Here's how you can excel as an executive in Financial Services: the key skills and qualities you need.

Understanding the bigger picture and connecting the dots to your business goal can be crucial. ??The dynamics of a fast paced financial service industry encompasses many aspects like understanding the competition, existing and future opportunities, cost of doing business, risk exposures. ?? However one of the most important factors that can make or break a business is to attract the right people. ?? Finding the right people for the right position is a quality an executive must develop to sustain her business. ?Human factors are often underrated and ignored with the technological advancement, but an executive must remember that it is the right balance between the resources that can bring and retain the business growth.

Developing strategic acumen requires a multifaceted approach. Executives must cultivate a deep understanding of the financial services ecosystem, including regulatory frameworks, technological advancements, and competitive dynamics. This knowledge forms the foundation for informed decision-making and strategic planning. Another key aspect of strategic thinking is the ability to balance short-term performance with long-term value creation. Executives must navigate the pressure for quarterly results while investing in initiatives that drive sustainable growth. This might involve allocating resources to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain or exploring new business models that address evolving customer needs.

Your expertise must be accurate and then, listen….understand, comprehend, analyse your client’s needs and only then, provide your experience and know how. Too many professionals don’t keep up with latest trends and then, they don’t listen…one mistake and then the other….success comes after analysis, comprehension and adaptation to needs.

I partially agree with this statement. I believe the role of the Executive in executing the corporate strategy is to curate and nurture an effective team of individuals with the necessary skills and capability to deliver the objectives. An effective strategy is only as effective as its communication, to both the people inside the organisation, and the external market. In my opinion, an Executives ability to resonate with their audience to consistently drive engagement and commitment to the corporate mission, whilst living and breathing the company values is key.

People’s expectations of a ‘leader’ has changed in recent years. People no longer look for someone to ‘show and tell’, they’re looking for individuals who can help to identify, nurture and enable skills / capabilities that allow them to thrive. Relatability is key. People want to be inspired and elevated by people they feel they have a connection with. Leaders who are willing and able to share their vulnerabilities, and/ or show compassion and empathy for others have a greater opportunity to motivate people to achieve a collective goal not only when the going is good, but also if the going gets tough.

A client centric approach is key. This extends to clients externally, but should also be embedded in the internal culture for colleagues as the internal experience of employees within an organisation is reflected in the way they are able to interact and show up as themselves and for their company in the external market.