‘If you have a wide spread of interests, a career in wealth management works very well,’ says Jeremy Hervey, who started out in 1993, attracted by the relationship aspect of the work, as well as an interest in markets and their drivers. Hervey is now deputy head of private wealth management at Cazenove, with a focus on discretionary management of investment portfolios for large private families and their trustees as well as charities.
A lot has changed since he began, although the fundamentals remain much the same. ‘People are people,’ says the affable Hervey. ‘They want a really good service, to speak to someone they like, and a level of performance that meets or exceeds their objectives.’
Cazenove has long been known for its professionalism and high service levels, but Hervey – who worked previously at HSBC – is heartened that the rest of the industry is following suit, a change he sees as driven by tightening regulation. ‘The level of qualification and professionalism means the industry is much better served, particularly by the leading players, than it was 25 years ago,’ he notes.
The father of four says the greatest satisfaction comes ‘when you’re looking after a family or an individual you’ve been working with for a long time and they make it clear how much they value you and how much trust they have in you’.