Job Title: Team Manager
Year you joined Quilter: 2017
Interesting Fact about you: I once “sang” ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ on a stage at a festival with a colleague here – we thought we did a great job, not sure the audience agreed..!
George Brooks
I’ve been with Quilter for just over 6 years now and have seen a lot of change within the business. Before Quilter, I was a manager at McDonald’s, so it was quite a large shift when I started here. If you had told me back then that I would have the knowledge I do now about pensions, I would never have believed you!
I’ve primarily worked in the Pension Money Out and Pension Transfers teams, both as a technician and now a manager.
Outside of work, travel is a big part of my life. If I had to name a highlight I would say it was visiting Chernobyl in 2018, which had always been on my bucket list due to the history surrounding it. I always wanted to be able to experience it in person.
I would say my biggest influence has probably been my dad. He suffered with MS for years and was often in a lot of pain. Despite this, he always kept a brave face on and pushed through everything, no matter what, for his family and friends. He lived his life to the fullest as much as he could. I like to think his resilience helped me get through tough times in my life, be that coming out as gay when I was a teenager, right through to his passing last year. As hard as that has been, it could have been a whole lot harder without the influence he had on me, and that is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life.
I would say that, when you are just starting out, the most important thing is not to expect to be ‘top of the class’ when you are new to the company or sector. The first year or two will involve a lot of learning - and some mistakes that you can learn from. Moderating my view on my own progress is a lot easier if I accept that I won’t be at the top of my game when I’m new to something – that comes later when your confidence naturally builds, and you understand the workings of your team and business unit.
I would also say having long term goals (3-5 years for me) is a great way to have a direction, but again it’s important not to expect long term growth within a year. Having this awareness will go a long way to aiding your resilience!
Funnily enough the initial reason was because it has always been the ‘big building on the hill’ in Southampton - essentially a landmark for the city. As I got older and my interest in the financial services sector grew, it was a natural starting point for me when I applied in 2017. The interview process quickly confirmed that the culture was an excellent fit for me.