Philip Howell

Executive Chairman

Philip joined The Openwork Partnership in March 2020, bringing extensive experience in financial services and wealth management. He began his career in the military before moving into a 24-year career in investment and private banking with Barclays. During this time, he held senior roles including Regional CEO for South East Asia and South Africa, and Head of Strategy and Corporate Development. After leaving Barclays, Philip focused on the wealth management sector for more than 15 years. He served as CEO of Fortis Private Banking, Williams de Broe, and most recently Rathbones Brothers plc, where he was Chief Executive for five years.

Rob Barker

Chief Executive Officer

Rob joined The Openwork Partnership as Chief Executive Officer in September 2025, bringing over 30 years of leadership experience across insurance, wealth, and asset management. He was previously Head of Insurance, Wealth & Asset Management EMEA at Alvarez & Marsal, and spent over a decade at Aviva, where his roles included CEO of their Wealth division, CEO of Protection and Health, and Chairman of Aviva Health. Rob is passionate about delivering innovation and long-term value through purpose-led leadership. Originally from South Africa, Rob has lived and worked in the UK for over a decade.

Carrie Morris

Chief People Officer

Carrie joined us as Chief People Officer in 2018 but her connection with us began in a previous incarnation of The Openwork Partnership. Carrie started her career at Zurich Financial Services, where she spent 10 years. With a passion for driving cultural change and engagement, Carrie has held multiple HR Director roles as well as Board membership in a range of industries sectors including telecoms, manufacturing, technology, music, and IT, both in the UK and with International responsibility. Working with global players with over 10,000 colleagues through to tech start-ups has given her a wealth of experience to draw from. Her last role before joining us was as European HR Director for AXA IT, where she was responsible for driving the people agenda to support them on their technology and cultural transformation.

Stuart Bowden

Chief Risk and Compliance Officer

Stuart joined The Openwork Partnership in September 2022 as Chief Risk & Compliance Officer. He leads a highly experienced team covering Risk, Compliance, Information Security, Data Protection and Financial Crime, supporting the network to deliver good outcomes while helping to keep everyone safe. With over 25 years in Financial Services, Stuart has held senior roles at the FCA, Prudential UK and Compare the Market. He also spent time in consultancy at Deloitte, giving him a broad perspective on regulatory and risk frameworks. He was drawn to The Openwork Partnership by the strength of the culture and ambition of the business, and is focused on helping the network navigate complexity with confidence.

Erica Mandryko

Chief of Staff and General Counsel

Erica joined The Openwork Partnership in 2015. She became a member of the Executive Committee in 2022. She leads our legal, company secretariat and sustainability functions and also oversees The Openwork Foundation, where she serves as a trustee. A corporate lawyer by background. Erica has over 20 years’ experience across law firms and financial services. Her career has taken her to New York, Paris and the British Virgin Islands, where she spent seven years as an offshore corporate lawyer. Erica is passionate about sustainability and helping the business operate responsibly while giving back to the communities we serve.

Jennifer Mathias

Chief Finance Officer

Jennifer joined The Openwork Partnership in January 2025 as Chief Finance Officer and a member of the Executive Board. She has over 30 years’ experience in financial services, covering corporate, private and wealth banking. She has held senior roles at Lloyds Bank, including during the integration of HBOS, and later became Global CFO at Coutts. She then took on CFO and Deputy CEO roles at EFG Private Bank UK, followed by Group CFO at Rathbones. There, she led a major digital transformation and supported several acquisitions, including Investec Wealth UK. Jennifer is inspired by the ambition of the business and looks forward to playing a key role in the next phase of the Partnership’s growth.