Sally Bridgeland, was one of the first 5 guests on this podcast back in 2020, and needs no introduction in London institutional investing circles. Her original podcast is here: since then there have been many exciting career updates to mention – including the fact that the chess and drama club that Sally talked about in 2020 have now made their way into their own book – entitled: Chess Club and Drama Club Building Creative and Resilient Businesses Together.

Our conversation tracks Sally’s movements since our last discussion, how she finds fulfillment in so many different areas, including now her work with the Development Bank of Wales. We speak then about her insights on leadership culminating in the lessons of her book.

Why we made this:

· Sally is one of the most service-oriented professionals in the UK investment arena – never failing to bring her warmth, insights and leadership skills to a range of organizations

· Her energy is infectious and her capacity is limitless

· Her insights on culture are human, well researched and always fresh perspectives on the challenges organisations face today

This podcast is supported by Franklin Templeton and Alvine Capital.

Franklin Templeton is a global investment management firm that provides a broad range of investment solutions, including mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, wealth management, and technology-enabled financial services. Founded in 1947, the firm manages approximately $1.8 trillion in assets under management (AUM) and serves individual and institutional investors across more than 150 countries

Founded in 2005, Alvine Capital is a European focused private capital advisory and placement agent that provides capital raising services to investment managers. From its base in London and its office in Stockholm it creates bespoke capital raising programs that blend appropriate investor targeting and sophisticated marketing to deliver a fundraise aligned with institutional expectations

Kirstie Sneyd is an organizational psychologist, executive coach and the author of “Returning Well”, a practical, evidence-based guide for working parents and their managers. We were both at INSEAD together, and I have followed her career ever since – and am delighted now to bring some of her learnings to our audience.

Our conversation starts with Kirstie’s roots in consulting, and what drew her to organizational behaviour at INSEAD. The first glimmers of what made a job worthwhile though stemmed from much earlier, and a beachside holiday in Devon.

A career in consulting evolved into one that focused on coaching executives to find their voice, retain visibility and, in some cases, return to the workplace after a period of absence.

We speak about her book and the reception that it received, and the themes that Kirstie is now working on with her coaching clients. Many of these relate to coping with an increasingly heavy and complex cognitive load, as well as the pressure that social media creates in terms of comparisons to others.

You can find Kirstie’s book here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Returning-well-working-parents-managers/dp/3111618277 and more information about her coaching practice on her LinkedIn profile here: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kirstiesneyd

This podcast is supported by Franklin Templeton and Alvine Capital.

Franklin Templeton is a global investment management firm that provides a broad range of investment solutions, including mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, wealth management, and technology-enabled financial services. Founded in 1947, the firm manages approximately $1.8 trillion in assets under management (AUM) and serves individual and institutional investors across more than 150 countries

Founded in 2005, Alvine Capital is a European focused private capital advisory and placement agent that provides capital raising services to investment managers. From its base in London and its office in Stockholm it creates bespoke capital raising programs that blend appropriate investor targeting and sophisticated marketing to deliver a fundraise aligned with institutional expectations

James Mitchell was a director at Goldman Sachs, Barclays and Phoenix Group before developing a portfolio career including a strategic advisory role with Re-wired Earth as well as Empathy, a company committed to supporting families through bereavement. He holds a number of other advisory and director roles.

Our conversation traces James's career through various roles and some of the realisations that dawned as businesses went through various transformations - such as through outsourcing. He notes that the cost savings realised are rarely those that are expected, and we discuss the various governance changes that are taking place across the financial services industry.

Moving then to his portfolio career we discuss with James the mission of Empathy, and the various strands involved in supporting families through bereavement, while Re-wired Earth has its own exciting opportunity sets. We finish with a discussion of life's passions - from snow boarding to cycling and epic travel to photography.

This podcast is supported by Franklin Templeton and Alvine Capital.

Franklin Templeton is a global investment management firm that provides a broad range of investment solutions, including mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, wealth management, and technology-enabled financial services. Founded in 1947, the firm manages approximately $1.8 trillion in assets under management (AUM) and serves individual and institutional investors across more than 150 countries

Founded in 2005, Alvine Capital is a European focused private capital advisory and placement agent that provides capital raising services to investment managers. From its base in London and its office in Stockholm it creates bespoke capital raising programs that blend appropriate investor targeting and sophisticated marketing to deliver a fundraise aligned with institutional expectations