Ellie Gabr, from FutureBricks is our Advisor of the Month

What made you want to pursue a career in the financial industry? and what do you find more attractive about working in the asset management industry?

I starter my career in retails banking and its being able to help people with financial solutions that attracted me to the business, i then moved to private banking where i started working with HNWIs and UHNWIs, it all came natural to me and i also enjoyed very much the knowledge of the financial market and being in a position to present financial solutions to clients/investors within the asset management business

How does a normal day look like? How do you divide your different tasks?

I’m quite organised and always plan my meetings/ calls/ tasks ahead. My day usually starts with a workout or 20 minutes of yoga and meditation, i find that very important helps me bring my mind in centre and fuels me for the day. As I’m in capital raising role right now, my day starts with contacting me investors and/or business developing new investors and pitch products that I’m working on, i tend to keep my admin to the quietist day of the week, usually a Friday and its also the day i pre plan my following week. I like the quote “ failure to plan is a plan to fail”

What is in your view the most important part of wealth management and advisory?

The most important part i would say the relationship management skill in addition to market intelligence, this identifying investors needs and eventually expand your business, if you are skilled with both the sky is your limit.

Have you seen a change of the profiles of your clients? Would you say there has been a generational change in wealth?

Indeed, the new generation is more educated on financial markets, they are often master degree and phd holders in global financial markets, I believe the reason being is that they know they have to manage their own wealth that has been accumulated by their parents and also grow the whole wealth of their families.

What are your clients asking for at the moment? And what would you advise in the current situation of the markets?

Clients now are asking for higher rates of returns which unfortunately in the UK is not the same due to recent market changes, Bank of England’s hike in interest rate and the overall global economy shift.

I always advise my client not to put all their eggs in one basket, its been a tough period of time in the UK economy which lead to international investors becoming reluctant to invest in the UK, my advise is always related to the strong track record of the UK and that the economy will pick up again as it did in the previous financial crises

Which sectors and geographical areas do you think are particularly interesting at the moment?

UK still a good market, I believe from my point of view that emerging markets are now more attractive to investors especially KSA.

How would you define yourself in 3 words?

Driven
Integral
Ambitious