Stephen and Gordon to the Intelligent Pensions team.
Thank you for reading this month’s Intelligent Pensions team update. Look out for your next update in March.
Get in touch
If you’d like to learn more about our team and how we can support you in achieving your financial goals, please contact us by email at hello@intelligentpensions.com or call 0800 077 8807.
