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Leadership Team

Simon Rogerson

Simon Rogerson

CEO and Co-founder of the Octopus Group
Simon has overall responsibility for the day-to-day decisions and strategic direction of Octopus Group.

Much of his time is spent looking for new opportunities for Octopus, such as moving into the commercial energy sector with Octopus Energy.

Before founding Octopus in 2000, Simon spent two years working at Mercury Asset Management. He holds a first-class MA in Modern Languages from St. Andrews University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Alison Radley

Alison Radley

Co-Head of Retail Investments
Alison is Co-Head of Retail Investments, responsible for creating, owning and delivering Octopus Investment’s business strategy and managing several key business functions, including: Strategy, Change and Transformation; Marketing; Communications; and Retail Investment Products. Alison joined in 2021 following various senior roles at NatWest Group, including Head of Strategy & Delivery for Esme Loans, the digital SME lender for NatWest Bank and VP for Structured Finance.
Kristy Barr

Kristy Barr

Co-Head of Retail Investments
Kristy is Co-Head of Retail Investments, responsible for creating, owning and delivering Octopus Investments’ retail business strategy and leading the Customer & Sales team. She joined Octopus Investments as Distribution Director in September 2021 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.
Jonathan Dees

Jonathan Dees

Chief Operations Officer
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.
John Averill

John Averill

Head of Risk and Compliance
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.
Anna Philbrick

Anna Philbrick

People Director
Anna is responsible for anything related to recruiting, developing, and retaining people at Octopus. Her main priority is making Octopus a great place to work, ensuring all employees are treated fairly and equally. Anna joined Octopus in 2017 from the Civil Service, where she led the Business Partner and Recruitment Team for the Department of Business and Industrial Strategy.
Richard Power

Richard Power

Head of Octopus Quoted Companies Team
With overall responsibility for the Quoted Companies team at Octopus, Richard has over 25 years’ experience of smaller company investing. He is lead manager of our FP Octopus UK Micro Cap Growth Fund, also oversees the investment process of the team which include the AIM IHT portfolios, and AIM VCTs. Richard is also a co-manager on the FP Octopus UK Multi Cap Income & FP Octopus UK Future Generation Funds. Richard started his career in 1995 at Duncan Lawrie, where he managed a successful small companies fund. He subsequently joined Close Brothers to manage a smaller companies investment trust before moving to Octopus Investments Limited to head up the Quoted Companies team in 2004.
Ed Fellows

Ed Fellows

Head of the Octopus Inheritance Tax Service
Ed joined Octopus in 2010. He is head of the Octopus Inheritance Tax Service, which includes Fern Trading and the Octopus Trading Partnership, and is responsible for the investment performance of these products. He is also a member of the Octopus investment committee and is a director of several Octopus portfolio companies.
Richard Court

Richard Court

Head of VCT and EIS
Richard joined Octopus Ventures in 2017 and was the fund manager of the Octopus Apollo VCT from 2019. Since August 2024 he is Head of VCTs and EIS where he oversees all of Octopus Ventures’ retail investment funds. Richard has invested in UK and international SMEs since 2006. He previously worked at private equity firm TPG’s direct lending fund, at UK-focused private equity firm RJD Partners and at Dresdner Kleinwort in the bank’s principal finance group.

An award-winning investment provider

Octopus has won numerous awards, including the Five Star Investment Provider Award at the Financial Adviser Service Awards, voted for by financial advisers, ten years running.