I am Ryan, a Private Wealth Manager at Melbourne Capital Group. My route into financial planning has been slightly different from most; I found finance much later in life. When I left school, I played professional rugby for 2 years, including a year in New Zealand. Whilst playing in New Zealand I also gained some teaching experience visiting local schools to coach rugby and help some of the younger pupils with reading; this was my first introduction to education. Upon returning to the UK, I tried my hand at several careers but struggled to find something that really motivated me. At the age of 21 I secured my first job in a school as a sports coach and teaching assistant; I instantly knew that teaching was a career I wanted to pursue and thoroughly enjoyed being able to remain active out on the sports field. I then went on to become a qualified PE teacher, working with a broad age range of students, from age 4 to 18. After 7 years of teaching in the UK, I was looking for my next challenge and began applying to roles internationally.  

In 2019, I was fortunate enough to secure a position as a Head of Department in an international school in Kuala Lumpur. I have remained in Malaysia ever since, met my wife here, and even got married in Langkawi with all my friends and family making the trip over to witness the beauty of the country that I am now proud to call home.  

After 12 wonderful years of teaching, and achieving all I had set out to achieve, I once again found myself looking for new motivation and a renewed sense of purpose. Early in my search for an alternative career, I found Melbourne Capital Group and began my journey to becoming a financial adviser. The transition into financial planning was both difficult and rewarding at the same time but I have been amazed with how useful and relevant the skills from teaching have been to financial planning, particularly when it comes to building relationships and communicating with clients. From the very beginning of my journey, financial planning has also given me much of the same fulfilment that teaching always did, which keeps me motivated to continue growing and developing.  

It gives me great satisfaction to know that, through financial planning, I am making a positive difference in people’s lives, helping to guide them towards their financial and life goals whilst developing long-lasting, meaningful relationships along the way. I take a holistic approach to my planning and endeavour to ensure that every aspect of my clients’ financial well-being is considered.  

Outside of work I keep as active as possible and will play any sport that is available, when I get the chance. Rugby is a particular passion of mine and I am fortunate enough to have had opportunities to play in international tournaments all over the world, including Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, Kenya and Denmark, to name a few from recent years. I also love travelling; my wife and I try to visit at least 2 new countries together every year, with our favourite pastime being walking the streets of new locations and following our noses to find some delicious local food.