CFA UK

Sean Alleyne is COO of Credit Suisse and was awarded the 2022 Powerlist Executive of the Year award and the 2022 Black British Awards, Financial Services Senior Leader. He caught up with Natalie Gregoire-Skeete, CFA, UK Financial Services Sustainable Finance Markets Lead at EY and a co-founder of CFA UK’s Black Professionals Network, to discuss his rise to success and the steps we need to take to forge a path for greater diversity in financial services. Natalie asks Sean to share his career tips and tricks and the advice he would give to his younger self.

In the first episode of our new podcast series ‘Future Proofing Finance’ co-hosts Ben Ashby and Tom Threfall welcome Max Bautin, Partner and Co-Founder, IQ Capital. As leading investors in Deep Tech, IQ Capital are passionate about the competitive edge it gives.   In their conversation Max defines Deep Tech and highlights the importance of identifying the benefit to the end user. Max also touches upon the state of the Venture Capital market, both in Europe and the US.

The UK Financial services sector continues to address the ‘old boys’ club’ reputation of the past. However, with 89% of senior level investment professionals coming from a higher socio-economic background something needs to be done to ensure that people from all backgrounds could reach their full potential. Host Ben Elvidge, CFA caught up with Sophie Hulm, CEO of Progress Together. Progress Together is helping firms understand the barriers when it comes to socio-economic progression to senior management or Board positions. Together Ben and Sophie explore the practical ways the investment profession can become more inclusive and welcoming to people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

In the second part of John Teahan’s discussion with Philipp Ruf Head of Research & Analytics at SparkChange, they discuss modelling with climate and how to factor it in to investment analysis. Philipp highlights the movement of carbon price risk from ESG and make it a tangible financial impact. The discussion also looks to the future and the importance of keeping future policy changes in mind when carbon modelling.

Host John Teahan, CFA caught up with Philipp Ruf Head of Research & Analytics at SparkChange. Philipp is an expert in carbon and energy markets and shares how he got into energy markets. He talks about how SparkChange, a specialist provider of carbon data and insight, is empowering financial institutions to drive change. They are working to capitalise on the opportunities — and manage the risks — arising from the transition to a low-carbon economy. Philipp goes back to basics and explains the difference between voluntary carbon markets, and compliance or regulated carbon markets. The conversation then goes on to focus on carbon permits, the licence to pollute and how reporting is helping to combat climate change.

Alan Livsey, CFA caught up with Maura Cunningham, CEO and founder of Rock the Street Wall Street who are helping girls view math-focused fields of study as compatible with a career that has a positive impact on the world. Their discussion centres around who is affected by financial literacy gaps, and how the finance and investment industry is positioned to the wider world – with a focus on gender equality. Maura shares the details of Rock the Street Wall Street, and the impact it has post-high school – their programme alumni are five times more likely to pursue a degree in maths, economics, related business field than the average American female university student.

Host Arun Kelshiker CFA catches up with Miren-Edurne De Frutos, in an honest conversation about her disclosure of her neurodiversity to her employer and her experience of being neurodiverse in the investment industry. Miren looks back at her childhood diagnosis of a rare form of epilepsy and then in adulthood, her diagnosis of ADHD and dyslexia. Initially, Miren sought further qualifications with additional adjustments, but ultimately disclosed her diagnosis with her management team, who responded positively. Miren shares her passion about using the seat at the table she has at her firm to create infrastructure for earlier diagnosis and better support and awareness throughout the investment industry.

In celebration of International Women’s Day Juliet Bullick, Head of Strategic Initiatives at Fidelity International caught up with Baroness Helena Morrissey, DBE to talk about how unlocking and supporting female talent in the industry will enhance their careers and improve gender parity in the industry. The discussion revolves around the perplexing statistic that only one in ten portfolio managers are women, and how initiatives such as the Diversity Project Pathway Programme and the Young Women in Investment Program are moving the dial on recruitment and retention of women in investment.

Henrietta Grimston is an Associate Director of Financial Planning at Evelyn Partners. During CFA UK’s ‘In Conversation Podcast’, Grimston talked to Maha Khan Phillips about what the future of retirement is going to look like, and why planning early is critical for individual retirement outcomes.

Sue Asprey-Price sits on the Work Dynamics Global Executive Board and leads the Work Dynamics business for JLL in EMEA. During CFA UK’s ‘In Conversation Podcast’, Asprey-Price talked to Maha Khan Phillips about how the workplace is evolving, and examined some of the key considerations for businesses, as well as employees.