Broker reflects on his career and how he got to where he is today
Each broker has followed their own path to get where they are today, Samuel Mather-Holgate (pictured), independent financial adviser at Mather and Murray Financial, began his journey in a bank’s management trainee scheme.
Getting into the industry
Mather-Holgate applied to the scheme, as it was offering a route to a degree whilst earning money.
“When I started there, I had a great manager in my local branch, he saw the potential in me,” Mather-Holgate said. “He promoted me faster than what would have been achieved through the scheme, so I withdrew from that.”
By 25, he was a qualified financial adviser. After the 2008 crisis, the culture within the bank changed and it gave him the incentive to work for an independent advisory firm. He chose Throgmorton Private Capital who are based in Kent.
Again, Mather-Holgate was fortunate enough to work with an excellent leader in that firm too, who was passionate about what he did and generated excellent customer outcomes. He went on to work for another advisory firm, more local to him, who he said had less than perfect customer practices.
“This created the desire to build a business that genuinely put the customer first; truly independent, directly authorised, with what the customer wants leading the direction of our proposition,” explained Mather-Holgate and said of Mather and Murray Financial: “These are the same principles of the firm today.”
Motivation to continue as a broker
Mather-Holgate said a job as a financial and mortgage adviser was essential for the betterment of consumer outcomes.
“I have had regular clients for over a decade who have become friends; I have been to clients’ weddings, and sadly funerals,” he said. “I have had clients crying with worry in my office, and then with relief when we have developed a strategy for them.”
While some people might think finance was boring, Mather-Holgate said, he believed the role of a broker was more than just working with numbers - it was about working with people and families to help them achieve their objectives.
Looking to the future
Over recent years, Mather-Holgate had noted an exponential change in attitude towards climate change among his clients. In the next 12 months, he develop strategies for Mather and Murray Financial to address this concern
“I had never had a client mention this until only five or six years ago, now it is an area of concern that comes up regularly,” he said.
While the business would itself be making changes, Mather-Holgate also offering personalised investment strategies to clients who want to invest in, or avoid, certain markets.
“I am hoping that more providers will be offering green mortgages over the next 12 months too; we, and other firms, would certainly engage if this was taken seriously,” he said.
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