Elly W

Studied: Education, Leeds University
Location: London
Joined: 2011
Interests: Travelling, reading, and getting stuck into a really great TV show.

About me 
I joined Rothschild & Co in 2011 and currently work as the UK Community Investment Manager, where we aim to raise and realise the aspirations of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. We do this through strategic partnerships and the combination of employee volunteering and charitable giving. 

I studied Education at Leeds University, before a stint living and working in Sydney, Australia, which is where and when my ambition to work in Community Investment and Corporate Responsibility arose. 

How I joined
I applied to Rothschild & Co because of its great reputation, as an employer and in business. 

What is great about my job
The best part of my job is being able to lead and influence Rothschild & Co's community investment strategy by working and collaborating with senior people across all divisions. I also really enjoy leading the community investment team, and interacting with many different types of people, including entrepreneurs, young people, teachers, and charity managers. 

The skills I need
Most importantly I need to have excellent people management skills for my job at Rothschild & Co. I also need to be organised, dedicated, and have good communication and influencing skills.

My take on the culture
Everyone at Rothschild & Co works very hard and takes their job seriously. It's full of bright people who are genuinely warm and friendly. 

There's a great volunteering culture - we're entitled to unlimited volunteer leave for a Rothschild initiative - and there is lots of encouragement from senior colleagues, many of whom take part in projects themselves. For example, in the UK, over 50% of our task force volunteered once or more in 2015-16. 

I feel that I am given the independence to be an expert in my field, and am trusted yet challenged to deliver our strategic ambitions. I am proud to tell people that I work for Rothschild & Co. 

My day 
My average day at Rothschild & Co is never the same; today I am drafting content for the roll-out of a global community investment strategy and writing our annual report. I have two meetings with some of our Core Partners to discuss progress against our objectives, and, in between that, I have a meeting with two senior colleagues to finalise plans for the UK programme.

Travel 
My job has fortunately allowed me to travel. Since starting at Rothschild & Co, I have spent time in our Madrid, Frankfurt, Guernsey, Milan, Sydney and Birmingham offices.

Outside of work
I love holidays! This year I'm going to Barbados and St Lucia, Cambodia and Vietnam, and two weekend trips to Stockholm and Madrid!