Sophie's story

Creating diverse teams that better reflect the times we live in

Sophie is a Client Adviser based at Rothschild & Co’s London office, advising Wealth Management clients. She is also a trustee of the Rothschild & Co Bursary Foundation, supporting those who face barriers to higher education.

"For me, prior to joining the firm, a real attraction of Rothschild & Co was its status; a business steeped in history and tradition.

With the family still in control, we’re also able to have a very long-term approach, giving you the flexibility to develop lasting relationships with your clients.

It gives you confidence – both from an employee and client perspective – that the company and culture you’re joining will be much the same in 10 years’ time, which is very reassuring.

There has always been a philanthropic angle to the family and everything the firm does, with a real drive to help and give back in any way they can.

As a result, there are plenty of opportunities to do charitable work outside of our day-to-day responsibilities.

For example, as well as tutoring children from disadvantaged backgrounds, I’m also currently a trustee of the Rothschild & Co Bursary Foundation, which gives university scholarships and support to young people facing barriers to higher education.

It's a very collegiate culture here at Rothschild & Co. We share a lot of information and best practices between client advisers and teams. Being supportive and collaborative enables us to enjoy each other's successes, and we know that when the team does well, we all do well.

As Directors leading a team, it’s also important we ensure everyone feels valued and heard. We catch up with our team members individually on a weekly basis, and through quarterly breakfasts, where we’ll sit down and discuss anything that’s on their mind.

Through mentoring, we’re also able to aid our colleagues’ development and help them on their way. Here, you’ll always have the space and opportunity to speak to someone about where you might want to go in your career or discuss anything you're finding challenging. That extends to everyone, irrespective of your level of seniority or position within the organisation.

We also have a sponsorship programme, connecting high level sponsors with Rothschild & Co colleagues, such as myself. As part of the programme, sponsors will advocate on behalf of their sponsees, challenge preconceptions, make connections between individuals’ strengths and opportunities, and actively help in managing their career development and progression.

We’re all becoming increasingly aware that a diversity of thought is incredibly important.

One way in which we’re increasing and aiding diversity within Rothschild & Co is through our Balance & Inclusion strategy, and its committees and network groups, namely: the Family Committee, Embrace Committee, LGBTQ+ Committee, and the Women’s Committee.

These are an important part of our culture. They’re critical, both in providing the opportunity for connection and education to ensure colleagues are fairly represented, and in bolstering our position as a diverse and inclusive place of work. They aim to encourage anyone who might feel different to feel at home in our industry and business, and that they have a say.

I am also part of the Women's Committee and, with initiatives such as our ‘Coffee Connect’ programme, our aim is to bring women from across the company together and enable them to meet one another outside of business.

Though the industry has always been heavily male dominated, it’s becoming less so in recent years. There’s an acknowledgement that things need to change, and our client base is changing hugely alongside us.

Previously, when meeting with clients, it was often the patriarch of the family we worked with. Now, there’s an increasing number of women making the big decisions, and a rising number of female entrepreneurs who require our services.

As a result, there’s a drive within the organisation to build diverse teams that better reflect our increasingly diverse client base, which is a hugely positive step in the right direction."

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