Job-title & media organisation:

Reporter, Money Marketing.

What are the main beats you cover?

Protection, platform, and pensions.  

What was your reaction to making the shortlist?

I was elated when I got the news. I’m also on the shortlist for Protection Journalist of the Year. It feels great to be recognised for all the hard work one has put in. It has been a great first year for me as a financial journalist.  

From your work so far, if you had to pick the story / feature / campaign you are most proud of, what would it be, and why?

I’m very proud of my Money Marketing cover feature Mind the Advice Gap. In this piece, I looked at the widening advice gap in the UK, a situation that refers to the people who want financial advice but can’t afford to pay for it.

Millions of consumers are missing out on the benefits of financial advice because many lack awareness of the benefits of seeking advice and of how and where to find it. Fewer than one in six people is taking advice, according to online advice service OpenMoney.

This issue is very dear to my heart because I was one of those people. Ironically, it was my financial exploration during the pandemic that led me to financial journalism.

What made you become a financial journalist?

During the pandemic, I wanted to make a fresh start from my previous role as a tabloid journalist. I’ve always been intrigued by the work of financial journalists and wanted to give it a try. The pandemic provided the much-needed stimulus to act on my dream. Since joining, I have covered the length and breadth of the financial services sector, from the FCA’s Consumer Duty to the Government pension triple lock. It has been fun writing about such an eclectic range of areas, and I have learned a lot in the process.

What financial interview would you most like to arrange?

I would like to interview the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Chief Executive Nikhil Rathi. He seems like a decent guy who wants to run a fit and proper financial regulator. But he is facing huge challenges, not least past scandals that have damaged the reputation of the FCA.

I cover the advice sector and most of our readers who are advisers take a dim view of the FCA. They say it is “not fit for purpose and needs to be reformed”. It would be great to put some of their questions and concerns to Rathi.

2021 was undoubtedly a difficult year for everyone, but what were the particular challenges for you, as a relatively new ‘rising star' financial journalist?

I started my financial journalism journey at the height of the pandemic when the government’s work from home policy was in full swing. It was difficult not having to meet people in person and for nearly a year all my interviews and meetings were done via Teams and Zoom.

Finally, if you were up for an award for any hobbies/activities outside of work, what would you be likely to win, and why?

I would say for filmmaking because I am already an award-winning filmmaker. I have received awards from several notable organisations such as the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Royal Television Society.

But if you ask my work colleagues, they will say an award for best-dressed journalist. Apparently, I’ve been called the best-dressed guy in the office.  

Full Headlinemoney 2022 shortlists