The Person First Podcast

  Emma is an experienced Recruitment Lead with strong business acumen developed through in-house and external recruitment across the Financial Services industry. She is also the founder of award-winning social enterprise 'MoneyGirl' which seeks to improve financial literacy amongst young women from disadvantaged backgrounds. They provide support both in-person and online through their city and community events and social media/blog. 2017 Award Winner of UnLtd Shortlisted for Women In Finance Awards 2017 Listed on the Natwest WISE 100 (Women in Social Enterprise)   

Tom This is more of a list of useful links but it should be handy for those who want to dig deeper - definitely one for the synth geeks and tech heads –––> – aunt - horse pathologist and specialises in rabbits too – used to run a blog - ‘Music Thing’ • https://musicthing.blogspot.com/ – coming from different age, when writing about gear was very different to now – beginning of the age of Raspberry Pi / Arduino etc - homemade circuit kits etc – access to China was a gamechanger - getting kits prepared there and sent to UK – Make Noise, Asheville co. • http://www.makenoisemusic.com/ – electro music forum (synth DIY) - lunetta subscene • http://electro-music.com/forum/forum-160.html – ‘Make’ magazine • https://makezine.com/ – early days fiddling with circuits – shout to Don Buchla • https://buchla.com/ – invented a ‘Turing Machine’ - not that one – Sound Gas (instagram account) • https://www.instagram.com/soundgasltd – A shout to Emily from Mutable Instruments • https://mutable-instruments.net/ – Thonk - company selling kits • https://www.thonk.co.uk/ – joy of making circuits and having them function – open source schematics and making own versions of existing schematics – love of Talking Heads and behind the scenes creation process – overall deep circuit talk and home-made synth stuff

During this episode Raymond talks to host Ben about growing up in a close knit globe trotting family with a diplomat father and a mother who was a spiritual role model. They discuss the difference between character and reputation and receptivity vs emptiness as well as the effects of alcohol and productivity. Raymond also talks about rise in awareness of mental wellbeing etc, but how mental health is still a prevalent issue.    

Host Ben has a wonderful podchat with David discussing his career in finance which has taken him to Wall Street and now back to London. David talks about never really having a career plan and how he bases so many of his decisions on instinct gained from being a trader. The conversation looks at friendships and how those friendship groups can reduce as you get older as well as family and the impact Davids grandparents had on him.  

This episode hears host Ben talking to Justin Onuekwusi about the person behind the professional. Justin talks openly about the importance of family and specifically the impact his grandmother had on him. He also discusses his thoughts on social media and the ramifications of it. Justin discusses at length his thoughts on diversity and using the fact he is from a minority as a positive force and how he finds building trust and deeper relationships is helped through face to face meeting. This is a wonderful conversation and was an absolute pleasure to have Justin come to the studio to record it.    

Jennifer is an experienced business head with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry.   Listen to Jennifer talk to Ben about growing up with very little money in Rutland and how that has affected her thoughts on the equation of money, happiness and success. She talks at length about children with autism and the impact it can have on the parents.  

Mona is a CFA charter holder and has a first class degree in Economics and Politics from the University of Bristol. After eleven years at Rathbones Investment Management, she embarked on a new challenge at Stonehage Fleming in September 2018. Mona sits on the Investment Committee and is launching the firm’s multi asset ESG offering in the second half of 2019.  During this podcast Mona chats to Ben about being an only child and never having to share as a child and the impact that had on her in regards to success and winning then and how its all about the team win now. Mona also talks of the importance of embracing failure as well as empathy vs sympathy.    

Barry C Smith is a professor of philosophy and directs the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study. He is also the founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses, which pioneers collaborative research between philosophers, psychologists and neuroscientists. Barry spoke to Ben about the examples his parents showed him at a young age by treating him like an adult rather than a child. His efforts to reaching a point of total calm aswell as a free and easy attitude to death and the ever moving world we live in. He also talks about his needs to fill himself with artistic inspiration to entail a healthly work balance.  

Andrew has over 20 years’ experience in the asset management industry, building and managing investment communication and thought leadership teams at various blue chip companies. These include Legg Mason, Legal & General Investment Management, Coutts & Co. and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers. During this podcast Andrew talks to Ben about the impact of the death of friends at a young age and the importance of health. His relationship with his charismatic scientist father and his love and respect for his brother. He spoke at length about early internet to bitcoin onwards, in relation to future of print media and the shifting landscape in his own business and world of asset management  

Sarah Angliss is a British composer, multi-instrumentalist and sound historian whose music combines ancient instruments with theremin, electronics and her own robotic inventions. She performs her music live and also composes for theatre. In November 2018 she received an artists award from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. During this podcast Sarah chats to Ben about growing up and the impact her grandmother had on her. The consequences that having septicaemia at 13 had on her life. She talks openly about her approach to work, success and happiness, not tying your identity into the thing you. The importance of keeping coming up with ideas, mental health, routine and the value of having honest friends.        

Jagz Kooner is an English producer who has worked with Radio 4, Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream for whom he co-produced their cover version of the song 'Some Velvet Morning' sung this time by the model Kate Moss, Garbage and Infadels. He has created remixes for Massive Attack "Butterfly Caught" with additional vocals from the English electronic music vocalist Tara McDonald. His remix "My Beautiful Friend" from The Charlatans was so groundbreaking that it inspired Eddy Temple-Morris, a DJ at the XFM radio station to form a show dedicated to remixes. Kooner also worked with Rammstein, Siobhan Fahey, Ladytron, Adam Freeland, dEUS, Kasabian and more recently Reverend and the Makers. His remix of 'Swastika Eyes', for Primal Scream appears as one of two remixes of the track on the Xtrmntr album. He has also remixed two songs from the Oasis album, Dig Out Your Soul. On the bonus CD available only as part of the Deluxe Edition, Jagz Kooner has remixed first single 'The Shock Of The Lightning', as well as, the album track 'The Turning'. He has also been keenly involved in the UK mash-up scene. He was also a member of the bands The Aloof and Sabres of Paradise with Andrew Weatherall and Reverend and the Makers new project Reverend Soundsystem or otherwise known as RSS. During this podcast Jagz talks to host Ben about growing up in the 70s as the song of immigrants and the presence of the national front where he was living in West Drayton. The impact of Bollywood film scores through to his work with Andy Weatherhall and his approach to work, deadlines, distractions, processes and so much more  

As financial firms become increasingly attuned to issues of reputation, CSR, and environmental social governance, Vian is privileged to be at the forefront of these initiatives at international investment firm Investec Asset Management. Heading Global Communications for all regions ex.Africa, she has been a key player in identifying, strengthening, and communicating the initiatives we lead to support these global issues. Alongside this, as Foundation Partner at leading global digital asset brokerage BCB Group, she is spearheading the search for cutting edge innovation to accelerate our world towards a positive future.  My work reflects my deep personal beliefs in the importance of conservation and sustainability. I have travelled to the world’s wild places to catalyse projects to protect indigenous animals and people. Most rewarding has been raising funds and participating in a project to attach tracking collars to the last elephants in Virunga National Park in DR Congo.

Henry Ritson is a British musician and record producer. He is an instrumental performer, singer, writer or producer on over 700 electronic/urban music songs, including tracks by Dizzee Rascal,the Sugababes, Nas, The Black Eyed Peas, Jessie J, Iggy Azalea, Duke Dumont, Avicii, Ludacris, Lil Wayne, Sigma, Rizzle Kicks, Chemical Brothers, Cee Lo Green and David Guetta and singing the lead vocals on the international hit single "Tell Me Why" by Supermode. Ritson is co-writer and co-producer of Katy Perry's 2015 Christmas song "Every Day Is a Holiday"together with Duke Dumont. He was Musical Director for Dizzee Rascal's 2009 performance at the BBC Electric Proms and subsequently went on to lead and play in Dizzee's live band. As a featured artist he heads up the electronic music group The Young Punx. Ritson is also owner of MofoHifi Records and a board director of the Featured Artists' Coalition.

Pablo read Music at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he was a Choral scholar and a Lay Clerk. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music, and participated in the ENO Opera Works programme. Aside from a successful career in opera, Pablo is behind the successful YouTube street documentary series "Streets Of London" where Pablo asks members of the general public a multitude of insightful questions. The YouTube channel has over 36,000 subscribers to date. watch here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa3cGZikmp773zSLivApV1g

David is a university lecturer as well as being a stand up comedian. This interest in comedy has led to David being a co-host of the hugely successful David Earl produced podcast "Brian Gittins & Friends"  We was thrilled get the opportunity to sit, talk and record this episode of The Person First.

Suzanne H. Gage is a British psychologist and epidemiologist who is interested in the nature of associations between lifestyle behaviours and mental health. She is a lecturer at the University of Liverpool and has a popular science podcast, "Say Why to Drugs", which explores substance use. Suzi Gage is from Missenden, Buckinghamshire, where she completed A-Levels in Maths, Biology, Music and English at Dr Challonders High School. She received her Bachelors degree in Psychology in 2004 and Masters degree in cognitive neuropsychology from University College London in 2005. Prior to her Ph.D., Gage concentrated on language, specifically the impact of early language learning on later ability. Her PhD used the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children to investigate associations between adolescent tobacco and cannabis use, which she completed at the University of Bristol in 2014 Gage remained at Bristol as a postdoctoral researcher, where she worked in Professor Marcus Munafo's programme of the Integrative Epidemiology Unit investigating causality in the associations between lifestyle behaviours and mental health outcomes. Here Gage taught a short course "Appraising Epidemiological Studies" and delivered lectures on Science Communication to MSc psychologists. Whilst at Bristol, she became a prominent voice in the public debate about recreational drug use. Gage joined the University of Liverpool as a lecturer in 2017. She is a member of the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is Social Media Editor for the journal Addiction. Gage began writing for the Guardian as a Ph.D. student at the University of Bristol.Sinc e, she has written for The Economist, The Conversation, The Telegraph and The Lancet Psychiatry. In June 2011 she won the science engagement activity I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here!. Gage started blogging in 2011, and her blog "Sifting the Evidence", focused on research and ideas in epidemiology and public health. In 2013 she appeared in the Science Grrl calendar, and in 2014 she appeared in their video "She Blinded Me with Science".She is an advocate for creativity within the sciences, and has argued "science and the arts don’t exist in silos". Gage was a keynote speaker at the 2017 March for Science in Bristol. Gage's podcast, Say Why to Drugs, explores the science around substance use. It is on Scroobius Pip's Distraction Pieces Network, and the rapper has co-hosted many of the episodes. The podcast has over 750,000 listeners, and won Gage the 2016 AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science. She has also appeared in the University of Liverpool podcast series.

Ruti Olajugbagbe , known professionally as Ruti, is an English singer-songwriter. She rose to fame after winning the seventh series of The Voice UK, where she won a recording contract with Polydor Records. In 2018, Ruti auditioned for The Voice UK, and joined Sir Tom Jones's team. After winning the series, her winner's single "Dreams", a cover of the Cranberries song, reached number 1 on the UK iTunes Store, and debuted at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart.

  Matt has had a fascinating career in the media being a presenter on Scuzz TV and Kerrang! Radio. He is a established music journalist and has recently gone on to launch the successful "Life In The Stocks" podcast, talking to the likes of John Lydon, Gene Simmons and Stephen Graham etc Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

Nick Batt was one half of production duo DNA, best known for releasing a remix of Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner" in 1990. As well as "Tom's Diner", the duo remixed another second Suzanne Vega track, "Rusted Pipe", and a radio mix of "Rosemary" in 2000. After a brief lull, DNA reappeared with a mix of the Loreena McKennitt track "The Mummers' Dance", which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart in 1997. Batt has worked extensively with Goldfrapp on Felt Mountain, Black Cherry, and Supernature; he also received an Ivor Novello Award for co-writing "Strict Machine" from Black Cherry.

  Remi has a Strong business development acumen with a demonstrated history in innovation and an award winning concept in entrepreneurship.    Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

The Person First Episode 10 Special Guest Bev Shah   Bhavini ‘Bev' Shah, is the Founder and CEO of City Hive, the only professional network dedicated to uniting, supporting and championing women at all levels of asset and investment management. Prior to setting up City Hive she clocked up over fifteen years' in the City at some of the world's largest financial institutions Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

Matt Oomen is the global head of distribution at BNY Mellon Investment Management Responsible for sales, product development and marketing for BNY Mellon Investment Management globally, covering institutional and retail channels, all asset classes including fixed income, equity & alternatives and all product delivery types.  

Guy is a  creative and entrepreneurial marketing and advertising practitioner, having worked in media agencies in UK and International pitch management and consulting and most recently in commercial partnerships and sales at BBC Worldwide.   Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

  Bobby is a dance, rock and indie record producer and audio engineer living in Stoke Newington, London. He is co-founder of The Rattle. The co-working studio complexes shared by artists and music startups in London and Los Angeles. He is also a former member of the British dance-punk group Does It Offend You, Yeah?. Bloomfield's list of work includes writing, production and remixes for Does It Offend You, Yeah?, 50 Cent, Linkin Park, The Faint, Natalia Kills, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, Christopher Lee and Vienna Ditto. Bloomfield has also produced music for Audi, La Redoute and Barclaycard commercials and for the HBO movie Hollywood Flies. He has played in various bands including Does It Offend You, Yeah? and he is a relative of the English labouring class poet Robert Bloomfield.   Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

  Jason is the founder and host of the hugely successful Stop & Search Podcast, which is part of Scroobius Pips Distraction Pieces Network. Alongside this Jason is also a writer who has a regular column in the Pod Bible publication     Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

  In the days following the 7/7 London bombings in 2005, acting sergeant Gary Hayes of the British Transport police (BTP) was assigned to the temporary mortuary where bodies were being brought for identification. “When we got bodies in they’d been down in those tunnels for two or three days, the decomposition, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” he said. But it was a less visceral sight that proved to be the trigger for the chronic, complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) he developed that he believes eventually cost him his job – a card written by a father to his son, who had been killed in the blast. Gary has been vital in the setting up and drive of the charity PTSD999 helping those suffering in the emergency services. In this episode Ben and Alvin talk to Gary and find out about the person first. https://www.ptsd999.org.uk/     Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

  Jordan is an English comedian, recording artist, radio host, actress and author. She came to fame on BBC1’s The Voice UK in 2016 #TeamPaloma. Jordan made TV history as the show’s first ever Transgender contestant – and the first competitor ever to be asked back to the show within the same series. Her ‘Battle Round’ duet with Theo Llewellyn is widely regarded as not only the series’ emotional highlight but also one of ‘the most honest moments in reality television’. In 2017, after a decade in the pop and indie music industry (touring and recording under the pseudonym Tall Dark Friend) Jordan announced her leap to stand up comedy Jordan discusses openly and honestly her life and career to date throughout this episode with Ben and Alvin. Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

    At the age of 18, Gary Mansfield was given a prison sentence for actual bodily harm, following an incident where £4.2m of heroin was found in his car. Now a professional artist, encouraged by a teacher in prison and urged on by leading lights in the artistic community, Gary is in a very different place to where he started out. In this episode Ben and Alvin talk to Gary and find out about the person first. https://www.saatchiart.com/account/profile/19873   Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

  Leon McLeod was one of the first police officers on the scene of the London Bridge terror attack. The father-of-one and his colleague PC Wayne Marques, armed only with their batons, gave chase to the knife-wielding terrorists, with little thought for their own safety. Among the screams and chaos, Leon kept his cool and helped dozens of victims –  many of whom had been enjoying a night out at Borough Market – by giving them first aid and carrying them to safety. Then PC McLeod realised his colleague had been set upon by all three attackers, and he tended to him after he was brutally stabbed in the head, leg and hand. Just two days later PC McLeod was back at work. He was later awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal, and PC Marques the George Medal. But the following year, his life “unravelled” – leaving him battling suicidal thoughts.  Throughout this episode Leon speaks openly and honestly To Ben and Alvin about his life before and after this life changing moment.       Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=Qw_Q-kdWQhWzS259XYG_-Q https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229

  Hairdresser Stewart Roberts, 56, knows only too well the issues facing people dealing with substance abuse and homelessness. So in 2014, he set out to make a difference. He went down to the Salvation Army in Romford, bringing his scissors, and offered to trim whoever was waiting in line for a hot meal. After a successful first session, other shelters soon started asking for Stewart to come and do the same for their clients. Haircuts4Homeless was born. Now he’s got 300 volunteers working in 45 UK locations and together, Haircuts4Homeless has issued over 35,000 free haircuts to rough sleepers all around the country. On this episode Stewart talks openly and honestly to Ben and Alvin about his life, loves, fears, focus and happiness https://www.haircuts4homeless.com/ https://www.stewartroberts.net/   Subscribe and follow The Person First https://open.spotify.com/show/3GYODKYIfolx5dyRBxuLkF?si=MJ0IcSr2QPK9HKj2RHuo_A    https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-person-first-podcast/id1469867229