Karl is Managing Director at Active Chartered Financial Planners, leading the firm’s strategy and client experience while advising his own clients, including those with high net worth and complex financial planning needs. With a background in private and investment banking, Karl brings particular expertise in supporting both business owners and individuals with their financial planning needs.
Key Services
As managing director, most of Karl’s time is spent developing and managing the company strategy and ensuring Active continues to provide an excellent client experience. Taking part in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Programme in 2013 and then becoming a chartered director in 2017 have both helped Karl to drive the firm into the forward thinking, award winning business of today.
“I believe that you can always better yourself, whether that be as an individual, or as a business. At Active, we will always endeavour to be the best at what we do and we can only achieve that by developing personally. I chose to focus upon becoming a better company director, thus developing a better place to work and do business – ultimately running a better business for the benefit of everyone.”
In his role as a financial planner, Karl’s extensive background in the higher net worth market means he specialises in advising clients with complex financial planning needs. Karl also has a number of professional athletes as clients with a specialist understanding of financial planning in this area.
Career Profile
Karl’s career began at Yorkshire Bank in 1995 where he quickly progressed to being a private banking manager for high net worth clients. From Yorkshire Bank, Karl moved to RBS as an investment banking manager where he spent two years before joining Active Chartered Financial Planners as MD in May 2007.
Karl says “The banking profession provides excellent grounding for a company director, as you gain a unique insight into company structure, processes and management.”
In 2013, Karl was part of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Programme at Leeds University Business School which is aimed to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity.
In 2017 Karl became a fellow of the Institute of Directors (IoD) and 2 years later he was appointed chair for the IoD North East (South region). In this role, Karl worked with other local businesses to drive the IoD forward and ensure that the voice of local businesses was heard.
In addition to this, Karl was a trustee for The Teesside Charity for 9 years and has taken on a number of fund raising challenges over the years. They include reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro in aid of mental health charity MIND in 2018 and travelling to war torn Ukraine in 2024 with friend and client, Mike Racz to take donated items and over £21,000 raised by the people of the Tees Valley.
Hobbies and interests
Married to Becky, Karl is a father of three and a big fan of the outdoors.
Not someone to stand still, Karl is a keen runner, taking part in many 10k and Half Marathon races over the years. “Running gives me a great opportunity to clear my head, which is hard to do having both a busy work and home life. It also helps me stay relatively fit, which is a must, given my enjoyment of nice food!” says Karl.
Client testimonial
“Service from Active has always been excellent and as an individual, Karl is committed to making communicating with his clients easy and consistent”
Qualifications
- Chartered Director (CDir, 2017)
- Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Programme graduate (2013)
- Diploma in Personal Finance Services (Dip PFS, 2010)
- Mortgage & Equity Release (Dip (MP & ER), 2009
