Area of work:

Corporate client coverage

Studied:

European studies and French, Manchester University

Joined:

October 2007

Working in:

London

I started my career in banking a little late. After travelling and working in financial recruitment, I worked for the German bank WestLB as an associate, studied hard outside work to get myself up to speed, and then went to ABN AMRO before being headhunted by BNP Paribas.

For me BNP Paribas was always a market leader, one of the strongest foreign banks in the UK, with very strong product franchises across all the capital markets and derivative space.

This place is non-hierarchical and doesn't really have badges or titles. Ultimately I'm an originator, delivering fee/ revenue-generating opportunities for my various product partners across the bank. In short, I manage and develop a portfolio of corporate client relationships and ensure the bank is in pole position to execute deals for clients across a range of products. At the same time, I'm also managing the risk exposure the bank is running against each respective client. It's a mixed bag, including property companies, transport, food retailers, a building materials firm and a bit of leisure industry as well.

One of my challenges is to become a trusted adviser to Board members of client companies, which means working with CEOs and CFOs and also group treasurers: it's very important that you have a strong relationship with them because they tend to be in charge of the transactional business. When it comes to more lucrative capital markets transactions, big decisions on capital structure and advisory mandates, that's when you have to be in tune with the CFO and CEO. I'm really a hybrid I guess, a senior banker/relationship manager, so I work across all levels within my clients. That makes me unusual in some respects - I straddle both the strategic, ‘share of mind' and advisory sides and also the more transactional activities.

I spend my time on the phone, reading sector research, analysing credit risks, developing client pitches and meeting lots of people. Most of the types of products we sell are pretty commoditised so the differentiating factor is really people/ personal relationships, combined with our market/ sector intelligence - the added value we can bring to a client relationship. The key is to combine that with a strong appreciation of the clients' objectives and needs, underpinned by our own sound risk management skills, product and sector knowledge. We need to demonstrate that we understand the key issues and risks and can apply that understanding to the client's business.

We are usually managing a significant amount of money and we have to make sure that people are well informed within the bank. So if I'm not dealing with clients, then I'm talking to people inside the bank, presenting to credit risk committees or developing client marketing strategies with product professionals in debt, equity, derivatives or corporate finance. A lot of the work involves making sure you are selling and marketing the appropriate product. Structuring a product for a specific client or set of circumstances is also very interesting and I am always learning.

I probably have a minimum of three to four client meetings every week - it could be a catch-up, a pitch, or just listening to something they want to talk to me about. It makes a difference being in an organisation that's well known and well respected. I've worked in a much smaller house and this is a different stratosphere, particularly with how BNPP has not just withstood the credit crisis but actually improved its profile throughout this difficult time.

We are located near Regent's Park, not in the City, and initially I was sceptical about that. But it's the best move I ever made because there's so much more space and quality of life here. I don't have to sit at my desk all day so I can take a break and go for a run in the park or to the gym we have downstairs.

Within the bank you will certainly find a very high calibre of individual. Many of my colleagues have come from top tier investment banks and some have been in US banks with their aggressive, working-all-hours culture, and this is quite different. BNPP is a great institution but you don't have to sacrifice your life to it - you can still value your family and enjoy downtime. That said, we work hard and do the long hours when we need to, but we also have time off

Quite genuinely, this is a great place to work. That's down to the innovation, creativity and strength of the products and people, but also the flat structure and the truly diverse, international human side of the organisation. There are no prima donnas here. You always feel that if you come up with ideas and suggestions, you not only have the chance to follow them up but also, importantly, get the credit for it.