Case Study
What is your day to day job?
I manage the portfolios of our high-income clientele; making investments and offering products, which will help, increase their returns. Often clients have a number of accounts and so I try to offer them services and products, which will hopefully lead to them increasing the size of their account at BNP Paribas and profiting from opportunities which may be available to them. In order to develop my portfolio, I am always looking for new clients, trying to identify people who have capital to invest.
As many banks offer similar products and competition is becoming increasingly fierce, it is vital to develop a good relationship with the client. One often has to act relatively aggressively in a commercial sense, remaining available and knowing how to anticipate as well as being able to meet and exceed client expectations. I am responsible for my portfolio; I have to ensure its profitability.
What are the main attractions of this position?
I chose this career because of the element of contact with many types of different people. I have dealings with a wide range of clients, from the young dynamic executive, at the onset of their political career, to the retiree having amassed a significant amount of money. The principal attraction of this job, is therefore its diverse nature, as well as the challenge of developing my client's portfolio.
What is your academic background and what qualities are required for this position?
I have a master's degree in high-income management; thus this position suited me perfectly. This job, above all is commercial, thus one needs good interpersonal (availability, flexibility) and good organisational skills, because one may be managing a portfolio of clients from more than one branch.
What is your intended career path?
This is my first position at BNP Paribas and it is an excellent starting point and building block as it is very instructive as an introduction to the banking world. The scope for career evolution is great: after a few years more experience, I may be looking towards becoming a branch manager or a business advisor.