My job in brief
I joined Pictet Bank & Trust Ltd in Nassau as a Trust Officer in 1987, after previously working as their external auditor for three years. At that time, the team comprised around 20 people (compared to the 93 that we have today). Working in that environment was almost like being part of a family, and it enabled me to develop my knowledge and skills with almost all of the departments at the Bank, especially Trust and Legal, Finance & Accounting, Human Resources, IT and Securities Administration. I therefore had the opportunity to implement new systems and controls in our various areas of activity.
When I was made Head of Accounting in 1988, the main challenge facing me was to manage a completely manual system for monitoring income from trusts, calculating losses and gains on currencies and drawing up budgets. Now, of course, everything is computerised and we have a number of management tools at our disposal. The role of the Accounting and Finance Departments has changed considerably, especially with internal and external regulations becoming more and more restrictive - so much so in fact that we sometimes have the feeling that we spend more time on reporting than we do on production.
I have experienced Pictet Nassau's growth at first hand over the past 24 years and am pleased to say that Pictet is now acknowledged as a benchmark in the region.
For me personally, the greatest satisfaction has come from hiring young professionals in their field (lawyers, accountants, IT specialists) and to follow them throughout their careers. I would stress, too, that our staff have shown exceptional dedication and loyalty, as around half of them have worked for Pictet for more than 10 years.
As a member of the Management Committee, I share responsibility for governance and the Bank’s day-to-day operations. This means that I also have regular dealings with my counterparts elsewhere in the Pictet Group, especially in Montreal and Geneva. With the global economic and regulatory backdrop constantly changing, it is essential that we share our expertise and exchange information with our colleagues in other offices.
My work as Head of Administration, Banking Operations and Human Resources
- Member of the Management Committee
- Supervising the Transfers and Securities Administration Department
- Managing the Human Resources Department (budgets, salaries and pension fund)
- Supervising the IT, Central Records and Compliance Departments
