Our Team
Alok Dhanda, Principal
Alok Dhanda is principal of Dhanda Financial which he established in 2000 to provide independent financial advice to a wide range of clients.
Alok is one of the UK’s leading Independent Financial Advisers having been named New Model Adviser for the North in the 2006 New Model Adviser of the Year awards. He is also a member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) – an elite organisation aimed at financial professionals.
Alok was born in India and part-raised in Kenya before moving to the UK in his teens. After completing a business degree in accountancy at Northumbria University he began working for Albany Life selling insurance.
A colourful and successful career followed before the company was bought out by Canada Life which was the catalyst to set up Dhanda Financial. Alok now provides financial advice to around 200 corporate and private clients.
Alok lives in Gosforth with his wife Seema and his ten year-old son Nirav and eight year-old daughter, Navika. In his spare time he enjoys travelling, keeping fit and golf.
David Heppell, Independent Finacial Advisor
David Heppell is an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) at Dhanda Financial. Since joining the company in 2003 he has worked alongside Alok to develop the profile of organisation by utilising his experience gained looking after a wide range of corporate clients during his 20 year career in the industry.
David joined Albany Life in 1988 as Financial Services Consultant and having taken a number of professional exams left the company in 1995 to work within a firm of Independent Financial Advisers. In 2000 he moved to a larger firm of IFA’s to manage their Newcastle office.
A highlight of his time at Dhanda Financial came in 2006 when the company was named New Model Adviser for the North.
Karen Stoddart, PA
Karen is the most recent addition to the Dhanda Financial team having joined the company last May.
Her role covers everything from being a PA for Principal Alok Dhanda, to customer service and administration. More specifically she is involved in welcoming clients, taking phone calls, providing client valuations and business processing.
Karen has previously worked in the sales industry, but is now enjoying being back in the world of work after taking time out to concentrate on being mum to four daughters three year old Tilly, Nina aged six, Freya aged 10 and Caitlin, 16. What she enjoys most about Dhanda Financial is that no two days are the same.
Aside from spending time with her four daughters, Karen also enjoys listening to music, food – cooking and eating it, walking, reading, clay shooting and catching up with friends.
Margaret Heseltine, Administrator
Margaret joined Dhanda Financial as an administrator two years ago and her main role at the firm is to provide administrative support to Alok Dhanda, Principal of the firm and his clients.
Before joining Dhanda Financial, Margaret spent 29 years working for the National and Provincial Building Society before it was taken over by Abbey National.
Margaret enjoys working as part of a small team where everyone has a part to play in providing the best possible service.
Outside of the office Margaret enjoys the outdoors, particularly walking in the Lake District and Scotland. She has recently taken a share in an allotment and is busy giving it a lot of attention to get it established in between enjoying time with her new grandson.
Kirsty Rogers, Receptionist
Kirsty Rogers joined Dhanda Financial as a receptionist almost three years ago. Her role involves meeting and greeting clients and ensuring they feel welcome.
Kirsty enjoys getting to know Dhanda Financial’s clients on a more personal basis and finds it rewarding to see them happy with the service they receive. She enjoys working as part of a friendly and efficient team and hopes to remain at Dhanda Financial for the foreseeable future to further her career in finance.
Away from the office, Kirsty enjoys spending time with her daughter Katie as well as reading, going to the cinema, taking holidays abroad and of course shopping!
