Meet the Behavioural Economist

Mark Pittaccio
BA (Hons), MSc, CFP, Chartered MCSI, IMC

Mark Pittaccio is a leading behavioural economist, key-note speaker and consultant with over 35 years of professional experience. He has held a number of high profile senior management and board positions in the financial sector and has run his own IFA practice. He has worked on the advisory, distribution and provider sides of financial services spending much of it helping advisers to create and deliver compelling client propositions and investment strategies.

Mark has often been at the forefront of developments in the financial world. From helping to create the first personal contract hire plans for the acquisition of vehicles to the development of investment wrap platforms and risk-rated multi-asset funds. He was also an early champion of transparent, fee-based financial advice. His research into the personality of financial advisers has attracted a lot of attention and is being further developed. In addition the concept of Adviser Delta, or measuring the difference that taking advice makes, that has been developed with long term associate Paul Young has received industry recognition and an award for innovation.

Throughout his career Mark has been fascinated by the way in which consumers make the decisions they do, recognising that if a business truly understood the factors behind individual economic decision making they could alter their proposition to ethically attract and retain more of their target client group. This interest led him to study the science of behavioural economics and eventually to a second career as The Behavioural Economist.

Mark uses his professional experience and academic research to help organisations run profitably, grow sustainably and create real value so that when the time is right, people can step back or exit their businesses confidently. As a successful rugby and cycling coach for the last 25 years Mark also uses his sporting experience to build effective teams and motivate individual performance.