The Person First Podcast

  Emma is an experienced Recruitment Lead with strong business acumen developed through in-house and external recruitment across the Financial Services industry. She is also the founder of award-winning social enterprise 'MoneyGirl' which seeks to improve financial literacy amongst young women from disadvantaged backgrounds. They provide support both in-person and online through their city and community events and social media/blog. 2017 Award Winner of UnLtd Shortlisted for Women In Finance Awards 2017 Listed on the Natwest WISE 100 (Women in Social Enterprise)   

Tom This is more of a list of useful links but it should be handy for those who want to dig deeper - definitely one for the synth geeks and tech heads –––> – aunt - horse pathologist and specialises in rabbits too – used to run a blog - ‘Music Thing’ • https://musicthing.blogspot.com/ – coming from different age, when writing about gear was very different to now – beginning of the age of Raspberry Pi / Arduino etc - homemade circuit kits etc – access to China was a gamechanger - getting kits prepared there and sent to UK – Make Noise, Asheville co. • http://www.makenoisemusic.com/ – electro music forum (synth DIY) - lunetta subscene • http://electro-music.com/forum/forum-160.html – ‘Make’ magazine • https://makezine.com/ – early days fiddling with circuits – shout to Don Buchla • https://buchla.com/ – invented a ‘Turing Machine’ - not that one – Sound Gas (instagram account) • https://www.instagram.com/soundgasltd – A shout to Emily from Mutable Instruments • https://mutable-instruments.net/ – Thonk - company selling kits • https://www.thonk.co.uk/ – joy of making circuits and having them function – open source schematics and making own versions of existing schematics – love of Talking Heads and behind the scenes creation process – overall deep circuit talk and home-made synth stuff

During this episode Raymond talks to host Ben about growing up in a close knit globe trotting family with a diplomat father and a mother who was a spiritual role model. They discuss the difference between character and reputation and receptivity vs emptiness as well as the effects of alcohol and productivity. Raymond also talks about rise in awareness of mental wellbeing etc, but how mental health is still a prevalent issue.    

Host Ben has a wonderful podchat with David discussing his career in finance which has taken him to Wall Street and now back to London. David talks about never really having a career plan and how he bases so many of his decisions on instinct gained from being a trader. The conversation looks at friendships and how those friendship groups can reduce as you get older as well as family and the impact Davids grandparents had on him.  

This episode hears host Ben talking to Justin Onuekwusi about the person behind the professional. Justin talks openly about the importance of family and specifically the impact his grandmother had on him. He also discusses his thoughts on social media and the ramifications of it. Justin discusses at length his thoughts on diversity and using the fact he is from a minority as a positive force and how he finds building trust and deeper relationships is helped through face to face meeting. This is a wonderful conversation and was an absolute pleasure to have Justin come to the studio to record it.    

Jennifer is an experienced business head with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry.   Listen to Jennifer talk to Ben about growing up with very little money in Rutland and how that has affected her thoughts on the equation of money, happiness and success. She talks at length about children with autism and the impact it can have on the parents.  

Mona is a CFA charter holder and has a first class degree in Economics and Politics from the University of Bristol. After eleven years at Rathbones Investment Management, she embarked on a new challenge at Stonehage Fleming in September 2018. Mona sits on the Investment Committee and is launching the firm’s multi asset ESG offering in the second half of 2019.  During this podcast Mona chats to Ben about being an only child and never having to share as a child and the impact that had on her in regards to success and winning then and how its all about the team win now. Mona also talks of the importance of embracing failure as well as empathy vs sympathy.    

Barry C Smith is a professor of philosophy and directs the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study. He is also the founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses, which pioneers collaborative research between philosophers, psychologists and neuroscientists. Barry spoke to Ben about the examples his parents showed him at a young age by treating him like an adult rather than a child. His efforts to reaching a point of total calm aswell as a free and easy attitude to death and the ever moving world we live in. He also talks about his needs to fill himself with artistic inspiration to entail a healthly work balance.  

Andrew has over 20 years’ experience in the asset management industry, building and managing investment communication and thought leadership teams at various blue chip companies. These include Legg Mason, Legal & General Investment Management, Coutts & Co. and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers. During this podcast Andrew talks to Ben about the impact of the death of friends at a young age and the importance of health. His relationship with his charismatic scientist father and his love and respect for his brother. He spoke at length about early internet to bitcoin onwards, in relation to future of print media and the shifting landscape in his own business and world of asset management  

Sarah Angliss is a British composer, multi-instrumentalist and sound historian whose music combines ancient instruments with theremin, electronics and her own robotic inventions. She performs her music live and also composes for theatre. In November 2018 she received an artists award from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. During this podcast Sarah chats to Ben about growing up and the impact her grandmother had on her. The consequences that having septicaemia at 13 had on her life. She talks openly about her approach to work, success and happiness, not tying your identity into the thing you. The importance of keeping coming up with ideas, mental health, routine and the value of having honest friends.