Meet the team

Our people, our values and our culture are at the heart of our business

Leadership

Robin Chamberlayne
Partner and Adviser
Robin was one of the first Chartered Financial Planners in the UK, boasting over 35 years of expertise in the financial services industry. He founded Progressive in 1997.

Robin’s extensive board experience is particularly pronounced in the environmentally renewable energy sector and tax-based investment strategies. His clientele includes high-net-worth individuals, farmers and landowners, entrepreneurs and multi-generational family groups, many of whom share his strong environmental motivations.

Robin adeptly advises private individuals and directors on retirement planning, and company owners on beneficial strategies to extract cash from their businesses in a tax-efficient manner. He provides invaluable support to business owners in succession planning and exit strategies and his experience in dealing with complex trust and Inheritance Tax cases is extensive, always with the client outcome at the core of the proposed strategy.
George Chakko-George
Partner and Adviser
Having started as a Financial adviser in 1995, before becoming one of the earliest to qualify and graduate as Chartered Financial Planner, George draws on close to 30 years of comprehensive financial planning experience.

With a focus on tax planning and strategies, George seeks to help clients align their finances with their values, improve financial decision-making and behaviour, take advantage of opportunities and avoid pitfalls, decrease financial stress, and find contentment through a financial planning process. It has resulted in years of building lasting relationships with our clients, understanding their needs, and providing tailored solutions.
In all George does he has found that his greatest motivation lies when it is felt he has made a positive difference to others.

This motivation manifests in not only what drives him with the work and long trusted relationships with his clients but his other pursuits that in recent years has varied from chairing one of the biggest local hockey clubs, to treasurer and trustee of a dynamic community focussed church, to captaining and managing those involved in his sporting distractions of hockey and tennis.
Alan Yazdabadi
Partner and Adviser
Alan is a Chartered Accountant and member of the Chartered Institute of Securities & Investment with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Alan initially qualified as an accountant with KPMG and accumulated significant board experience in renewables infrastructure investments and impact ventures both on the investor and operator side.

Having more recently moved into financial planning, Alan brings a breadth of commercial and operational expertise to Progressive and its clients. His investment and accountancy background enables Alan to provide business owners with holistic corporate and personal planning along with expertise on tax efficient investment strategies and advice on direct ventures investments.

Alan seeks to simplify what can be a complicated financial planning landscape for clients to ensure their optimum outcomes and shares the desire of many of our clients to utilise their wealth in an impactful and sustainable way.
Christine Wright
Senior Manager
Christine joined Progressive in 1998 shortly after it was formed and is an integral part of the management team. Chris has over 25 years of financial services experience and leads Progressive’s accounting and HR functions.

Our financial planners are supported by an experienced and capable team. All members of our dedicated team value the long term relationships we hold with our clients. Although your adviser may be more visible to you, our team will work together to ensure our clients receive the exceptional service they deserve.

Matthew Selwyn
Senior administrator
Matt has over 25 years of financial services experience gained in administration and supervisory roles. Matt has great experience in the SIPP industry, and heads up our Client Services department.
Lisa Homer
Senior administrator
Lisa has worked within the financial services industry for over 30 years and oversees the new business submissions for Progressive amongst other roles. Lisa holds the CII Award in Financial Administration along with qualifications in Financial Protection.
Inam Ilyas
Paraplanner
Inam has over 20 years of financial services experience and is a level 6 Advanced Diploma qualified Chartered Paraplanner with a particular depth of expertise in retirement and Inheritance Tax Planning including the use of trusts.
Joe Hargreaves
Paraplanner
Joe holds a diploma in regulated financial planning along with certificates in mortgage advice and equity release. Joe has over 7 years of experience in financial services and is working towards chartered financial planner status.
Ellie Kania
Administrator
Ellie joined Progressive in 2021 after working in the travel industry and has herself travelled extensively including periods spent working in China and Australia.
Helen Easthope
Administrator
Helen has worked in financial services for over 5 years following a career change from retail management. Helen joined Progressive in March 2022 as an administrator.
Simon Brown
Paraplanner
With over 20 years of experience in financial services as both a Paraplanner and previously as an Adviser, Simon works closely with our clients and advisers in providing tailored and holistic advice.
Fleur Mollen
Executive Assistant
Fleur brings her deep experience in customer services and quality assurance to Progressive along with impressive communication skills (Fleur can speak six languages). Fleur provides support to Robin and the wider team.