Clare Anderson joined Cazenove three days after graduation ‘to earn money and go travelling’, she says, laughing. Twenty years and an impressive succession of promotions later, she finally managed to take a sabbatical. But wealth management can be addictive: Anderson returned after three months away – a testament to her love of the job.
‘That was an important moment for me,’ says the head of one of Cazenove’s three
private wealth teams.
‘People may think someone who hasn’t moved lacks imagination,’ she says candidly. Not so. ‘While back in 1996 we were an old-style stockbroker, today we’re an independent trusted adviser with a fantastically integrated wealth planning operation.’
Anderson’s clients include owner-managed businesses, entrepreneurs, media stars
and landed estates. ‘We are getting a lot of enquiries about pension transfers at present,’
she says, ‘and in addition we are seeing the continued quest for risk-free returns ahead of inflation – the holy grail.’
The 2008 crash showed that relationships are vital. ‘You really need to make sure you understand the client and his expectations,’ she says.
Anderson hasn’t got travelling out of her system entirely, and has been learning Spanish
while renovating an old property near Girona.