Flex and the City - Great leadership in financial services

I really enjoyed my conversation with Mandy Rawlinson, Head of UK and EMEA for Aberdeen Investments and author of You Don't Belong Here , for the latest episode of Flex and the City . Mandy's career didn't follow the path she originally imagined. Growing up in the Scottish Borders as a first-generation corporate, she studied law with ambitions of joining the police before finding he...

In the latest episode of Flex and the City , I was delighted to sit down with Denis Harty, Country Head of Waystone Continental Europe and CEO of Waystone Management Company, and one part of the conversation stayed with me in particular. His perspective on teamwork. Denis moved from County Kerry to Luxembourg 25 years ago and entered financial services almost by accident while studying law. Since...

I really enjoyed my conversation with Olivier Portenseigne, CEO of FundsDLT and Head of Digital at Clearstream Fund Services, for the latest episode of Flex and the City . He started his career as a temp, keying manual trades in Luxembourg. Nearly three decades later, he is leading a blockchain-based infrastructure platform. But what stayed with me was not the career journey. It was how simply he...

Some leadership journeys do not start with a perfect plan. They start with a decision to jump. In this new episode of Flex and the City, I had the pleasure of speaking with Georges Bock, Founder and CEO of Investre S.A. and Moniflo. Georges spent decades in a senior leadership role at a Big Four firm. Successful. Respected. Comfortable. But he realised that comfort is not where transformation happ...

Some of the best leadership lessons come from the most unexpected places. In this new episode of Flex and the City, I had the pleasure of speaking with Albert Howard, Co-Founder and Director of Business Development at MiniBranch. Albert’s career path is anything but ordinary. From his early days in sales to his time in banking and now business development, every step of his journey has been guided...

I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Philip Brown, CEO of Clearstream Banking S.A., and I have to say, this conversation really stayed with me. From his early days in banking during London’s Big Bang to leading one of Luxembourg’s most established institutions, Phil’s story is one of curiosity, courage, and connection. What struck me most was his deep belief in people, in trust, long-term r...

I had the immense pleasure of interviewing Dr. Stephanie Eckermann, Executive Board Member of Deutsche Börse AG and Chairwoman of Clearstream entities, for Flex and the City. We talked about career paths, female leadership, attracting young talent to finance, AND the surprising link between running a global post-trade business and hosting a great BBQ. From AI to agency, data to diversity—this epis...

In this new episode of Flex and the City, I sit down with Stéphane Pesch, CEO of the Luxembourg Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (LPEA). He’s not just navigating Luxembourg’s private capital space — he’s shaping it. And he’s doing it with values, vision, and a deep belief in people. 💥 In this episode: ➡️ From liquid funds to private equity — Stéphane’s personal pivot ➡️ Why curios...

In this week’s episode of Flex and the City, I’m joined by Florent Albert, CEO of Utmost, for an insightful conversation on the art of leading through change. Florent’s journey spans the globe—Provence, New Caledonia, Paris, Leeds, the US—and each chapter has shaped his unique approach to leadership. From navigating mergers and acquisitions to understanding team dynamics and regulation, one thing...

In the final episode of Flex and the City for 2024, I have the pleasure of connecting with the visionary Paul Chapman, Managing Director of HornbyChapman! 💼✨  Paul shares his invaluable insights on why the next generation of Financial Services professionals—especially Gen Z—must embrace AI and sharpen their sales skills to thrive in this dynamic industry.  Key Takeaways: Resilience wins: Your ci...

In the latest episode of Flex and the City, I had an inspiring conversation with Brian Godins, Chief Commercial Officer at Callistone. His 31-year journey through financial giants like Morgan Stanley and HSBC offers insightful wisdom for every listener. The Chief Commercial Officer of Calastone shares what financial services can learn from Doods the cat and how they need to adapt and stand out to...

𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 🚀 In my latest episode of Flex and the City, I engaged in an enlightening conversation with Philippe Renard, Deputy CEO of Caecis and former CEO of RBC in Luxembourg.  Philippe shares his remarkable journey from engineering to finance, offering valuable insights that resonate across industries. 𝗔 𝗙𝗲𝘄 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲...

I'm thrilled to share our latest episode of Flex and the City, where I had the privilege of speaking with David Sarfas, The Managing Director at CSC. 🎙️ ✨  In this episode, David Sarfas, Co-Head of Global Funds and UK Country Head at CSC, shares his thoughts on the future of financial services.  He emphasises that if the industry wants to win gold, it must focus on increasing transparency, s...

Dave Micallef dives into an engaging conversation with Aric Faber, the dynamic President and CEO of SalesPage, on the latest episode of Flex and the City. From starting with Aric Faber's background, leadership philosophy, and experiences in business.  To emphasising the importance of authentic leadership, influenced by his early experiences in sports and mentorship. He values teamwork and bui...

Had an amazing interview with Emanuele Vignoli, the CEO of HSBC in Luxembourg on Flex and the City, and it did not disappoint! 🎙️✨ Emanuele dives deep into “Gender Finance” and his passion for boosting diversity in financial services. He stresses the importance of authentic leadership, continuous development, and staying curious in our ever-changing world. 🌍 Emanuele also champions the developme...

🎙️ Today on Flex and the City, we took a virtual trip to Bella Italia with Francesca Prym! As the CEO of UBS Fund Management in Luxembourg and Head of UBS Mancos Europe, Francesca brought one important thing—ENERGY. You’ll walk away from this episode feeling inspired, energised, and reassured by her incredible insights and passion for the industry. 🌟 Francesca's vision for the future of fund...

In this special edition of Flex and The City, Dave Micallef engages in an eye-opening conversation with none other than Kirsty Watson, the powerhouse Chief Operating Officer of  Advisors at abrdn.  Kirsty takes us on a journey from her roots in Dunfermline, Scotland, to her unexpected path into the world of financial services.  Drawing inspiration from leaders like Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, an...

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Bhagesh Malde, the Global Head of SS&C GlobeOp, for a great new Flex and the City conversation. From starting his life in Kenya and then beginning his working career in The City of London to his journey across multiple continents, Bhagesh's story is one of adaptability, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of diverse perspectives. As an eth...

I had an incredible conversation with Craig Blair, the Country Head of Franklin Templeton Luxembourg on Flex and The City.  Craig is authentic, humble and thoughtful in his approach to leadership. He speaks from the heart and believes that everyone can be successful. We spoke about his childhood in Belfast, the impact of the "troubles" and the strength of his mother often alone raising 3...

It was a pleasure to host Falk Fischer on Flex and the City, where we delved into his 6 C’s: Cuba, China, Culture, Connection, Change, and Camping.  Falk and I discussed the continual nature of change, encouraging us to take control and steer it. He also stressed the importance of understanding various cultures, arguing that this comprehension is crucial for appreciating different viewpoints.  He...

Had a fantastic time interviewing Enrique Sacau on Flex and the City! As the Group CEO of Kneip, Enrique shared his insightful thoughts on appreciating what we have and avoiding making things too complex in general and also in the fund industry.  He also shed light on the importance of flexibility and adaptability in the ever-changing business and geopolitical landscape.  Thanks for sharing your w...

Had a fantastic time interviewing Benjamin Collette on #FlexandtheCity . 🎙️ ✨  We delved into how the financial industry can learn from the kitchen—just as the right mix of ingredients makes a great dish, diversity in financial services teams can lead to great success. 🥘 🚀  He also shed light on the preconceived notions surrounding financial services being an exclusive club. His dedication to b...

Wonderful to interview Elaine Chim from Apex Group who brings both Yin and Yang to financial services. Elaine was born and raised in Glasgow to Asian immigrants and after starting her career in London has spent the last decade in New York  Yin and Yang is the symbol of harmony that reminds us that life is a balancing act and we are most fulfilled when we learn to embrace its dualities.  Elaine tal...

Flex and the City is back after the summer vacation and who better to interview than Martin Vogel the Global Strategy Officer of Waystone. 🎧 🎙️ 🌟  𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗲'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀.  Plus, we'll be discussing his 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺, and...

Flex and the City is coming to you from Switzerland🇨🇭 today, where we had the fantastic opportunity to sit down with the self-proclaimed "fund nerd" Norbert Schmitz. Norbert shares his unique perspective on leadership and communication in the funds industry, drawing from the intriguing analogy of pets and their owners. He believes that, much like the special bond and understanding betwee...