If you’ve seen the name Rory McIvor around lately, it’s probably in one of two places: the serious world of investing content think market updates, portfolio debriefs, and calm takes when markets feel like a roller coaster or in entertainment headlines thanks to his relationship with Made in Chelsea star Olivia Liv Bentley. Both are true. But the core of Rory’s public work is this: he’s a finance communicator who sits at the intersection of markets, media, and plain-English storytelling.
What he actually does and why it matters
Rory McIvor has been Director Markets & Communications at Ruffer, an investment firm known for its “protect first, grow next” philosophy. In that role, he’s been one of the voices behind Ruffer Radio and portfolio update webinars basically the person who gets fund managers to explain what’s going on without jargon, and helps ordinary people understand the moving parts of inflation, interest rates, gold, equities, the yen… the whole thali. You’ll find his name on episodes covering big themes like the 2024 US election, crowding in mega-cap stocks, and whether economies can live with rates at ~5%.
Why that matters: in choppy markets, clarity beats drama. Rory’s value isn’t shouting predictions; it’s building context what changed, what stayed the same, and where the risks hide. That style earns trust with both nervous investors and curious newcomers.
The voice you hear podcasts, webinars, and essays
If you’re the “I’ll listen while I cook” type, start with Ruffer Radio. Episodes Rory hosts feature fund managers and strategists chewing through real-world questions how to think about rising markets that are led by only a handful of stocks, why the firm holds certain “insurance” positions, how geopolitics might feed into portfolios. It’s not hype; it’s practical, steady conversation. You’ll also catch him fronting the firm’s quarterly portfolio updates and pieces in the Ruffer Review again, clear tone, no fluff.
The “Pretty Penny” angle and personal brand
Outside the firm content, Rory McIvor name shows up tied to “Pretty Penny”, a founder/writer identity you’ll see referenced on professional profiles. That signals a broader aim: make money talk human. Instead of leading with charts and Greek letters, he anchors ideas in stories, history, and everyday trade-offs. It’s the opposite of textbook finance and closer to how real people make decisions slowly, with doubts, and with a life outside spreadsheets. (You’ll see this “finance in plain English” positioning echoed in public bios and newer write-ups.
The celebrity spotlight and why you saw him in lifestyle media
In late 2024, UK entertainment press picked up that Rory was dating Olivia Bentley from Made in Chelsea the kind of “soft launch” that turns into headlines overnight. Coverage described him as an investment professional (Irish background, London-based) and placed him at Ruffer at the time. It’s not the core of his career, but it’s part of why his name started surfacing outside finance Twitter and LinkedIn.
Education and early path what we can confirm publicly
Public profiles and coverage point to a strong academic track and a career built around markets and communications a mix you don’t always see together. That pairing is important: it’s one thing to understand macro; it’s another to explain it to anxious investors without making them more anxious. His Ruffer page and public posts are the cleanest, most credible anchors for his role and the kind of topics he leads.
Quick note because names collide online: there are other people named Rory McIvor including an Australian family-law barrister/mediator and a UK insurance professional (Generali). Different careers, different countries; don’t mix them up when you search.
Rory’s why the through-line
Every public appearance of his has the same heartbeat: make complicated markets understandable. He brings guests in, carries the conversation, and keeps framing around first principles risk, protection, time horizon, behavior. That’s what people need when markets wobble: not a prophet, a translator.
If you’ve ever tried explaining inflation to a friend who just wants to know “should I fix my loan?” you’ll get why that matters. Financial literacy isn’t about IQ; it’s about language, trust, and repetition. He leans into all three.
What he talks about (themes to expect)
- Investing through uncertainty: how to think about policy shifts, elections, and big macro swings without turning your portfolio into a casino.
- Crowded trades: why markets sometimes get dangerously narrow (everyone chasing the same giant names), and how to protect when that happens.
- Portfolio “insurance”: gold, derivatives, currency positions the unglamorous stuff that saves your sleep when volatility spikes.
- History as a guide: not “history repeats” but “history rhymes” how lessons from older cycles keep you honest today.
Style calm, story-first, and audience-aware
He’s not trying to be a “FinTok” entertainer. The vibe is more: thoughtful host who knows the right questions to pull out of fund managers and the right metaphors for listeners. If you’re new to investing, you won’t feel talked down to. If you follow markets daily, you won’t feel pandered to. That tightrope is rare.
Why his work resonates now
2024–2025 has been loud rate cuts “soon or not?”, sticky inflation, geopolitics, narrow rallies, everyone checking their brokerage app at midnight. In noise like that, people crave a steady voice. Rory’s content sits in that lane: not buying the dip blindly, not doomposting, just context, risk, and process. That’s why his podcasts and updates get shared by folks who otherwise avoid financial media.
If you’re discovering him via Olivia Bentley
No shame in that in fact, it speaks to something useful. When finance people show up in mainstream spaces, two things can happen: either it becomes cringe, or it opens a door for people who’d never listen to a “market update” to actually give it a shot. Done right, it’s an on-ramp to financial literacy. The lifestyle coverage confirms the relationship; the work tells you why the name is worth a follow beyond the headline.
Fast Facts for skimmers
- Role: Markets & Communications lead voice at Ruffer; host for Ruffer Radio and firm webinars; contributor to Ruffer Review.
- Public presence: Clear, story-driven explainers on portfolio positioning and macro themes; active on LinkedIn with market reflections and firm updates.
- Broader projects: Founder/writer identity under Pretty Penny, focused on making money talk accessible.
- Pop-culture link: Partner of Olivia Bentley (Made in Chelsea), which brought extra media attention in late 2024.
- Name confusion to avoid: An Australian barrister/mediator also named Rory K. McIvor exists separate person, separate field.
How to get the most out of his content a practical, human guide
- Start with one podcast episode. Pick a topic you actually care about say, market crowding or election risk. Listen end-to-end. You’re not trying to memorize; you’re looking for the 2–3 frames that make you say, “oh, that’s how they think about it.”
- Steal the questions. The best thing about a good host? The questions. Note them. Use them on your own portfolio thinking: What could break? How am I protected if I’m wrong? What’s priced in? (Those three alone save people from silly mistakes.)
- Read one written piece after. The Ruffer Review essays often add color and history. Pick one, read slowly, and you’ll see how narratives tie to positioning.
- Build a tiny “decision diary.” I’m serious. One page in Notion/Notes: date, what you wanted to do (buy/sell/hold), and why. After listening to an episode, update your “why.” This is how you go from reactive to deliberate.
- Don’t chase predictions—collect frameworks. Markets punish certainty. The win here is learning how to think, not what to buy. Rory’s stuff leans that way, which is why it’s helpful.
Common Questions because the internet likes clarity
Is Rory McIvor a fund manager?
No he’s a markets & communications lead/host at Ruffer, shaping and sharing the firm’s thinking through podcasts, webinars, and writing. He brings fund managers into the conversation rather than running a fund himself.
Why is he in celebrity news?
Because of his relationship with Made in Chelsea’s Olivia Bentley, which went public in December 2024 coverage. That’s separate from his professional work.
Is he the same Rory as the Australian barrister?
No. That’s Rory K. McIvor, a family-law barrister/mediator in Victoria. Different person entirely.
Where can I hear him?
Search for Ruffer Radio episodes and the firm’s 2023–2025 portfolio update recordings and Ruffer Review essays with his byline/host credit.
Final take
When I think about Rory McIvor, I don’t think “finance celeb.” I think good translator. The markets will always have noise, fear, and FOMO. What most of us need is someone who slows it down, asks the right questions, and makes the trade-offs feel human. That’s the gap Rory fills: steady conversation, smart guests, and context that respects your intelligence. If you’re building your own money mindset or just want to stop doom-scrolling market headlines he’s worth a listen.