Professionally
Before 2009, I was advising my clients on which wines they should have in their collection.
Since qualifying as a financial adviser back then, the assets I recommend might be different, but the approach is not: Look at the client’s needs first and the recommendation last.
I have brought my experience from helping clients in Switzerland and the Middle East to provide a client-focused approach to investment advice for expats here in the EU.
Personally
Of course, as my background would suggest, I love good wines and food and I enjoy sports from football and cricket to skiing and shooting, but my biggest passion would have to be cars. I’m a huge fan of Formula 1 – for the machines and the racing, I don’t follow a particular team – and I love driving, whether on the road or the track. I represent local rugby club Smugglers Velserbroek as a flanker, though it’s starting to be a challenge to keep up with the younger players!
I collect vintage Swiss automatic watches as a hobby. Nothing really flashy or ostentatious, but I love that there is a part of my own investment portfolio that I can wear on my wrist and enjoy every day.
I speak French fluently and my Dutch is passable, but not great. I’m sure my kids will be forcing me to learn more!
Oh yes, I also dabble in stand-up comedy, but don’t come to see that, I’m terrible.
What I did during lockdown
I had just bought a new house before the pandemic and one of my first projects was to turn my garden shed into a fully functioning pub, so that was conveniently already up and running by the time all the real bars closed! Of course we were working the whole time during lockdown but in the evenings I performed in several online standup comedy shows, broadcasting from my little beer haven in the garden.
Later on, my wife and I considered adopting a dog, but we figured that it would be difficult to train and to look after, so we had another baby instead.
Likes
- Cars and driving
- Sports
- Live comedy or music
- Running round the house with the kids
- Enjoying a meal or a drink with friends
- Learning new things from people who love what they do
Dislikes
- Avocado
- Being late or delayed for anything
- Not being able to find things in the house
- Losing at sports
- When someone finds that I’ve made a spelling mistake
Spotlight questions
Perfect weekend:
Monza, Monaco, Silverstone? As long as the GP is in town, count me in!
Favourite holiday destination:
The Alps – snow, cheese, wine and skis.
Favourite song to play in the car:
The Cave by Mumford and Sons, Chop Suey by System of a Down, anything by Counting Crows or a bit of Vivaldi… It really depends on the road and the car.
If I could be any fictional character, I would be:
Dipsy from the Teletubbies
If I could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, I would win a medal in:
Making lasagne or toad in the hole
When the dessert menu arrives, I’m looking for:
Crème brulée and a nice Sauternes
The three qualities that draw me to new people are:
Openness, humour and a willingness to promote conversation
My pet peeve is:
Finding the toilet roll the wrong way around on the holder
The best gift I’ve ever received is:
My kids – I know it sounds corny, but one arrived for my birthday and the other for Valentine’s day so it counts
The three people at my dream dinner party would be:
Marco Pierre White, Jancis Robinson and James Hunt
The three small things that make my day better are:
Google Home, morning coffee, when my parents send me a terrible joke they just heard
