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?
After graduating, I worked in hospitality to make ends meet. One evening in 2014, the EMEA managing director of S&P Capital IQ walked into the restaurant where I was working. We got talking, he handed me his business card, and that one conversation kick-started my career at S&P.
Having taken my first step into the world of data, I held a number of commercial roles, while gaining exposure to a wide range of asset classes, from public equity and fixed income through to alternative credit and private assets.
After nearly eight years at S&P, my next chapter arrived in an unexpected way. As part of the merger between S&P and IHS Markit, regulators required the divestiture of Leveraged Commentary & Data (LCD), a news and analytics provider covering leveraged finance and private credit. I moved with the business to PitchBook, a subsidiary of Morningstar, where my focus shifted towards private markets, particularly delivering data to clients through alternative channels such as data feeds and APIs.
We live in a world where data drives nearly every decision. I came to realise that having the data is only half the story; the real value lies in how quickly and accurately it reaches the people who rely on it. My time at data vendors had shown me that whilst a wealth of data can be fed into systems easily, a significant portion is still handled manually. That realisation brought me to Canoe in 2026, after several years at PitchBook. Alternatives had become the part of the industry I was most drawn to, and Canoe sits exactly where operations, alternative investments, and data meet.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
No two days are the same. Every potential client works in their own way, with their own processes, systems, and challenges, and I find it genuinely rewarding to learn how different firms operate. I have always enjoyed problem solving, and this role is exactly that. I also hear client feedback first hand and can bring it back to our product team, so that together we can build something that works better for them.
Being fairly new to the industry, how do you find your experience compares to those who are more established? Are there pros and cons to each?
Although I am relatively new to asset servicing, I have spent more than a decade in financial data, so I sit somewhere in between. Being newer has clear advantages. You come in with a fresh perspective, and you are not afraid to question the way things are done. You also tend to be more comfortable adopting new technology or bringing across skills from previous roles.
What newer people often lack is context. Those who have been in the industry for years have extensive networks and relationships, as well as a thorough understanding of fund structures and operational nuances. Information asymmetry still exists, however good our tools become, and experience is often what closes that gap. In my experience, the best teams combine both: newer voices challenging the status quo, and experienced colleagues who can draw on those networks and that depth of understanding.
Have you noticed any misconceptions about the asset servicing industry? Is there anything in the industry you would like to see evolve or change?
The biggest misconception is that asset servicing is unglamorous and archaic, especially compared to front office roles. In reality, the front office can only be as good as the data and operations behind it. Without accurate data, timely reporting, and reliable operations, investment decisions simply cannot be made with conviction.
What we are seeing right now is a paradigm shift in the way we work, comparable to the arrival of the internet or the personal computer. Automation and AI are taking over much of the repetitive, manual effort, freeing people to focus on analysis, oversight, and client relationships. It is easy to quantify the cost of change, but much harder to quantify the cost of standing still, at least without the benefit of hindsight. In the end, firms that can change with the times will thrive, and those that do not will be left behind. That being said, change needs to be aligned with a firm’s objectives, rather than change for the sake of change.
What I would like to see is the industry moving faster, particularly in private markets, where so much still depends on PDFs and email. I would also like to see greater standardisation in how fund managers report to their investors; a common format would make life easier for everyone in the chain.
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 onboarding at Canoe is well structured. I had one-to-ones with colleagues across the business, from marketing and business development through to product and implementation.
That gave me a clear picture of how each team contributes to the client journey, which has proved invaluable in front of prospects. When a prospect asks what implementation looks like, or how their data will flow into their existing systems, I can answer with confidence because I have heard it directly from the teams who do it. For anyone joining from outside the industry, or from an area adjacent to asset servicing as I did, that foundation shortens the time it takes to start adding value, because it gives you a holistic view of the business.
In terms of your career, where do you see yourself in a decade?
I would like to be taking a leading role in a commercial organisation, with a strong focus on setting strategy. Having spent my career so far on the front line with clients, I have seen that good strategy depends on two things: understanding what customers need, and making sure the business is set up internally to deliver it.
What advice would you give to young graduates when entering the financial services field?
Information is everything, and it has never been more accessible, particularly with the rise of AI. Arm yourself with knowledge while maintaining a critical mindset; it is one of the most powerful tools you can have. Stay open to opportunities, because they can come from the most unexpected places. Mine arrived with a business card at a restaurant table.
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