Meet the team

Neil Brown

Managing Director / Independent Financial Adviser

Neil started his Career at age 16 in Lloyds Bank where he worked until he was 30 then joined Britannic Assurance as a Financial Adviser, he worked for other large firms before creating Eden in 2010, he, along with his colleagues has taken Eden from a small firm to one of the most respected multi adviser firms in the area.

He is very experienced in all aspects of financial and tax planning and has great expertise in complicated pension planning and Inheritance tax planning and dealing in high net worth individuals and is the go to person for technical advice

Neil has 4 adult children and a growing number of grandchildren, he enjoys socialising and time with his family, he enjoys golf although he admits to being a hacker and tries to get to the gym when possible.

Alastair Brooks

Director

Alastair was a solicitor and notary public in the Milton Keynes area for over 40 years and has been a Director of Eden for over 12 years and a Director of Eden Wills & Trust Ltd for over 2 years.

He is well-known in the local area as Founder and Chairman of The Concrete Cattlemens Club, Chairman of the Beds and Bucks region of the Lord’s Taverners charity and Vice- President of the local Probus Club. He is also Founder President of Milton Keynes Businessmens Golf Club, Vice-President of Aspley Guise Cricket Club and Vice-President of Bletchley Rugby Club.

He is a member of Woburn Golf Club and MCC and is interested in all sports including football where he and his 4 sons support Luton Town.

Jim Deery

Director / Independent Financial Adviser

Having spent the last 32 years working in the financial services industry with Barclays Bank, St James’s Place, CDS Financial and Eden, Jim has acquired a wealth of experience and knowledge with which to help his clients achieve their financial goals.

His particular areas of expertise include Pensions and Retirement Planning, Equity Release and Later Life Financial Planning.

In his spare time Jim enjoys golf, history, holidays, family life, a wide variety of music, and following Luton Town FC.

Pietro Garritano

Client Relationship Manager

Pietro has been working in the Financial Services for the last 35 years.

As a former language teacher, Pietro used to share his knowledge with his students. About 35 years ago he decided to become a Financial Adviser and has been using the same skill and passion to help people in the field of financial planning, whether they have protection needs, or they try to build up a comfortable retirement pot.

His forte is, and has always been, to look after clients by developing an ongoing relationship and understanding their needs and their objectives. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, spending valuable time with family, going for long walks, and admiring our wonderful mother nature.

Ryan Brown

Independent Financial Adviser

Ryan joined Eden in January 2017 after spending 7 years in the property industry.

During his time at Eden, he has gained his mortgage and financial advice qualifications with plans to keep learning as much as he can.

Ryan’s areas of expertise include Pensions and Retirement Planning, Protection and Mortgages.

During his free time, Ryan enjoys family life with his young son, is an avid F1 fan and tries to play golf in between and when he can!

Adrian Balasa

Paraplanner

Adrian joined Eden in June 2023 after earning his diploma in financial services. With a strong passion for the industry and an eagerness to learn, he quickly progressed from an administrative role to paraplanner. Committed to advancing his career, Adrian is on track to becoming a fully qualified financial advisor in the near future. Outside of work, Adrian enjoys connecting with nature and spending quality time with his family. He also stays up-to-date on industry trends by tuning into finance podcasts, ensuring he brings fresh insights and value to his role at Eden.

Lisa Brooks

Administrator

Lisa came to work for Eden, initially on a self-employed basis, to assist with Annual Review Scheduling for our IFAs. However, we invited Lisa to join the Team on a full-time basis in April 2024 where her remit has expanded to include all aspects of administration.

In her spare time Lisa enjoys socialising with friends and family, doing crosswords and completing Wordle challenges with family members.