Meet the Team – Advisers
James Todd
Operations Director / Financial Adviser
James has worked in the Financial Services industry since 1996, starting his career as a mortgage administrator for a large estate agency business. Learning the ropes, James quickly progressed to become a mortgage adviser, before qualifying as a Financial Adviser in 2001 with the Halifax Bank. Having worked within the Money Options Group for the past 10 years, James was appointed as Operations Director in December 2015 with his role overseeing RetireInvest and Mortgage Options, both companies owned within the group. As well as running the group businesses, James resumed his role as a Financial Adviser within RetireInvest and holds the qualifications of DipPFS, CeMAP and focuses his expertise in the areas of pensions, investments, and personal and corporate protection.
Living in Harrogate and married with 4 children, James spends much of his spare time on the football touchline watching his twin sons play for their local team or as a taxi service for his two teenage daughters.
Paul Boutle
Financial Adviser
Living and working in Lincolnshire for the past 30 years, Paul has worked in finance since 1982. He spent 30 years with TSB and Lloyds Banks in a number of roles on his career path from cashier to personal manager, and finally Financial Adviser. After taking voluntary redundancy in 2012 he took up a role as a Financial Adviser with St. James’s Place and then moved to RetireInvest in late 2014. He has spent the last 10 years exclusively as a Financial Adviser and is DipFA and CeMAP qualified. The main areas in which Paul specialises are pensions, investments, and personal and corporate protection.
Married with three children, Paul is keen on most sports, whether playing or watching, but is equally happy to go down to his local to socialise.
Steve Fowler
Financial Adviser
With 17 years’ experience as an adviser, Steve has worked for Prudential, Co-Operative Insurance and Adams Financial Services. He began his financial career as the “the Man from the Pru” before moving to the Co-Operative Bank where he spent 5 years as a Financial Adviser.
Steve lives in Lincoln and primarily deals with the Lincolnshire area. He works with a diverse range of clients who are attracted by his down to earth approach and straight forward interpretation of their financial planning needs, addressing both their current priorities and advising on future aspirations, making certain that all tax advantages are used and explored.
In his spare time, Steve enjoys keeping fit and watching Lincoln City.
Jake Millar
Financial Adviser
Jake has worked in Financial Services since 2009, starting his career as a customer adviser with the Halifax Bank.
From there he progressed to becoming savings adviser for the branch, then subsequently presented with the opportunity to study for his CeMAP qualification & start his new role as a Mortgage Adviser in 2014. Leaving the bank in 2016, Jake became a highly successful Mortgage Broker within one of the UK’s largest national estate agency networks. Holding his client’s hand & navigating them through the complex house purchasing process.
With Jake’s desire to offer his clients more specialist services, he obtained his Diploma for Financial Advisers through the London Institute of Banking & Finance in 2019. Where he then enjoyed a short spell as an Independent Adviser before joining RetireInvest in 2020. Jake takes great pleasure in solving his client’s financial conundrums & offering a truly bespoke service, tailoring recommendations to meet his client’s every need. Jake believes in building rapport, trust & mutual respect enabling him to work in strategic partnership with his clients & aid them in reaching their financial goals.
Jake lives in Retford which ideally places him to deal with his client base which broadly encompasses Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire & Yorkshire. In his spare time, he enjoys keeping fit & going on walks with his Dogue de Bordeaux, Arnold.
John Hinson
Financial Adviser
As an experienced Financial Adviser, John started his career at Prudential in 1999. He has also worked for 10 years at Barclays where he provided quality financial advice on a wide variety of areas, especially the mitigation of inheritance tax and investment planning. During his time with Barclays John won many awards for his work with clients, culminating in a reward trip to Oman in 2008. He has worked under the Quilter Financial Planning network since 2011, catering to the needs of a growing base of clients. His aim is to continue providing present and future clients with top quality advice with the support of a dedicated team who are there to help him provide the best possible service.
John very much enjoys taking time out to walk the local fells with his sons and dog. He is also an avid reader and enjoys an active lifestyle.
John Thomson
Financial Adviser
John has been a Financial Adviser for over 30 years, and in that time he has undertaken various roles.
In 1988 he began his career as a District Agent with ‘The Prudential’. Over the following 13 years John was also a Training & Competency Manager before ending his time with ‘The Pru’ as a Sales Manager. Throughout this time John quickly learned that good quality advice together with excellent service provided the perfect client outcome – something that he still strives to achieve today.
After leaving ‘The Pru’ John became a Financial Adviser with Quilter Financial Planning Solutions Limited before moving over to RetireInvest Ltd. This has provided him with the perfect opportunity to offer a truly holistic service to his clients. John now concentrates his efforts in providing Pension and Investment advice and his continued focus is to provide a quality and valued service within the RetireInvest team.
Peter Harold
Financial Adviser
Peter has worked in Financial Services for 47 years starting as a junior with NatWest Bank in his home town of Leicester before taking voluntary redundancy as business manager at Lincoln, Smiths Bank branch.
A Financial Adviser for nearly 20 years, Peter built up his own business from his bank client base before acquiring Adams Financial Services in 2009. This business was absorbed by RetireInvest in 2016.
Although Peter, at 65, is taking things a bit easier these days, he remains passionate about client service. ‘Our business is about relationships, identifying clients’ needs and recommending solutions. Great service isn’t difficult – it’s about doing simple things really well, like responding to e-mails and phone calls promptly. Client satisfaction is not enough to distinguish us from the competition, we need to delight clients.’
Peter lives in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire and his interests include restoring and sailing classic yachts and model railways, interests shared by many of his clients.
Ewan Duncan DipPFS
Financial Adviser
Ewan has been working in financial services since 2018 where he started his career as a specialist mortgage broker within a firm based around Leicester, focussing on development finance and bridging loans. His favourite part of the role was ensuring his clients understood products clearly and he has fond memories of the many ‘eureka’ moments he shared with his customers there. Following this, he worked for a lender based in Mayfair. In this role he was responsible for business development across the North of England and Scotland.
Before joining Retire Invest Ewan worked for a well reputed annuity brokerage, Retirement Line. Ewan was responsible for helping thousands of retirees with their retirement planning during his tenure. Despite enjoying this challenge, he wanted the opportunity to provide his clients a more diverse range of products, ensuring they had access to the exact solution required to suit their needs.
Ewan assists his clients by meeting them where they are, offering in person and electronic meetings to ensure his clients are as comfortable as possible. As a financial adviser, he sees his role as a trusted family confidant and extends his assistance to not only his clients but also the next generation as their financial needs develop. He perceives his situation as a younger adviser as a bonus for his clients, offering them longevity and the opportunity to build a close relationship to stand the test of time.
Outside of work Ewan is a father-of-one, with another on the way, and lives in South Lincolnshire with his growing family. He is currently studying financial planning at an advanced level, in between nursery runs and bedtime stories, with a view to obtaining Chartered status in the future.
Michaela Robson DipFA
Financial Adviser
With over 18 years of diverse experience in the financial services, Michaela Robson is a dedicated professional who joined RetireInvest as a financial adviser in 2024. Throughout her career, Michaela has supported advisers and their clients, gaining knowledge in financial planning, investment management, and client relations. Michaela’s finance journey began as a customer adviser at Norwich Union, leading to various roles at top investment, platform and life companies including Aviva, Canada Life, Old Mutual and Zurich, where she honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of the financial landscape. Her extensive background working closely with financial advisers, enabled her to understand the intricacies of financial strategies and the importance of personalised client service.
As a financial adviser, Michaela’s approach is client-centred and holistic, focusing on understanding each client’s unique financial situation and crafting tailored strategies to meet their specific needs and goals. Michaela’s areas of expertise include retirement planning, investment management, estate planning, and risk management. Michaela stays current with market trends and regulatory changes, ensuring her advice is always relevant and effective. Her commitment to continuous learning has earned her a reputation for integrity, reliability, and dedication to client success.
In her personal time, Michaela, based in Sheffield, enjoys spending time with her family, hiking with her dogs, and exploring new destinations. Her commitment to personal growth and balance mirrors her professional ethos, making her not only a trusted adviser but also a well-rounded individual.
Michaela is excited to leverage her extensive experience and passion for finance to help you achieve your financial aspirations. Whether you’re planning for retirement, investing for the future, or seeking advice on complex financial matters, Michaela will be there to guide you every step of the way.
