Sarah Nottle
Why do you enjoy your job?
I enjoy working in Operations as it gives me a very good insight into the processes and demands of a global investment management firm such as Janus Henderson. After studying finance at university, I held a little theoretical knowledge of the industry as a whole, however you can only really understand the complexity of risks and how to manage them with on-the-job experience. In governance, I quite enjoy the overarching view the team takes on monitoring and oversight of risks – I’ve gained exposure to many different teams and functions that I never even knew existed. I have found that team-working skills from school and university have really helped me build productive relationships while working.
What is the most challenging thing about your job?
The most challenging thing so far has definitely been absorbing and understanding the world of investment management operations. It is a very complex and multi-faceted department, with quite a number of teams conducting very different business on a day to day basis – and a lot of acronyms! However this is to be expected, and over the first six months they have become much more familiar, especially with the help of my team. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – I certainly asked a lot!
How did you get into your job?
I used to live in Sydney, Australia, and when I finished my schooling there I went straight to university to study Commerce in Finance and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, as well as having a year off in the middle of my studies to go to Canada. I always intended to move back to London after my degree.
Investment20/20 stood out as it emphasises the value of applicants with backgrounds that are slightly unusual or are perhaps hindered by the traditional graduate training programmes and their strict criteria. I applied for a few firms in the summer, and was successful in interview with Janus Henderson.
What are your future aspirations?
After learning as much as I can about the operational side of the business and its efficiency and value to the firm, I would like to gain further exposure to the investment side and decision-making side of the business going forward. I am particularly interested in Responsible Investing and the role of ethics and shareholder activism within active investment management firms. While this is an aspiration of mine, I am still fairly open-minded as regards where I want to end up specialising – the world of investment management is surprisingly wide and diverse in its job roles.
How would you sum up your Investment20/20 experience?
I would sum it up as being practical, progressive, and invaluable.
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