28 November 2021
Old School Tie
Your Name Paul Doughty
Your Job Stockbroker - Director
Company Name Investec Wealth & Investment
What do you do? Investment and Wealth Management
Where do you live? Frodsham, Cheshire
What car do you drive? BMW 4 Series Coupe
Married or single? Married to Lisa for 18 years
Favourite sport?
I enjoy skiing and watching football. I play golf and am fortunate to be surrounded by excellent courses both in Cheshire and close by on the Wirral.
Favourite team?
I have been following Blackpool Football Club for over 40 years and am still a season ticket holder. This has been a roller coaster ride – excuse the pun, several relegations albeit we have just been promoted to the Championship. Happy times at the moment at Bloomfield Road.
Last Holiday?
Covid has had a massive impact on my holidays. Skiing with my brother David and a group of friends in Chamonix was my last venture out. I am looking forward to a return to the slopes and also summer holidays with Lisa.
Years at KGS?
1980 – 1987
Best memory at KGS?
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the CCF which included many adventurous training camps and flying in a chipmunk aircraft at RAF Woodvale. On the back of that I'm still having flying lessons today! The Geography field trips were always good fun. I have forged life-long close friends from my time at KGS.
Most influential person?
There are far too many to single out. They were all legends. I wasn't sure what career path to take until towards the end of my University days. All KGS staff were supportive and it's good to see a number of them back at the Old Kirkhamian dinners. The staff involved with the CCF especially helped develop leadership and team work skills which are essential in the business world.
First job?
After my first year at University I obtained a summer internship at NatWest Stockbrokers in the City of London. I traded UK equities for customers of the bank network.
What is your degree?
I have a degree in Financial Services and spent a further 3 years at Investec doing the various professional investment management exams. I work with people who hold a wide variety of degrees in different subjects. It doesn't really matter what you study as a degree as long as you can demonstrate you have a genuine interest in what you are applying for.
What do you wish you had been told that would have helped you the most?
Always listen to any advice that is given to you. Do something that you enjoy, as you have a long career and there is no point being miserable. If you put the effort in you will be rewarded. In interview situations genuine enthusiasm is just as valuable as your academic success.
Tell us about your job...
I am an Investment Director and started off at Investec as a Stockbroker. The role has developed into Investment and Wealth Management which is far more than just buying and selling shares. I manage private clients, charities and trusts looking after their investment portfolios. I aim to provide risk adjusted, diversified portfolios. I am also qualified in financial planning but my main day to day role is Investment Management.
How did you come to have a career in this particular industry?
After graduation I was accepted on a Corporate Banking graduate scheme with NatWest which gave me a solid background into business finance. I got involved in a business that floated on AIM (Alternative Investment Market) which I found fascinating. I always enjoyed the client contact side and wanted to return to the Investment Management world. I joined Rensburg Sheppards in 1999 which was subsequently taken over by Investec. I have always been interested in Stock Markets and am very lucky as what I do is a natural fit.
What has been the biggest challenge in the last 12 months?
The Pandemic has changed the way we operate. I previously spent a lot of time visiting clients in person. The technology we have now enables me to partly work from home and liaise with clients and my team remotely. This has worked well and we will continue to do so going forward. I was originally concerned about the development of new graduates in the business, but the technology has considerably helped facilitate this.
What is your best tip on how to succeed in business?
Respect all of your colleagues and spend time helping and developing junior team members. You never know when you will need their help, or in the future possibly report to them! Learn as much as you can from senior colleagues. Always prepare thoroughly and do your homework before embarking on something. Double check whatever you do as errors in my world can be expensive.
Do you take risks in business?
Investment Management is always about balancing risk and reward. In essence we are risk managers managing portfolios depending on a client's appetite for risk. We have complex risk management systems to ensure the risk we take match expectations.
What business tool couldn’t you live without?
I am a great fan of MS Office and constantly use the tasks and calendar function to manage my day. We started using MS Teams when Covid started and this has proved invaluable. I am able to hold remote meetings with clients and colleagues. Previously I would have to have gone to London to listen to market strategists but can now access these remotely saving time.
Do you use social media in business and what works best for you?
Investec Wealth are visible on Linkedin and you can also find me on there. I am, however, a great believer in face to face contact.
Are there any trends in your industry that you’re excited about or think our readers should be paying attention to?
ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing is becoming more of an issue. This actively selects companies that meet specific environmental, social and governance requirements. Investors are now looking at these non-financial factors to identify material risks and growth opportunities.
You can email me on my personal address: Paul_doughty@sky.com