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Meet the team

Our team is made up of highly experienced fundraisers and researchers. Between us, we’ve worked with over 2,000 not-for-profit organisations, helping them to raise millions for good causes.

While we embrace remote working, we’re very flexible. We are always happy to meet our clients face to face – whether that’s in your office, a local work hub or your favourite café.

Kerry Rock

Chief Executive

Kerry has over 30 years’ experience in research, policy and management. She joined Prospecting for Gold in 2012 and currently leads our research consultancy and data protection work. She also runs our training programme, sharing her expertise in webinars and seminars.

Before she moved to the UK from Australia in 2005, Kerry worked in the water industry then ran her own research and communication consultancy, supporting leading companies within the research industry. A career highlight was providing customer insights to help determine the future of Australia’s largest water company. Kerry also ran an independent film production company and wrote and produced a feature film that was selected for the Cannes Film Festival.

Kerry has written hundreds of user-friendly reports and presented to wide-ranging audiences at national and international conferences, seminars and board meetings.

Kerry volunteers both within the charity sector and in her local community. She is a trustee of Cure Parkinson’s and sits on the Chartered Institute for Fundraising’s Consultants Special Interest Group committee. She is a member of the Market Research Society and president of the UK branch of the University of Melbourne’s Alumni Association. Closer to home, Kerry is a volunteer citizen scientist, helping to protect her local river, the Chess.

Sarah Shipley

Researcher

Sarah graduated in law from Cambridge University before specialising in employment law in the City. She moved from advising clients to providing know-how services to a team of employment lawyers.

Since joining Prospecting for Gold in 2013, Sarah has combined her legal training and research expertise to provide invaluable research insights for our clients. She currently specialises in our prospect briefings and new names service. 

Outside of work, Sarah is a keen rower and volunteers at her local rowing regatta. She was also part of a team which ran a Raleigh International expedition in Brunei and has been a trustee for her village pre-school.

Jo Williams

Researcher

After a year off work to supervise building work on her house, Jo took on a ‘temporary’ role at Prospecting for Gold in 2013 – and she’s still here a decade later!

Jo’s background is in statistics. She spent 15 years as a data analyst and project manager in food and drink research. When she joined our team, she initially worked on our Wealth Intelligence Database, focusing on identifying new prospects. She now runs our wealth screening service, working closely with clients to help them make the best use of their supporter contacts. Jo looks after our Millionaire Next Door service, helping clients find new prospects.  She also leads on our big data projects such as the Million Pound Property dataset.

A keen dressmaker, Jo also enjoys camping and goes to an outdoor bootcamp class in all weathers. The rest of her spare time is spent ferrying her teenage daughter about.

Helen Bradbury

Researcher

Helen began her career at Cancer Research UK, working on the Lord Mayor’s Appeal in the Mansion House. Here she helped secure funds from corporates, trusts and foundations and assisted with high-profile events such as a fashion show with Amanda Wakely, ballet with Darcey Bussell and an evening with the late Dame Edna.

As Research and Development Manager for Cancer Research UK, Helen set up the research side of the major gifts department, helped identify key prospects for the major giving board and provided research for the trusts and foundations team. She then worked for international research company Saints Information and as a freelance research consultant.

Helen joined our team in 2011. She leads our corporate and trust research and also conducts extensive research into high-net-worth individuals. As a passionate supporter of the environment, Helen has volunteered with several environmental charities, and she loves daily walks in the woods with her dog Myla.

Katrina Whiting

Research Assistant

Katrina worked across local government, the private sector and the not-for-profit sector before joining us in early 2023. She brings her experience as a financial investigator with the Financial Ombudsman Service to her role as research assistant, while her time in the volunteer support team at Sands means she has firsthand experience of operations within a charity.

At Prospecting for Gold, Katrina focuses on researching high net worth individuals, particularly identifying new prospects for our clients and helping them qualify their best prospects. She has a degree in film studies and enjoys hosting film nights for friends.

Hari Bandari

Research Assistant

Hari joined PFG in 2024 to work in the wealth screening and data insights team. She is data-focused professional with Python, R, SQL and data visualisation skills, supported by data analysing skills and SAS Programming experience. 

Hari is currently involved in running wealth screenings and preparing screening reports for our clients. As well as being a whiz with data, Hari is also a qualified homeopath and has extensive experience in health research.

Maria Jornet Escuer

Researcher

Maria joined PFG in 2024. She is a Fundraising Researcher with specialist experience in Due Diligence and corporate research. Her early career was as a researcher in the financial information services industry. She is now involved in preparing detailed reports on prospects for PFG’s clients, particularly focusing on Corporate prospects and Due Diligence assessments.

Maria is also an experienced translator, who can speak four languages and is proficient in another two. Her language skills are invaluable in international due diligence research.

Andrew Thomas

Founder

Andrew has over 35 years’ experience in fundraising. Save the Children, Oxfam, UNICEF UK and the International Institute for Environment and Development are among the many charities he has worked with. Andrew raised £40 million for the Prince’s Youth Business Trust – funding that was matched by the UK government.

A founding member and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, Andrew set up Charity Consultants Ltd in 1990, the first agency of its kind in the UK.  He has long believed that strategic prospect research is fundamental to effective fundraising. He founded Prospecting for Gold in 1999 to help charities put this into practise.

Andrew is currently a trustee of the National Motor Museum. He has volunteered on the boards of Friends of the Earth, The Globe Theatre Appeal Committee, Good Jobs Ltd, the International Year of Shelter and the International Council for the World Congress on Philanthropy, to name just a few. 

When he’s not working, Andrew enjoys gardening, spending time with his grandchildren and  messing about with old cars.