RATHBONES INSPIRE
Sharing knowledge and expertise with our community of founders.
We are committed to supporting entrepreneurs, founders and business owners on their growth journey.
Our aim is to support and engage with the UK’s diverse community of entrepreneurs.
Rathbones Inspire has been created to give business leaders and their senior teams the opportunity to engage with talented peers, gain invaluable insights, access subject matter experts, and build new connections to further strengthen their businesses.
Our Rathbones Inspire community members gain access to exclusive content, regular networking opportunities and deep expertise that could help you and your team manage the key growth challenges around capital, clients, and people.
There is no charge, or an obligation to release equity. All we ask of you is your time and a desire to take an active part in the programme.
Programme
Who can join?
Inspiring insights
Past Events
What our community think about Inspire
During the preparing for an exit interview, Paola’s comment that when leaving a sales meeting "always make sure that the potential client also has work to do" was my biggest key takeaway.
Feedback reviewed 26/06/2024
The most valuable learning or take away from the Fundraising event was the session with founders. They were honest and helpful. Adam Baron was also great.
Feedback reviewed 26/06/2024
In the digital age, sometimes our first action may be to contact investors via LinkedIn etc but nothing can replace real life human interaction, and how people feel after they’ve seen you in person. At an early stage, your passion, your drive and the gleam in your eyes can go a long way.
Feedback reviewed 26/06/2024
Our Team
Paola Cuneo
Lead Entrepreneurial Engagement
Paola Cuneo
Lead Entrepreneurial Engagement
London
Paola joined Rathbones in January 2020 to head up the engagement with entrepreneurs.
Previously Paola worked for the London Stock Exchange Group where she led the community of entrepreneurs and the Private Market, connecting companies with capital. Paola also ran EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and she set up and ran a programme for the Department of International trade aimed at helping foreign graduates to set up their businesses in the UK providing access to capital, mentoring and business advises.
Paola is a mentor and a regular contributor for RisingWISE, a combined initiative of Cambridge and Oxford University supporting women in STEM who have aspirations to become entrepreneurs.
Paola joined Rathbones in January 2020 to head up the engagement with entrepreneurs.
Previously Paola worked for the London Stock Exchange Group where she led the community of entrepreneurs and the Private Market, connecting companies with capital. Paola also ran EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and she set up and ran a programme for the Department of International trade aimed at helping foreign graduates to set up their businesses in the UK providing access to capital, mentoring and business advises.
Paola is a mentor and a regular contributor for RisingWISE, a combined initiative of Cambridge and Oxford University supporting women in STEM who have aspirations to become entrepreneurs.
Ian Dembinski
Strategic partner and growth director
Ian Dembinski
Strategic partner and growth director
London
Ian joined Rathbones in 2016 as Head of Rathbones Private Office with a focus on serving larger high net worth clients including entrepreneurs, families and successful individuals looking for tailored investment management services. In July 2019 he was appointed to a wider role of Head of Client Development with responsibility for delivering the optimal Rathbones investment solutions to our clients including portfolio management, financial planning, trusts and international services. Following our merger with Investec wealth management, he has in addition been asked to lead the Strategic partnership with Investec bank offering their lending solutions to our wealth management clients and our investment solutions to the Bank’s clients.
Prior to joining Rathbones, he was head of UK domestic private banking at Credit Suisse and head of UK ultra high net worth clients at UBS. He is level 6 PCIAM qualified and studied modern history at Queen’s College Oxford University.
Ian joined Rathbones in 2016 as Head of Rathbones Private Office with a focus on serving larger high net worth clients including entrepreneurs, families and successful individuals looking for tailored investment management services. In July 2019 he was appointed to a wider role of Head of Client Development with responsibility for delivering the optimal Rathbones investment solutions to our clients including portfolio management, financial planning, trusts and international services. Following our merger with Investec wealth management, he has in addition been asked to lead the Strategic partnership with Investec bank offering their lending solutions to our wealth management clients and our investment solutions to the Bank’s clients.
Prior to joining Rathbones, he was head of UK domestic private banking at Credit Suisse and head of UK ultra high net worth clients at UBS. He is level 6 PCIAM qualified and studied modern history at Queen’s College Oxford University.
Melanie Wotherspoon
Head of Professional Intermediary Business Development
Melanie Wotherspoon
Head of Professional Intermediary Business Development
London
Melanie joined Rathbones in 2014 after spending the previous seven years at Jupiter. Prior to that, she was at Baring Asset Management, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell and EY. She gained international experience working for HSBC in Hong Kong, San Francisco and Mumbai. Melanie is a Chartered Accountant, has a degree in Systems and Management from City University, London and is a Chartered Member of the CISI. She is both a trustee and member of the Investment Committee for the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust that commits over £1m a year to areas of deprivation in Cumbria and North Lancashire. Melanie is also a member of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants.
Melanie joined Rathbones in 2014 after spending the previous seven years at Jupiter. Prior to that, she was at Baring Asset Management, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell and EY. She gained international experience working for HSBC in Hong Kong, San Francisco and Mumbai. Melanie is a Chartered Accountant, has a degree in Systems and Management from City University, London and is a Chartered Member of the CISI. She is both a trustee and member of the Investment Committee for the Francis C Scott Charitable Trust that commits over £1m a year to areas of deprivation in Cumbria and North Lancashire. Melanie is also a member of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants.