In the spotlight - adviser, Catriona McCarron

With it being International Women’s day today we thought it would be a good idea to shine the spotlight on adviser,  Catriona McCarron. She was recently nominated  for the 2019  Women in Financial Advice Award; the awards are designed to celebrate women in finance as women are still heavily outnumbered 1 to 6 in the industry. This nomination comes less than a month after Ascot Wealth Management took home the 2019  Professional Adviser Firm of the Year Award for the South East.

When asked why she chose to become a financial adviser she said “I chose this profession for the opportunity to make a difference on the ground level. With both my parents in finance I’ve been brought up with a positive attitude towards financial education, which gave me a constructive outlook to cash management from a young age. Financial advice is a career path paved by a certain generation, therefore I wanted to come into the sector with a fresh mind and greater my understanding of how clients benefit from reviewing their assets.”

We asked her a few more questions:

What was one of the most defining moments in your career?

I was recently named one of The Times top 250 advisers in the UK by VouchedFor, a site similar to Trip Adviser for financial services. This was a defining moment for me because it showed I’m on track to continue making a positive impact on my client’s finances. In the same week as my VouchedFor recognition in The Times, AWM won top Financial Adviser Firm in the South East, an award previously won by firms with a huge industry presence. This was a defining moment as it reminded me why small firms have a place in the industry.

Who do you most admire in life and why?

My admiration will always be for my parents. They’ve inspired me to follow my dreams and assisted by studies to get me there. In addition to recognising the role my parents have played in getting me where I am today, it’s also important to be influenced by other women leading the way in Finance. At university my dissertation focus was on Women on FTSE 100 boards, exploring whether the low levels of female presence was due to social or policy factors. During my research I became motivated by the women standing up to male board pressure. One of the women I particularly admired was Carolyn McCall, CEO of EasyJet since 2010. Carolyn has three teenage children and a healthy social life, whilst working to change business culture to be inclusive for all.

If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be?

Sensibly speaking I would fast forward two years to see the full effects of Brexit to give greater clarity to my clients current planning! I would also like to sit as a fly-on-the wall for Theresa May’s discussions, maybe chipping in if allowed…

Happy women’s day to you all!

Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today – Tim Fargo

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