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Published on: 3/20/2007
Last Visited: 3/20/2007
Julian Winser
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This is Guernsey >Business >Business Stories >Julian Winser
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Schroders chief executive Julian Winser has always recognised his interpersonal skills as one of his strongest assets and he has used them not only to develop good client relations but also to create the best workplaces possible, as Tom Bradshaw reveals
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Born and bred in Nottingham, Mr Winser spent nine years in the army before settling on his career in finance.After school, he spent three months at university in Geneva learning French before a short six-month stint as a soldier, during which time he was predominantly stationed in Gibraltar.‘Then I went to the University of Exeter and started a degree in economics and statistics, which I detested - 18 months later, I was back in the army.'He quickly qualified as a helicopter pilot and spent the next nine years flying all over the world before feeling ready to settle down.In 1986 he joined Barings International and spent his first four years in finance working in administration and operations.
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During his early years, Mr Winser completed an MBA in marketing and sales through the Open University.‘I mostly studied on the train while commuting.'Newly qualified, he moved across to the investment side of the business.After establishing the split between investment management and client services, he moved into the latter, dealing with high net-worth individuals and charities.
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But Mr Winser said the mid-90s saw a shift in dominance towards private clients.‘The period saw a huge amount of new wealth created - it was a very exciting time. ‘Before that, we were predominantly dealing with second- and third-generation inheritance money and clients were less hands-on. ‘But the self-made want to be far more involved in their financial affairs and they want to diversify away from markets to reduce volatility.‘New money is the future and I have really witnessed this change since joining Schroders.'He first worked in the client asset-management side before a private bank was set up in London. Mr Winser was seconded to Guernsey on a three-month contract as chief executive in November 2005 while a permanent successor was sought.But he made such an impression that the appointment was extended to three years.‘I hope this will be made longer.'He admitted that the move to the island came with some trepidation.‘Prior to my arrival, the administration and operations side of the business in Guernsey had just been outsourced at a saving of £1m. annually, but at the loss of 50 staff.‘The office was well aware that the decision had been passed down from London and I am sure they were very suspicious of me when I arrived.'But, undeterred, he seized the opportunity to make the streamlined office work together better and more closely with clients.‘With the utmost respect, I initially found the work ethos slightly different over here than in London.‘It was frustrating that some people could not see the bigger picture outside Guernsey, but I have strived to make them raise their game to a global perspective.'Soon after he arrived, Schroders moved into a new office at Regency Court.‘The former premises at Sarnia House were a bit of a rabbit warren and not congenial to good communication.'The new office is close-knit and open-plan, with Mr Winser taking pride of place among his team.He has strived to increase the number of one-on-one meetings the company has with its clients.‘The finance industry has traditionally made things unnecessarily complicated.Just try and open a bank account these days and you will know what I mean.‘But our role is to try and simplify everything we can to make it as easy as possible for the client.It is little things like reminding people visiting the island to invest to remember their passports that make all the difference.'Schroders Guernsey has 32 established posts, including a team of three investment managers who joined from Barings last month.Mr Winser said he had always been very competitive and got his satisfaction from growing the business.
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But Mr Winser spends a lot of time here by himself, which he said allowed him to focus on what he was doing.
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