In this new episode of Flex and the City, I sit down with Stéphane Pesch, CEO of the Luxembourg Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (LPEA). He’s not just navigating Luxembourg’s private capital space — he’s shaping it. And he’s doing it with values, vision, and a deep belief in people. 💥 In this episode: ➡️ From liquid funds to private equ…

In this week’s episode of Flex and the City, I’m joined by Florent Albert, CEO of Utmost, for an insightful conversation on the art of leading through change. Florent’s journey spans the globe—Provence, New Caledonia, Paris, Leeds, the US—and each chapter has shaped his unique approach to leadership. From navigating mergers and acquisitions to unde…

In the final episode of Flex and the City for 2024, I have the pleasure of connecting with the visionary Paul Chapman, Managing Director of HornbyChapman! 💼✨ Paul shares his invaluable insights on why the next generation of Financial Services professionals—especially Gen Z—must embrace AI and sharpen their sales skills to thrive in this dynamic ind…

In the latest episode of Flex and the City, I had an inspiring conversation with Brian Godins, Chief Commercial Officer at Callistone. His 31-year journey through financial giants like Morgan Stanley and HSBC offers insightful wisdom for every listener. The Chief Commercial Officer of Calastone shares what financial services can learn from Doods th…

𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 🚀 In my latest episode of Flex and the City, I engaged in an enlightening conversation with Philippe Renard, Deputy CEO of Caecis and former CEO of RBC in Luxembourg. Philippe shares his remarkable journey from engineering to finance, offering valuable insights that resonate …

I'm thrilled to share our latest episode of Flex and the City, where I had the privilege of speaking with David Sarfas, The Managing Director at CSC. 🎙️ ✨ In this episode, David Sarfas, Co-Head of Global Funds and UK Country Head at CSC, shares his thoughts on the future of financial services. He emphasises that if the industry wants to win gold, i…

Dave Micallef dives into an engaging conversation with Aric Faber, the dynamic President and CEO of SalesPage, on the latest episode of Flex and the City. From starting with Aric Faber's background, leadership philosophy, and experiences in business. To emphasising the importance of authentic leadership, influenced by his early experiences in sport…

Had an amazing interview with Emanuele Vignoli, the CEO of HSBC in Luxembourg on Flex and the City, and it did not disappoint! 🎙️✨ Emanuele dives deep into “Gender Finance” and his passion for boosting diversity in financial services. He stresses the importance of authentic leadership, continuous development, and staying curious in our ever-changin…

🎙️ Today on Flex and the City, we took a virtual trip to Bella Italia with Francesca Prym! As the CEO of UBS Fund Management in Luxembourg and Head of UBS Mancos Europe, Francesca brought one important thing—ENERGY. You’ll walk away from this episode feeling inspired, energised, and reassured by her incredible insights and passion for the industry.…

In this special edition of Flex and The City, Dave Micallef engages in an eye-opening conversation with none other than Kirsty Watson, the powerhouse Chief Operating Officer of Advisors at abrdn. Kirsty takes us on a journey from her roots in Dunfermline, Scotland, to her unexpected path into the world of financial services. Drawing inspiration fro…

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Bhagesh Malde, the Global Head of SS&C GlobeOp, for a great new Flex and the City conversation. From starting his life in Kenya and then beginning his working career in The City of London to his journey across multiple continents, Bhagesh's story is one of adaptability, resilience, and a relentless p…

I had an incredible conversation with Craig Blair, the Country Head of Franklin Templeton Luxembourg on Flex and The City. Craig is authentic, humble and thoughtful in his approach to leadership. He speaks from the heart and believes that everyone can be successful. We spoke about his childhood in Belfast, the impact of the "troubles" and the stren…

It was a pleasure to host Falk Fischer on Flex and the City, where we delved into his 6 C’s: Cuba, China, Culture, Connection, Change, and Camping. Falk and I discussed the continual nature of change, encouraging us to take control and steer it. He also stressed the importance of understanding various cultures, arguing that this comprehension is cr…

Had a fantastic time interviewing Enrique Sacau on Flex and the City! As the Group CEO of Kneip, Enrique shared his insightful thoughts on appreciating what we have and avoiding making things too complex in general and also in the fund industry. He also shed light on the importance of flexibility and adaptability in the ever-changing business and g…

Had a fantastic time interviewing Benjamin Collette on #FlexandtheCity. 🎙️ ✨ We delved into how the financial industry can learn from the kitchen—just as the right mix of ingredients makes a great dish, diversity in financial services teams can lead to great success. 🥘 🚀 He also shed light on the preconceived notions surrounding financial services …

Wonderful to interview Elaine Chim from Apex Group who brings both Yin and Yang to financial services. Elaine was born and raised in Glasgow to Asian immigrants and after starting her career in London has spent the last decade in New York Yin and Yang is the symbol of harmony that reminds us that life is a balancing act and we are most fulfilled wh…

Flex and the City is back after the summer vacation and who better to interview than Martin Vogel the Global Strategy Officer of Waystone. 🎧 🎙️ 🌟 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗲'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀. Plus, we'll be discussing his 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 …

Flex and the City is coming to you from Switzerland🇨🇭 today, where we had the fantastic opportunity to sit down with the self-proclaimed "fund nerd" Norbert Schmitz. Norbert shares his unique perspective on leadership and communication in the funds industry, drawing from the intriguing analogy of pets and their owners. He believes that, much like t…

I loved interviewing Michael Fox - he gave me real goosebumps. From discussing his humble beginnings to his unwavering passion for encouraging new talent to join the financial services industry, Michael's story is truly remarkable. Michael discusses the importance of social mobility and highlights key elements of great leadership: effective communi…

Claire Marshall is an agent of change driven by doing the right thing. From beginnings in the North of England and "meandering" her way to the role of Chief Internal Auditor for abrdn, Claire shares her views on harnessing the collective, the power of diversity of thought and the need for resilience (huge positives in that word meandering but you n…

Sarah Sinclair is baking a new future for the financial services industry. 🎂 I met Sarah less than a month ago and it was quickly evident we shared alignment and passion on many subjects. As a result, I invited her to record this wonderful interview. Sarah stands for putting people at the heart of the financial services industry. As a leader in tec…

I'm grateful to know Janusz Lorenc, and every time I meet him, I learn something. It was such a joy to interview him. Janusz is the epitome of humility and sage wisdom who talked to me about the importance of values, understanding human beings, and the power that “flow” can bring to the financial services industry. Janusz knows the importance of co…

Rob Williams is someone I met as a 21-year-old starting out in the asset management industry. In this great podcast, Rob talks about the critical importance of values-based leadership and changing the language in asset management to better connect with consumers. His company, Royal London Asset Management, was originally formed in 1861. Driven by t…

Catherine Battershill is a profoundly passionate leader who talks about the need to build trust in asset management with the public. As an ex-marketeer, Catherine believes more can be done to re-write the script when it comes to how asset management markets itself. From true board diversity, how great leaders drive culture, direction, and motivatio…

Peter Brown cares. He cares about community, collaboration, and the importance of contacts (relationships). He is deeply passionate about harnessing the collective and how financial services can really act as a force for good in the world. He shares wonderful stories about how the power of incrementalism, leadership, and a "one team" approach can h…

Steven Van Tuijl is a Leader. Human, Humble and Honest. A man born in the flatlands of the Netherlands, he shares his passion for taking inspiration, energy and perspective from the Swiss Alps. He shares stories of the great Ray Dalio as well as the incredible ability Michael Schumacher had to harness the collective within the team to ensure succes…

Kavitha Ramachandran is a legend in the Luxembourg financial services industry. In this podcast, Kavitha shares her story of growing up in Chennai, coming to Europe and joining the financial services industry. Kavitha embodies a growth mindset. She is deeply curious, authentic, open-minded and prepared to step out of her comfort zone. Courageous an…

Micaela Forelli is the first Italian to be interviewed on Flex & the City. As with many Italian greats, she is innovative, kind and visionary. 🇮🇹 Micaela talks about the critical importance of continuous innovation in financial services, plus how some of the softer leadership skills such as caring, being inclusive, getting curious, and maintaining …

For anyone who has worked in the financial services industry in Luxembourg, you will undoubtedly have heard of, worked for or met the inimitable Chris Edge. Chris shared the importance of doing the right thing and supporting others without fear. Chris talks about the need to take opportunities as they come up and for leaders to embody an "entrepren…

"Don't allow the regulatory imperative to extinguish agency and the power of people " said Noel Fessey, CEO of European Fund Administration, with enthusiasm and sapient wisdom. I loved interviewing Noel who brings a wealth of knowledge from the military and from history to the financial services industry. He speaks with passion and authority about …

Campbell Fleming is a legend in the financial services industry. He is CEO of AssetCo plc and Chairman of The Big Exchange. Anyone who has met Campbell will be touched by the way he makes them feel. Human. From a humble background down under to barrister to financial services game changer. Humility remains firmly at Campbell's heart.❤️ Campbell men…

This week on Flex and the City I interview Jurgen Vanhoenacker, Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Wealth Structures at Lombard International Assurance. Have you heard about AC/DC and the way in which they managed sustainable performance? Meet Financial Services' very own lead guitarist and celebrated hard rocker Jurgen Vanhoenacker. There …

This week on Flex and the City I talk with Johnny Black, Head of Commercial & Strategy, Advisor Sector, abrdn Jonny Black is far from Black - he's colourful, sparkly, and energetic which is just what the industry needs. Not afraid to challenge and call things out. Fresh air. Jonny celebrates difference - and the power that difference (we even talke…

I've heard over the years from a number of sources that Christophe Girondel is a respected leader. Even at the beginning of the podcast recording, Christophe creates a climate of trust. He stands for trust and authenticity. We talked about the Nordic influence on his leadership which I've coined "Hygge" Leadership but we also talked about the power…

This week on Flex and the City we interviewed Denise Thomas who is the COO of abrdn. Authentic isn’t quite a big enough word to describe Denise Thomas. I prefer the acronym WYSIWYG or Down to Earth; Real; Fun. I would work for Denise. I connected with Denise because she’s genuinely interested in people. She is curious about people. Deeply curious. …

This week on Flex and the City we interviewed Kunle Olafare who is the CEO of SK Financial. Kunle is part of the new movement of leaders who lead with heart and humanity – In this podcast, he reveals his own personal 5 Ps for achieving growth and success.By Rachel Treece

This week on Flex and the City I interviewed Karl Harder, the co-founder & Managing Director of Abundance a Financial Services game changer and lifelong environmentalist (before Greta was even born!!!) Karl is a deeply human individual and his lack of ego, profound humility, and straightforward simplicity provokes you into reflecting on the power o…

This week on Flex and the City I interviewed Laurie Spengler, CEO, Impact Investor and Field Builder. A G7 Task Force Member amongst many other philanthropic endeavours who helps make our world a better place. Laurie cares. Laurie is abundant. Laurie really understand the value of deep relationships. Laurie articulates with conviction and drive the…

Pips Bunce is one of the most genuine, humble, kind, perceptive, and passionate leaders I have met. Pips was in touch with my team and they all said she made them feel truly special and valued. ❤️ This is a rare quality. True Leadership. In addition to the day job at Credit Suisse, Pips puts an enormous amount of energy and passion into connecting …

This week on Flex and the City I had the very great pleasure to interview the loving, vocal, and driven Tom Baigrie who is the Chair of LifeSearch👇 Tom epitomizes love for his family, for his customers and for his industry. He gives sound advice to any financial services entrepreneur when he says “your purpose should not be on just making money, it…

This week on Flex and the City, we have the privilege to speak to the very kind, encouraging, inspiring Alan Chalmers, who leaves an incredible impression on people whenever he interacts with them. Alan, is the former publisher of Funds Europe and well known in the Financial Services industry with an incredible depth of knowledge about the industry…

This week on Flex and the City, we have the privilege to speak to John Beck. John, is Senior Vice President and Director of Global Fixed Income for Franklin Templeton London, and is our first fixed income expert, who leverages his tremendous knowledge of historical economic events combined with his own forward looking views, in a way that really br…

If you work in financial services and you care for the clients the industry supports and the people it employs you have to listen to this podcast. If you lead in the industry and believe in ethics and morality at your core you have to listen to this podcast. I know you are busy and even a punchy podcast needs a moment. Take that moment. 🙏 Andy Agat…

Sandy is passionate about diversity and inclusion. In this episode, he throws down the gauntlet to challenge Financial Services to have the courage to change their recipe, to really achieve true inclusion. Stay tuned to find to find out what the Financial Service industry can learn from SandyBy Rachel Treece

Flex and The City is back after a much needed summer holiday break. Today on Flex and The City episode 32, we interview the data junkie herself, Susanne Schartz , COO of SEQVOIA. 💪 Susanne Schartz is on a mission and is passionate about data and technology as the basis of business solutions that are driving growth. Stay tuned as we find out why Sus…

Today on Flex and The City episode 31, we interview the financial platform guru himself, Mark Polson. Mark is The Lang Cat Founder and CEO ( Chief Entertainment Officer ) An expert on all things platforms, pensions and investments. A prolific writer and public speaker, even when people ask him not to be. Pitched somewhere between a prepared talk an…

I’ve been doing Flex and the City for almost 2 years. This was the first time that I had tears in my eyes. Lynne Connolly is the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Standard Life Aberdeen. But before that Lynne is a mother, family member and human being. Lynne gave a great wake up call to the financial services industry where she says the pac…

This week on #Flexandthecity we get a chance to speak to Christian Pellis CEO of Amundi Deutschland. We think Christian has incredible energy of positivity, authentic nature, charisma, and legacy. His passion to leave a positive legacy in the financial services industry is clear and he reminds us all on how to enhance understanding of the financial…

#flexandthecity is back today with episode 28 as we dig deep into the theme for today’s podcast: Human Kind and the reasons why the financial services industry needs to be there for society. 🎙️🎙️ In a time of crisis, #leadership is not just important, it is vital! That is why I asked Denise Voss to join me on the Flex And The City podcast as I intu…

FATC Vulnerability and the importance of balance and humour in financial services is the theme for today's #flexandthecity podcast. 🎙️🎙️ I love talking to great #leaders and exploring their different styles, the way in which they #connect with the troops and the way in which they engage in conversation. In a time of crisis, #leadership is not just …