Exit Partner
David has spent more than 30 years championing the role of financial planning as a force for good. As the founder of Navigator Financial Planning — one of the UK’s first Accredited Financial Planning firms — he built a values-driven advice business rooted in clarity, purpose and integrity. Following Navigator’s successful sale to Succession Wealth, David joins Pathfinders as an Exit Partner, supporting firm owners who want to exit well and leave a meaningful legacy.
A pioneer of responsible investing, David was Northern Ireland’s first Certified Financial Planner and continues to inspire others across the profession to align money with meaning. Thoughtful, generous, and quietly tenacious, he brings a rare blend of wisdom and heart to every conversation.
Outside of work, David can usually be found on the water, in a book, or with his family and church community in Warrenpoint.
Exit Partner
Damien is an experienced Chartered Financial Planner and leader that has been operating in the profession for the past 25 years.
Damien founded Brunel Capital Partners, a Bristol based Chartered Financial Planning practice in 2011. He successfully sold Brunel in 2022 and has worked in the Senior Leadership team of the acquiring firm until 2025.
Over a lengthy career, Damien has been bought, has acquired, has integrated and has now sold. He now brings this wealth of experience and extensive skillset to Pathfinders where he will be helping firms and owners find peace of mind, clarity and confidence, as he guides them through the most challenging but exciting time of their career, their exit.
As a qualified business coach and professional rugby coach, Damien is also well placed to coach and guide business owners through what will probably be the biggest emotional and professional turning points an owner will ever face.
Exit Partner
Straight-talking, seller-first, and fiercely committed to doing things properly.
Brian Hill is an experienced M&A adviser and former Financial Planner who understands what it takes to sell a financial advice business, because he’s done it himself, and helped dozens of others do the same.
Before launching Pathfinders, Brian co-founded and served as Managing Director of a sector consultancy, where he worked directly with firm owners preparing for succession or sale. That experience, paired with his own successful exit from a directly authorised firm, shaped his belief that the market needed a better way to sell: one built on tested processes, integrity, and seller-side alignment.
Today, Brian leads Pathfinders: the leading specialist M&A firm that supports owners of financial planning firms through their carefully managed, high-trust sales processes. He’s personally run dozens of firm and client bank sales, and is known for his clarity, commercial sense, and calm handling of high-stakes negotiations.
“The sale of your firm isn’t just a deal, it’s a defining moment. It needs to be done properly, with no regrets.”
Projects Lead
Katherine built her career supporting Financial Advisers and clients in regulated financial services. In 2018, Katherine founded her own regulated firm, successfully growing and developing the business before exiting in 2024. She specialises in bringing structure and analytical care to complex client work.
As Project Lead at Pathfinders, Katherine brings a structured approach to our deadline-driven environment.
With over 15 years of paraplanning expertise, Katherine’s enthusiasm for accuracy, data management and operational structure as being essential to long-term business success makes her an asset to the Pathfinders team.
Finance Lead
Fernando is a senior advisor in Corporate Finance with over 20 years’ experience guiding business owners and leadership teams through strategic transactions across Europe. He has led mergers, company sales, restructurings, and succession plans across a wide range of sectors, and is a recognised specialist in business valuation.
He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Pompeu Fabra (Spain) and the University of Warwick (UK), a Master’s in Corporate Finance, an Executive Program from IESE Business School, and a professional certification in Wealth Management from the New York Institute of Finance. This solid academic background enhances his ability to support clients with both strategic insight and financial depth.
Based between Spain and the UK, Fernando combines international perspective with strong local insight. He is known for his discretion, technical precision, and ability to navigate sensitive, high-stakes scenarios with clarity and calm.
Trusted by entrepreneurs, directors, and legal teams alike, Fernando’s role at Pathfinders is to make sure every client walks into negotiations well-prepared and walks out on the front foot.
Operations & Strategy
Catherine blends legal precision with behavioural insight to keep the Pathfinders engine running smoothly.
A former risk solicitor, she spent over a decade defending financial advisers and their insurers in high-stakes negligence claims. That experience gave her a deep understanding of the pressures regulated firms face, especially during transitions like succession or sale.
She brings more than legal rigour to the table. Catherine is also a certified international health coach, trained in behavioural psychology and communication. That dual lens helps her see both the structural and human sides of every project.
At Pathfinders, Catherine leads internal operations and seller campaign delivery. She’s the one making sure our strategy doesn’t just look good on paper, but lands well in the real world. Her focus: integrity, clarity, and seller-first execution, down to the last detail.
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