Gemma is an entrepreneur and business advisor to high growth companies, government and TV audiences.
Having led the investment strategy for a publicly listed wealth manager, Gemma built an award-winning digital investing service, Moola, and sold it within 3 years of incorporation. She secured multiple rounds of funding, FCA authorisation, launched new products and integrated the company post-acquisition into Mercer, the world’s largest outsourced asset manager with $15 trillion under advisement.
During this time, Gemma was a Board Adviser for CLU School of Management, Grant Thornton’s Vibrant Economy Commission and for 7 years (and counting) has guided the asset management for the largest communal welfare charity in Europe.
Gemma has since launched Times Money Mentor, a new venture for News UK. She is also advising on the establishment of the UK’s 10-year strategy to improve financial wellbeing through the workplace, with the Money & Pension Service, sponsored by the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions and engaging with HM Treasury. Gemma is a business advisor to a number of high growth companies.
Gemma is probably best known as the Boardroom Advisor to Arnold Schwarzenegger on The US Celebrity Apprentice. The money expert on ITV’s “Eat Shop Save”, Gemma was named one of the “Most Powerful Women in London” by CityAM. She is a go-to business expert on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Sky News.
With a background in quantum physics, Gemma was the Head of Investment Strategy at Brooks Macdonald, Chairman of the Investment Committee at Credo Capital and a Fund Manager at GAM, after starting her career at Goldman Sachs.
Visit: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/money-mentor/
Nominees three achievements
1. Successfully built an innovative business, exiting within 3 years: Gemma built an award-winning financial technology business to help people with their money, which was acquired by one of the world’s largest insurers, while getting divorced and raising two kids, and advising Arnold Schwarzenegger in the boardroom on Celebrity Apprentice.
Moola was awarded as the City of London’s ‘Best Goal Based Investing Service’ and ‘Best Startup’ at the Digital Entrepreneur Awards. Focused on innovation, Moola continually provided new services for the UK retail market including diversified currency hedged portfolios for a £50 minimum, tax aware investing and expanded the reach of ethical portfolios for the mainstream public. The intuitive user journey could be completed in under 5 minutes and a quarter of customers referred a friend. Gemma led the firm through FCA authorisation, multiple rounds of funding, public launch, sale and integration into Mercer, the world’s largest outsourced asset manager with $15 trillion under advisement.
2. Changed business models across industries: Gemma has since launched Times Money Mentor, a new venture for News UK to help people afford the life they want. She pioneered a business model outside the usual Times paywall, to help more readers access free financial guidance.
Gemma was also appointed to the Challenge Group to establish the government’s 10-year strategy to improve the UK’s financial wellbeing through the workplace.
3. Mentored and coaches other entrepreneurs: Passionate about making business and finance accessible to all, Gemma creates videos offering other female entrepreneurs business advice, and publishes them to her 100,000 followers across the various social media channels. Gemma is a go-to business expert on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Sky News, to help viewers at home.
She coached the CEO of Mondra, a new sustainable agriculture tech startup, and is a Non-Executive Director for high growth businesses, advising on digitisation, customer behaviour and commercial business models.
