Susie Hillier www.stonehagefleming.com Partner and Head of Wealth Planning at Stonehage Fleming 21 www.finance-monthly.com About Susie Hillier Susie is a Partner and Head of Wealth Planning at Stonehage Fleming, one of the world’s leading independently owned multi- family offices and the largest in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). She sets a high standard for technical regulated advice delivery and is widely recognised in the market particularly in the complex area of UK pension provision. Susie has spent the majority of her career advising private clients within professional consultancy environments at a number of leading chartered accountancy firms. Finance Monthly had the pleasure of speaking to Susie for an exclusive interivew: What are your biggest achievements you are most proud of? I am very proud of the fact that over half of my team is made up of women, and that this is true at all levels. Having joined the business in 2012, I took over the leadership of the Wealth Planning division in 2015 when Stonehage Fleming was created. We have grown significantly in the last few years, both in terms of clients and employees, and that has helped us hire some of the best people in our field. WithinWealth Planning, we added 6 new team members in the last year alone and the broader group, through acquisition, gained offices in five new jurisdictions. We are now able to provide a much greater breadth and depth in terms of team and offering than ever before covering UK domestic and international planning. What is your advice to fellow women in finance? Lead by example. You are only as good as your team; help them grow and your business will grow. Listening is the key when helping our clients and it is also true when assembling a team. People want to work in an inclusive environment where diversity is supported and where everyone feels free U N I T E D K I N G D OM Wealth Planning Leader of the Year to be themselves and express their opinions in order to succeed. Stonehage Fleming’s commitment to social capital is enabling us to do this. This year, we supported a number of initiatives, such as the 10,000 Black Interns (an initiative that aims to help young adults kick start their career and improve diversity in the City) and the Duke of Edinburgh International Award (with Afrika Tikkun in South Africa). Our most significant accomplishment is the introduction of SF15, an initiative that honours women for their accomplishments in adherence of financial, cultural, social and intellectual capital (an endorsement of our Four Pillars of Capital philosophy). By allowing women to connect, educate themselves, and work together, we are looking to build a community for them in the wealth management space. Through these actions, Stonehage Fleming continues to demonstrate the diversity of talent and appeal in the financial services industry beyond what is seen as ‘standard’. We must provide people with opportunities to support one another and celebrate their successes. Action causes reaction, which can only be advantageous in the end. Why is this award recognition crucial to you and your team? Wealth Planning has faced some of its largest challenges in recent years, and gender diversity is still rare. I am proud of thework that I have done overmy career as a trusted adviser to a wide client base of entrepreneurs, board directors, professional partnerships and private equity professionals. Getting recognition for this encourages me to move on with the team who are committed to their individual and each other’s personal and professional development. There is so much more we can do and we are prepared to forge ahead.
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