Leadership Team

Ruth is responsible for retail fundraising, growth and innovation, and central support services to all the investment businesses. Ruth joined Octopus in 2018 from Tandem Bank, where she was chief customer officer and chief of staff.

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Jonathan oversees fund management investment strategy. Since joining Octopus in 2015, he has been Product Head for Octopus Inheritance Tax Service, led the Specialist Finance Investment Team and chaired the Octopus Investment Committee.

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Jonathan manages a number of our central support services. Jonathan joined Octopus in 2019. His previous roles include Chief Operating Officer of Zoopla’s software business and Managing Director of TripAdvisor’s holiday lettings business.

Jessica heads up the team that manages tax-efficient investments, including venture capital trusts and investments that qualify for Business Property Relief from inheritance tax. She joined Octopus in 2014 and is a qualified tax adviser.

Richard joined Octopus in 2017 and runs the Development Capital team. He is fund manager for Octopus Apollo VCT and sits on the Investment Committee. He is responsible for new investments and sits on a number of portfolio company boards.

Rob is an Investment Director in the Specialist Finance team and is the fund manager of our Octopus Inheritance Tax Service. Rob also sits on our Investment Committee and oversees the valuation processes across Octopus.

Richard has over 25 years’ experience of investing in smaller companies.  Richard has headed up the Quoted companies team at Octopus since 2004 and works across all of the Quoted Company mandates.  

He is lead manager on the FP Octopus UK Micro Cap Growth Fund, and a co-manager on the FP Octopus UK Multi Cap Income and FP Octopus UK Future Generation Funds.

John joined Octopus in 2015 as Head of Risk. He began his career at PwC London, before moving to UBS, where he covered risks across the whole business in Wealth Management, Asset Management and the Investment Bank.

Kristy Barr joined Octopus Investments as Head of Sales and Customer in September 2021. She joined from Abrdn, where she was responsible for the key strategic partners of Aberdeen Standard Investments and Standard Life. Kristy was previously Head of Institutional, Europe for BMO Global Asset Management and spent 15 years in various sales and client management roles within hedge funds and real estate.