Trailblazer

Laura Winter, Investment Manager at Rathbones

What do you do day-to-day?

A lot. There’s a huge amount of variety in my day which I love. From meeting with prospective clients and preparing investment proposals, to managing client portfolios, undertaking research and trading securities, as well as maintaining client relationships throughout their investing journey.

No two clients are the same. Each have different backgrounds, priorities and investment aims. It’s our job to understand them. I work with busy professionals, families, professional advisors, corporates and charities. What they all have in common is that they want to take care of the future. I customise portfolios to meet each client’s particular needs which are aligned with achieving their financial goals while utilising Rathbones’ core investment process and philosophy.

What do you enjoy outside of work?

Before starting my working day, you’ll always find me in the gym. I love resistance training, it sets me up for the day ahead! I even took that hobby a little further and qualified as a personal trainer too. I’m quite a foodie, especially combining travel with good restaurants – I’ll often do some research before travelling to new places to scope them out, my partner has the same love as me for this which works very well!

Do you think there is a benefit to being a female in your industry?

I believe everyone brings different skillsets to the table irrespective of gender. However, female characteristics tend to express more empathy and as such add a different dynamic to client interactions. Women tend to strive for perfection and have strong organisational skills which not only adds value to the client experience, but also the running of the business itself.

Females are still in the minority in the Investment Management industry, so there are plenty of opportunities to step up and stand out! I’d love to continue to see more women chose a career in Investment Management, as I believe this will encourage more women to engage and discuss their financial matters and goals! I would highly recommend the book ‘Girls that Invest’ by Simran Kaur if you’ve ever wondered how on earth the stock market works and want that initial understanding of how you, as a woman, can claim a space for yourself in the world of finance!

Best bit of your job?

The people. I really do believe that as much as I enjoy my day-to-day role as an Investment Manager, that what makes it, is the people you work with and the clients who entrust you to manage their money for them. Rathbones takes a very collegiate approach and the relationships I have formed with my colleagues and clients have been pivotal to my career development.

Hardest bit?

Volatility comes hand in hand with investing. When markets are going through difficult periods, it involves tough conversations with clients. It’s actually steering through those times that really embeds the client relationship and reinforces the trust clients have in you with their wealth.

Career highlights so far?

Successfully passing my CISI Level 7 Chartered Wealth Manager qualification at the age of 25, and as I stepped out of my final exam I received a message from my boss at the time to say I’d been promoted!