Holly Mackay

CEO

Holly Mackay has been working in investment markets since 1998. She read Modern Languages at Oxford, with a special focus on Medieval French which was deeply interesting and arguably utterly useless. From 1998 – 2007, she worked in both Australia and the UK, for Big Global Investment Firms with Increasingly Important-Sounding Titles.

Likes: time with her kids, red shoes, the sea, surfing, India and wine (not Indian wine)

Dislikes: pompous bores,  broken technology, laziness, the tube

Least boring thing: Holly was in a stand-up comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival ages ago with people who are now much more famous than she is!

Jim Adams

Head of Research

Jim has been working in various types of research for close to 20 years.

He has worked across a wide variety of sectors including banking, insurance, technology and government.

Most recently Jim has been benchmarking banks, insurers and others against each other.

Likes: Numbers, lots of tea, nice wine, time with family and friends

Dislikes: Quiche, bad graphs, being ill, people who don’t remove their rucksacks on the tube

Least boring thing: Jim once took advantage of talented teammates to win a TV quiz show

Georgina Clarke

Director of Research Projects & Business Development

Georgina has spent the last 20 years working in market research agencies, focusing on financial services. She has conducted a wide range of quantitative and qualitative projects with many different financial organisations, including the FCA and the Money and Pensions Service. Georgina is passionate about using creative research approaches that help to engage consumers and enable us to really understand what they need. She is also a Certified Member of the Market Research Society.

Likes: Gin and tonic, Call the Midwife, the countryside, trampolining.

Dislikes: Whiskey, clutter, people that don’t shower daily, apostrophes used incorrectly.

Least boring thing: Georgina once took part in a 3 hour Zumbathon with her daughter (aged 3 at the time) on her back.

Jess Galletley

Senior Research Analyst

Jess began her research career after studying Anthropology at the LSE, learning about all the weird and wonderful aspects of human culture.

Prior to Boring Money, she worked in Insight & Strategy at a Welsh building society, and more recently at a global market research firm writing reports across a range of consumer financial services markets.

Likes: 80s music, documentaries on ancient Egypt, painting trees, birds, and all things food

Dislikes: Bad weather, being late, squirrels stealing from bird feeders

Least boring thing: Jess alternated between playing second row and prop for her university and local rugby team back home.

Sam Richardson

Data Analyst

Sam graduated from York University in 2016 with an integrated Master’s degree in Environmental Geography. He has previously worked as a data analyst in marketing and utilities industries, providing analysis and insight for senior leadership and stakeholders. 

Likes: Food, gym, David Attenborough, the environment, horror films and people on public transport who are happy to chat

Dislikes: Slow walkers, rude people and overcrowded areas (hence why Sam lives and works in London!)

Least boring thing: Sam ran the London Marathon in April 2019 for the mental health charity 'Mind'.

Mahdi Shabir

Research Analyst

Mahdi graduated from SOAS University of London in 2019 with a first class bachelor’s degree in Economics & Arabic. He has begun his career as a Research Analyst at Boring Money, where he participates in quantitative research – analysing and tracking investment platform performance – as well as qualitative research, such as contributing to research projects by conducting participant interviews.

Likes: Lime-filled white chocolate lindt, Lebron James and Lord of the Rings. 

Dislikes: Taking Ls, long lines and Liverpool's recent success.

Least boring thing: Mahdi has been blessed with the opportunity to successfully complete ‘the walk of the free’ twice.

Janine Menasakanian

Director of Key Accounts

Janine joined Boring Money to work with Asset Managers and Life & Pensions Providers, to help with regulatory projects. At Legal & General Investment Management, Janine was responsible for the Personal Investing distribution strategy, to encourage younger clients and women to invest. Previous to this, Janine worked at a number of large financial institutions such as Vanguard and MetLife.

Janine graduated holds a Bachelor of Social Science in International Studies and French, as well as a Masters in History.

Likes: Travelling (anywhere) and Asian street food.

Dislikes: Expensive coffee (why?) and people coughing in my face on the underground.

Least boring thing: Very dexterous with my feet, I can write, pick things up and open jars!

Mikhail Ismail

Head of Client and Content Projects

Mikhail started out as an investment analyst before crossing over to marketing and comms for asset managers and investment solutions providers.

During his post grad he worked as a project manager for start ups in media production before returning to financial services.

He oversees client content production, comms, and web content at Boring Money.

Likes: Sarcasm

Dislikes: Sarcasm

Least boring thing: During a prolonged stint as child stunt performer, Mikhail found a niche playing fantasy creatures and feral children. 

Jamie Ovens

Content & Community Manager

A creative who cares, Jamie always finds a way to give the people more!

As a Dementia Care Assistant he painted murals and wrote cheeky poems.

As a Newspaper Editor he organised workshops and started a society.

And now, after years as a Copywriter, he’s helping Joe Public and Mr Moneybags become firm friends. Power to the people!

Likes: Drag queens, dogs and David Bowie.

Dislikes: Rude people, dull writing and tea without sugar.

Least boring thing: Can make you practically anything out of papier-mâché…

Phoebe Smith

Marketing Executive

Phoebe began working life at the pan-European stock exchange Euronext, after finishing her MA Viking & Anglo-Saxon Studies masters degree (yep, you read that right!). Having turned her hand from Old Norse runestones to financial marketing, she loves the challenge of heading up our social media & Ask section, updating our site, and dabbling with design & video. 

Phoebe takes every opportunity to learn more about the finance industry.

Likes: knitting, dogs, and eco-friendly living

Dislikes: ketchup, ’reality’ TV, and sunburn.

Least boring thing: Phoebe is a commissioned photo-realistic pet portrait painter. 

Claire Anstee

Office Manager

Claire has many years’ experience in office management and administration, working within both the financial industry and charity sector. She is highly organised and helps Boring Money to stay on top of everything.

She is an accomplished bookkeeper and huge fan of Sage, Xero, and Excel, as well as being a former Lady Mayoress of the City of London!

Likes: Walking, yoga, eggs for breakfast, Bolt the family dog, my hairdresser, drinking wine with friends & audiobooks.

Dislikes: Slow walkers on the way to work, beer and cider, most sport, people chewing gum, mansplaining.

Least boring thing: Started re-training as a midwife at the age 52 and delivered four babies.  

Matthew Jacobs

Developer 

Matt started work at BT developing applications to locate telephone cables over 20 years ago. The excitement was too much so he moved into digital/web development and have worked for a variety of different brands from Sainsbury's to Nike, as both a developer, and in more recent years, a manager of developers.

Technology doesn’t have to be difficult. Matt's a pragmatist and just like to get things done.

Likes: Football (West Ham), 80’s action movies, My mad Schnauzer (Barney), Good coffee

Dislikes: Bad coffee, The only way is Essex – in fact all Z list celebrity, real life programs, The Tube

Least boring thing: My boys and my dog

Mog

CFO (Chief Feline Officer) 

Chief Feline Officer Mog joined Boring Money after a short career at the North London Cats Rescue Centre in Archway.

She has ideas above her station and has been known to refuse Ocado free-range chicken. As well as having an c-attitude problem, she tends to sleep through important meetings and yawn at our videos. She is currently in a disciplinary process although proving rather hard to fire.

Likes: Baked beans, Magnums, shrews, pensions

Dislikes: Baths, dogs, Whiskers cat food.

Least boring thing: She staged a failed coup against Grumpy Cat.