To get to know each other better, KvinnoKapital reaches out to the members who are moving jobs and asks them a few questions to inspire the rest of us!
The first member to share her answers with us is Hanna Persson. She has been part of the network since 2019 and she has been in the industry since 2007.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help from people around you (private and professionally), ask for the salary you deserve, ask for advice from a mentor, ask for more information if you need.”
Can you tell us about your new job? What is the one thing that decided you to take it (apart from the money)?
I’ve joined Ress Capital as their Head of Sales and Investor relations. The company is active within Insurance Linked Securities and specialised in the secondary market of US life settlement. I met with the founder during the fall last year when I started to familiarise myself with the asset class. Majority of my career was spent within alternatives, and I realised that Life settlement, if managed well, delivers exactly what investors expect and need from that part of their portfolio. A new returns stream which is stable and uncorrelated and can increase the overall portfolio performance for any client.
It is very much a niche asset class which has matured during the last decade but still relatively unknown for many investors. Ress Capital is definitely one of the leaders in this space and has been around for many years although still quite small in size. There are also some misperceptions around why it makes money and the ESG credentials of the product. I found the challenge of changing that appealing and want to bring this strategy in front of all clients as I believe it could really help them achieve better results.
The role is quite broad given the size of the company and that fits my background well. But the one thing that made me decide to take the job was the attitude and ambiance across the firm which is a key aspect and especially in smaller organisations. It was clear to me that this is a team work where the people make each other better, all voices are heard and everyone’s contribution to the success is valued. There is a strong information sharing culture and a high level of transparency which I very much appreciate.
What is your best memory from the job you are just leaving?
I was most recently at East Capital Group where I covered institutional clients as a Senior Relationship manager. The company celebrated 25 years while I was there. 2022 was a tough year for many but especially for East Capital where several of the employees had very good friends or family on both sides of the border of the devastating war initiated by Putin. To mark the 25 years in business they organised a conference followed by dinner for institutional investors. One of my best memories from the job was this evening when several clients and former clients did surprise speeches and very genuinely shared happy stories and great memories from working with them over the years. Being part of a sales organisation, it is fantastic to feel that you have delivered for your clients, and that they are happy with the relationship. That is what we always strive for.
Can you share a tip or a life hack that has helped you in your career? Who gave it to you? What was the outcome?
One of my best friends in life said to me early on in my career “who is not asking, is not getting”. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from people around you (private and professionally), ask for the salary you deserve, ask for advice from a mentor, ask for more information if you need. When I realised there is very little downside to asking (nicely), everything became smoother.
I also want to add that it has helped me enormously to have had a manager that gave me space and trust to develop. I was lucky to get a very supportive manager when I was at IPM. He would always challenge me to take on more responsibility and maybe even more important, to give me credibility in front of senior management for my achievement. Senior sponsors within an organisation makes all a difference and I would not be where I am today without having that support. Use the interview as an opportunity to evaluate if the manager is someone you could develop with and that would support you.
