Profile on... Andrew Bates, Private Banker
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Q: Tell us a little about your background
A: I've worked in banking since 1992, when I
joined TSB bank (as it was called back then) upon leaving school
and started my banking career as a clerk in Sutton-in-Ashfield,
Nottinghamshire. I self-studied for my banking exams in my spare
time and subsequently became a fully qualified financial consultant
in 1997.
After this, I spread my wings and moved
firstly to the Isle of Man in 2000 and one year later moved to
Miami, as regional manager for Central and South America and the
Caribbean. A few years later I found myself back on the Isle of Man
with Fairbairn Private Bank and subsequently began helping grow our
business on the other side of the world, this time in the Far and
Middle East. More recently, I've been spending a significant amount
of time with our UK based clients culminating in my move to the
UK.
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Q: What do you enjoy most about working at Fairbairn
Private Bank?
A: Having the autonomy to work with clients across the
full spectrum of financial services and to be able to develop
innovative solutions to assist in clients' financial
requirements.
I particularly enjoy being able to speak to anyone in the bank
openly regardless of position or seniority in the bank. There are
no barriers and no egos to contend with, and there's a real team
spirit. The bank's flat structure is what makes it so special and
which is why I believe it works so well. Doors are always open and
ideas are always listened to.
Q: What are your goals / aims in the short-term?
A: My recent move to the bank's London office is to
promote and raise the profile of Fairbairn Private Bank in the UK.
The bank is taking onshore what we've been doing very successfully
offshore and I'm busy raising our profile in the UK market. I am
meeting as many clients as I can, to introduce them to the bank and
its multi-award winning range of services and its flagship combined
banking and investment platform, Focus.
Q: Is there anything your clients are particularly
interested in at the moment?
A: Unsurprisingly, clients are looking for better rates of return
but without taking risk outside of their comfort zone. Conventional
bank deposits haven't been delivering decent rates for some time
now and this will likely continue for the foreseeable future. Our
solution to this is to meet with our clients, to individually
assess their needs and requirements, and then we create the most
suitable solutions going forward. These may range from capital
protected structures to low risk bond portfolios through to discretionary
investment management services. All of these will be tailor
made to suit the individual and can offer investors attractive
rates of return at a level of risk suited to them.
Lending is also in big demand and the bank can offer a
comprehensive and competitive range of borrowing solutions for
various uses, eg, property purchases, leveraging and tax
structuring. Each case is considered individually and we always try
to look beyond just lending and aim to build a long-term
relationship with each and every client.
Q: Your top tip?
A: There's nothing wrong with going grey (gracefully!).
Education: Left high school in 1992. My
qualifications include the Certificate in Financial Planning (Cert
PFS) and the Certificate for Mortgage Advice and Practice
(CeMAP).
Career: 1992 - 2004 - Lloyds TSB; 2004 - Joined
Fairbairn Private Bank.
Likes: Travelling and a good night
out!
Dislikes: Applying sun cream and queuing.
Dream job: Bering sea fisherman (think Deadliest
Catch) or a structural engineer.
If you weren't here now, what would you be doing?
More than likely in a meeting on weekdays! But at the weekend I
like to relax and catch up on sport.