About

I grew up on Shop Street, Tuam. I attended St. Jarlath’s College and graduated from University College Galway with an honours Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Having worked for FBD in Dublin for eight years, I came home to Tuam in 1998 and set up my own technology retail business.

I returned to financial services in 2013, starting with Acorn Life before moving to Aviva in 2017.

Because I believe that expert knowledge and professional qualifications go hand in hand, I have always pursued this path. Whereas sitting six exams would have given me all the qualifications I ever needed, I have completed sixteen in order to be as knowledgeable and professional as possible for my clients.

The Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA) is Ireland’s marquee financial professional qualification, awarded to those who pass a series of six examinations. There are over 22,000 QFAs in Ireland.

As well as holding the QFA, I have also attained the Retirement Planning Adviser (RPA) and Specialist Investment Adviser (SIA) designations. These are essentially advanced pensions and advanced savings & investment qualifications.

I was awarded a First Class Honours grade in the Masters Level Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning from UCD. This Level 9 qualification is the highest academic award available to financial advisers in the country.

Only holders of the Graduate Diploma are eligible to sit the Certified Financial Planner™ examination and I successfully completed the course in 2021, joining less than 800 financial professionals in Ireland with the CFP® qualification at the time.

I returned to my studies in 2023, culminating in the completion of my Master’s degree from UCD, an MSc in Financial Services in 2024.