Our team
The founder and managing director of New Financial is William Wright, the former editor and a member of the founding team at Financial News, a specialist publication for the capital markets that is now part of the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones. William was editor of Financial News between 2003 and 2011, and on his watch Financial News established itself as one of the most widely-read and respected publications for the investment banking and asset management industries. He played an active role in the sale of Financial News to the Wall Street journal in 2007. Before joining Financial News at its launch in 1996 he worked for the internal consulting group at a large UK bank. He was educated at Oxford, London, and INSEAD.
William Wright
Founder and managing director
Christopher Breen joined New Financial in February 2022 as a research analyst and focuses on ESG. Before joining New Financial, he worked at the Global Business Coalition for Education and International Crisis Group. He studied political science and Slavic languages & literatures at the University of Chicago and has a masters in international relations from King’s College London and a masters in data analytics from Queen Mary University of London.
Christopher Breen
Senior research analyst
James Thornhill joined New Financial in January 2024 as a research analyst, contributing to research and data analytics. Prior to joining, he completed a bachelor's and a master's degree in Astrophysics from the University of Cambridge.
James Thornhill
Research analyst
Michelle Badejo joined New Financial in May 2024 as head of events to manage the organisation and delivery of our capital markets and diversity programmes. Previously, she has delivered events and programmes at various institutions such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Moorfields Eye Hospital and London Business School. Michelle studied marketing management at Kingston University and received a masters in fashion business creation at the British School of Fashion (Glasgow Caledonian University, London).
Michelle Badejo
Head of events
Jenny Barrow joined New Financial in July 2018 as senior diversity and inclusion adviser and has been working in the field of diversity and inclusion for over ten years. Previously, Jenny was head of corporate responsibility for the Financial Conduct Authority where she developed and implemented the regulator’s diversity and inclusion strategy. Jenny also spearheaded the diversity and inclusion function at the global law firm Baker & McKenzie. Jenny was educated at the University of Kent, Canterbury, and is a member of St. George’s House Society of Leadership Fellows.
Jenny Barrow
Senior diversity and inclusion adviser
Yasmine Chinwala OBE, a partner at New Financial, oversees our work on diversity and sustainable business practices. Before joining New Financial she worked at Financial News in New York and London, where she managed all of the publication’s features and special reports, including the successful ‘FN100 Women in finance’ series of reports and events. Yasmine studied at the London School of Economics, and received an OBE for services to the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter in the Queen’s birthday honours list in October 2020.
Yasmine Chinwala OBE
Partner
Sheenam Singhal joined New Financial in October 2021 as a research analyst and focuses on data, research, and analytics. She pursued economics from University of Delhi and completed her master’s in international political economy from King’s College London.
Sheenam Singhal
Research analyst
Maja Bijelic joined New Financial in April 2017 as events and admin co-ordinator. Before joining New Financial she worked at the Office of HRH Crown Prince Alexander II of Yugoslavia, in independent schools, and in publishing. Maja studied international business at the International Management University in Belgrade, and has a MBA in strategic management from the Lincoln University, Oakland – California.
Maja Bijelic
Operations manager and EA to Partners
Jagan Deehan joined New Financial in November 2021 as a data analyst responsible for maintaining the company CRM as well as coordinating and analysing data for marketing and events. Before joining the team, he studied environmental management at the University of South Africa and was involved in a marine conservation project where he developed a deep interest in transforming data into valuable insights.
Jagan Deehan
Head of data and business support
Birgit Neu has been a part time senior adviser to New Financial’s diversity programme since April 2021. She was previously global head of diversity and inclusion for HSBC for more than five years, and has had a broad career spanning multiple sectors, including financial services.
Birgit Neu
Senior diversity and inclusion adviser
Maximilian Bierbaum joined New Financial in July 2022 as head of research and manages the delivery of our research programme. Before joining New Financial he worked at the City of London Corporation, where his research evaluated the UK‘s business environment for financial and professional services, and at pan-European economic consulting firm Oxera. He studied sociology at the University of Hamburg and has a masters in urban research and design from Hamburg’s HafenCity University.
Maximilian Bierbaum
Head of research
Matilda Hames joined New Financial in May 2024 as a research analyst focusing on research, analytics and data. She studied History at the University of York before completing a masters in International Relations of the Middle East from the University of Edinburgh. Her research centred on politics of the Gulf states and international humanitarian law in Iraq.
Matilda Hames
Research analyst
Anita Heaviside joined New Financial in October 2023 as head of membership and business development. She was previously head of membership at the Financial Services Culture Board. Her previous roles at UK Finance and Payments UK, Payments Council covered a broad range of responsibilities on board and member governance, strategy and payments policy. Anita is an economics graduate and brings significant experience from her time working in cross industry bodies with a wide range of different financial services firms, regulators, consumer bodies and government.
Anita Heaviside
Head of membership and business development
Veryan Dexter joined New Financial in August 2021 as strategic communications adviser, bringing over 20 years’ experience in communications, policy and research strategy representing clients across the media, education and non-profit sectors. Previously Veryan was Board Director at Braben overseeing the corporate communications client portfolio including BBC Worldwide, Bauer Media and Disney. Veryan Dexter was educated at the University of Warwick.
Veryan Dexter
Strategic communications adviser
David Charters is chairman of New Financial and one of its founding backers. He has been a banker, independent corporate finance adviser and principal investor for more than 30 years, having joined SG Warburg in 1985 and Deutsche Bank in 1995. He was one of the founders of Partner Capital and holds a wide range of non-executive and charitable trustee roles. Before joining Warburg he worked at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. David has published six books on life in the City of London, including the acclaimed No Tears and a series of (semi) fictional books about a banker called Dave Hart. He studied languages at Cambridge.
