A Day in the Life of… an Investment Director at Quilter Cheviot
Name: Poppy Fox
Company: Quilter Cheviot
Job Title: Investment Director
Linked In profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poppy-fox-chartered-fcsi-49808940
What does your company do?
Quilter Cheviot manages investment portfolios for private clients across a range of different investment types such as pensions, ISA’s, and trusts. We look to invest in different asset classes, whether that be equity, fixed interest, or cash, across different geographical sectors, whether that is the UK, the US, Far East, China etc. We then create a diversified portfolio in line with the client’s personal preferences and mandate.
How long have you worked at your company?
I have been with Quilter Cheviot for just over 2 years, however, I have been in the industry for about 15 years. I started at a company called Brooks Macdonald straight from university and I took a semi-conventional route to my role now. I joined as a Team Assistant and did that for a couple of years before joining the graduate scheme internally. This shows that if you do not get into the graduate scheme straight away, it’s not the end of the world.
What training/qualifications do you need?
I did lots of on-the-job training, everything from the IMC to a Diploma in wealth management. It is quite tough working whilst trying to do your exams, but it is worth it in the end and you will get there.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I tend to start quite early and I am normally at my desk by 8am which gives me time to digest what has happened overnight, and to look at markets and performance before the day really gets started. I will then check my emails and see what client queries I have got and also any queries from financial advisors and introducers. I will then plan my day, whether that’s reviewing clients, doing trades, or doing client meetings. These meetings could be via Zoom or in-person. Prior to the pandemic, we didn’t really do Zoom meetings but now it is a much more important part of our usual working day.
What do you enjoy the most in your job?
I love the variety in this job, no two days are the same, which makes the days go really quickly and are really interesting. I also love working with lots of different types of clients, so I work with people from all backgrounds, all industries, all sectors, and no two people are quite the same and that adds to the variety of the job.
What core skills do you need to do your job?
Firstly, you have got to be a good people-person, you have got to enjoy meeting new people and chatting to everyone. Secondly, you need good organisation skills because a lot of what we do is portfolio admin, making sure everything is as it should be. Thirdly, you will need to have investment knowledge, but this is something you will definitely learn on the job so I wouldn’t worry if you don’t think you have this yet.
What advice do you have for young women interested in getting into the investment industry?
Just get started! Get a job, get into the industry, and get going. Get those qualifications and work hard and you will find those opportunities. Also, build your network, initially that might be internally but as you work your way up the ladder, look to extend it externally as well because this will stand you in good stead.