The managing director of retail looks back over her career
Every financial services professional has taken their own path to get to where they are today, encountering and overcoming challenges along the way – and that’s certainly true of Christie Cook too.
Cook (pictured) began her journey at a packagers office in Cardiff, and having worked in various locations, has returned to the city.
Today she is managing director of retail at Hodge, which specialises in savings, mortgages and commercial lending.
Originating from Barry in South Wales, Cook has spent her entire career in financial services.
“I started as an administrator at a packagers office in Cardiff, eventually moving into underwriting,” she said.
Cook pursued her passion and moved to First Active in Epsom, where she passed an underwriting test and secured the role.
“My journey led me through various roles, including managing teams at Lehman Brothers for almost five years; I thrived on challenges and appreciated the rapid career progression,” she said.
From 2010, Cook oversaw operations at Kensington Mortgages before venturing into Post Office financial services, handling personal mortgages in London, and then moving to the Bank of Ireland for nine years.
Cook said her time at the Bank of Ireland provided invaluable experience in product management, and added that learning the commercials was a tough but rewarding challenge.
Eventually, she moved to a Mayfair startup, contributing to its strategy before becoming the head of mortgages at Nottingham Building Society and then latterly as the retail managing director at Hodge, where she relishes “the chance to continue making a positive impact in the industry.”
In the early stages of her career, Cook said it often felt like there were limited opportunities, no matter how hard she worked.
“The frustration of being a 20-something with seemingly impossible career prospects lingered; the turning point came when I started working for companies whose values resonated with mine, providing an environment of acceptance,” she said.
Finding the right managers, Cook said, played a crucial role in her journey to where she is today.
“Some managers I have worked with significantly contributed to building my confidence; I have always aspired to be that kind of supportive manager for my team,” she said.
Lehman Brothers, Cook said, provided her first experience with flexible work arrangements, managing a team spread across the UK.
Creating policies for remote collaboration and sending weekly updates from home, she added, became a valuable practice, especially as she later delved into working with product teams.
“I believe in the constant pursuit of learning; I'm still on that journey, the idea of knowing everything has never crossed my mind, and I actively seek to build diverse teams that challenge me,” Cook said.
Her goal is to ensure that when Hodge goes live with a project, it represents the best possible version of the team’s ideas.
Moreover, Cook said being brave and unafraid to speak up is crucial, while diplomacy is essential, making sure your voice is heard and seizing every opportunity is key.
Throughout her career, Cook found that taking on projects others may not enjoy opened doors to different areas of the business, providing valuable learning experiences.
“In the world of mortgages, I have ventured into numerous facets of the business, adopting a holistic approach to understand how we can be more efficient and contribute to responsible lending,” she said.
Challenging the status quo, especially in understanding the mechanics of commercial aspects, Cook said, required extra effort on her part.
“Breaking down pricing models and grasping the intricacies was not initially natural, and I am sure my maths teacher would have chuckled at the thought; however, the experience taught me the importance of never being too old to learn new things,” Cook said.
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