Can you give us an insight into your personal journey into the asset services industry, why did you decide this was the career for you?
My journey into the asset services industry was not something I planned from day one, but it quickly became an area I was drawn to once I understood the complexity and scale of what sits behind the investment process.
Early in my career, I was exposed to the operational and servicing side of financial markets and saw first-hand how critical asset servicing functions are to the smooth running of funds and trading businesses. What stood out to me was that, while it often operates behind the scenes, asset services sits right at the intersection of regulation, risk, technology, and client trust. When things work well, it enables growth and confidence; when they do not, the impact can be significant.
Over time, I became increasingly interested in the challenges firms face as they scale — growing transaction volumes, increasing regulatory expectations, and more complex asset classes — often supported by legacy processes and manual controls. That naturally pulled me deeper into roles focused on financial operations, controls, and technology, where I could help firms improve resilience, efficiency, and oversight.
What has kept me in the industry is the constant evolution. Asset services is never static — markets change, regulations evolve, and client expectations are higher than ever.
Being able to work with asset managers, banks and financial institutions to modernise how they manage data, controls and risk is both intellectually challenging and commercially rewarding. That combination is what keeps me motivated and the work interesting.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
What I enjoy most about my role is working at the intersection of clients, complexity, and change.
I really enjoy engaging with asset managers, banks, and financial institutions to understand the real operational challenges they face — whether that is scale, regulation, legacy processes, or increasing asset class complexity — and then helping them think differently about how they solve those problems. Every organisation is operating in a slightly different context, so no two conversations or solutions are ever the same.
I also enjoy the collaborative aspect of the role. Working closely with internal teams across product, delivery, and professional services to shape solutions that are both commercially compelling and realistic to deliver is something I find particularly rewarding. It is satisfying to see a deal progress from an initial conversation through to a solution that genuinely improves how a client operates day to day.
Finally, I am motivated by the fact that this work has a tangible impact. When firms modernise their controls, reduce manual processes, and gain better visibility over their data, it improves decision-making, reduces risk, and allows teams to focus on higher-value work. Being part of that transformation — and helping clients move from reactive operations to a more controlled, scalable model — is what keeps the role engaging for me.
Have you noticed any misconceptions about the asset servicing industry? Is there anything in the industry you would like to see evolve or change?
One common misconception about the asset servicing industry is that it is purely operational or ‘back-office’ in nature, and therefore static or purely reactive. From the outside, it can look process-heavy and slow to change, without much strategic impact.
In reality, asset servicing plays a central role in the stability and scalability of financial markets. It sits at the heart of data integrity, regulatory confidence, and client trust. When done well, it enables firms to grow, launch new products, enter new markets, and respond to regulatory change. The problem is that the strategic importance of asset servicing is not always visible until something breaks — which can unfairly understate the value of the function.
Another misconception is that legacy processes are purely a technology issue. While systems are often part of the challenge, many of the constraints are cultural or organisational long-standing ways of working, risk aversion, or fragmented ownership across teams. That complexity is easy to underestimate from the outside.
In terms of what I would like to see evolve, I think the industry is already moving in the right direction, but there is still progress to be made. I would like to see greater focus on proactive control rather than reactive remediation, with more standardisation, automation, and intelligent use of data across the lifecycle. Too much effort is still spent fixing issues after the fact rather than preventing them upstream.
I would also like to see asset servicing spoken about more confidently as a value-creating function rather than just a cost centre. As firms deal with increasing complexity across asset classes, regulation, and volumes, strong servicing capabilities become a competitive advantage. Elevating that mindset internally — supported by better technology and clearer ownership — is where I think the biggest evolution will continue to happen.
What is the training process of a new employee? Do you think it was beneficial to your role and others who may now be in the same position you were?
The training process for new employees was structured but also very practical, which I think is essential in an industry as complex as asset servicing. There was a strong initial focus on understanding the fundamentals of the industry, the regulatory environment, and how different parts of the business fit together, before moving into more role-specific and client-focused learning.
What I found particularly beneficial was that training extended well beyond formal sessions. Being involved in in-person client meetings early on helped bring the theory to life, as you can see first-hand how firms operate, what challenges really matter to them, and how conversations evolve in real time. Attending industry events was also valuable, both from a learning perspective and in helping to build broader context around market trends, peer challenges, and where the industry is heading.
Spending time in the office with colleagues was another important part of the learning process. Sitting alongside more experienced team members, listening to live discussions, and having the opportunity to ask questions in the moment accelerated my understanding far more than documentation alone ever could. That informal, day-to-day exposure helped build confidence and practical judgement quickly.
For someone entering the industry or a similar role now, I think that mix of structured onboarding, real client exposure, industry engagement, and in-office collaboration is hugely beneficial. Asset servicing has a lot of nuance, and learning by doing — supported by experienced colleagues — makes a real difference.
As the industry continues to evolve, I also think ongoing learning is just as important as initial onboarding. Continued exposure to clients, events and internal collaboration ensures knowledge stays relevant and keeps people developing well beyond their first few months.
In terms of your career, where do you see yourself in a decade?
Over the next decade, I see myself continuing to build on my role as vice president of North America, deepening my impact in a market that is still relatively new to me after spending over a decade operating primarily in the UK and Europe.
Making the move from the UK market into North America has been a significant and very deliberate step in my career. It has required learning a new regulatory environment, a different client landscape, and distinct cultural and commercial dynamics. What I have enjoyed most about that transition is the challenge it brings — building credibility in a new market, forming fresh relationships, and adapting how I approach clients while still leveraging the experience gained over many years in the industry.
In 10 years’ time, I would like to be seen as someone who has successfully bridged those markets, helping to grow and shape businesses across regions while contributing at a strategic leadership level. I am particularly interested in roles that sit at the intersection of asset services, technology and transformation, where I can influence both long-term strategy and how organisations execute against it.
What advice would you give to young graduates when entering the financial services field?
My main advice to graduates entering financial services is to stay curious and give yourself time to learn. It is a complex industry, and no one expects you to understand everything straight away.
Focus on learning how the wider business works, not just your own role. Ask questions, seek exposure to different teams, and take every opportunity to sit in client meetings, attend industry events and learn from colleagues in the office as those experiences accelerate development quickly.
I would also say do not chase titles early on. Prioritise experience, relationships, and building strong communication skills. Financial services is built on trust, and how you listen, collaborate, and adapt will shape your career just as much as technical knowledge.
If you stay open-minded, put the work into learning, and take advantage of opportunities as they arise, progression tends to follow naturally
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