Life at Close Brothers
Hear from some of our employees about their experiences of working at Close Brothers
1. What do you do at Close Brothers?
I work in the HR team at Close Brothers Asset Management as an HR Business Partner. I’m based in our London Crown Place office.
2. How long have you been at Close Brothers?
6 months.
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Close Brothers?
It is very accepting and inclusive – valuing difference and fresh ideas.
4. What word would you use to describe the culture at Close Brothers, and why?
Friendly! It really is like a family.
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Close Brothers in the coming months?
Hopefully getting some of our internal processes streamlined and running smoothly in order to support the business better.
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself i.e. something outside of work or a proud achievement?
At the age of 37 (and with two kids under 4) I finally got my undergrad degree and achieved a 2:1!
1. What do you do at Close Brothers?
I work as the Resilience Manager for Premium Finance within governance, based out of our Wimbledon office. I am also one of the strategy leads for our ethnic diversity network.
2. How long have you been at Close Brothers?
I started working for Close Brothers in April 2021 (hired during Covid19).
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Close Brothers?
The feeling that you are valued in the organisation, and the friendly culture which exists within the Close Brothers; you are treated as an individual and not a number.
4. How would you describe the culture at Close Brothers, and why?
2 words I would use are ‘One Team’. I have chosen this because everything we do in Close Brothers is a team effort and this is recognised and celebrated.
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Close Brothers in 2022?
For me, I am really excited about being part of a working group helping Close Brothers on their D&I journey for 2022 and beyond, these really are exciting times!
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
I run a Facebook page dedicated to classic BMWs (as I restore them) and we currently have 20k members within 2 years. What started out as just a page for a few like-minded individuals soon grew into a global hub for people, so much so that BMW GB now use us to help them source classic cars and their owners for shows around the country.
1. What do you do at Close Brothers?
I am an Area Sales Manager in the Sales Team of the Asset Finance Transport Division. I am home based but I am mainly out on the road seeing and managing clients, financing any vehicle requirements that clients may have for their businesses.
2. How long have you been at Close Brothers?
I have worked at Close Brothers for 7 and ½ years and started on the Close Brothers Aspire Apprenticeship Programme.
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Close Brothers?
Autonomy and the people – no matter what role you are in, your say and your job role are always appreciated and valued.
4. What word would you use to describe the culture at Close Brothers, and why?
Togetherness – I feel that everyone understands each other’s part in the business regardless of department or job title and is happy to assist you when required to help you in your role.
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Close Brothers in 2022?
Developing my role further and being able to help businesses grow throughout 2022 off the back of the COVID 19 pandemic.
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
Interesting fact is that I am distantly related to 1966 World Cup Winner Bobby Moore.
1. What do you do at Close Brothers?
I am the Sales Manager for Close Brothers Motor Finance Northwest region and look after a team of 5 Account Mangers who are field based.
2. How long have you been at Close Brothers?
I have worked for Close for 6 and half years.
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Close Brothers?
The opportunity to further your career through our career pathways. I joined Close Brothers as an Account Manager and was promoted to Sales Manager back in August 2020. This was a job I felt I could never do being a working mum but with the support of a strong leadership team I was able to achieve this.
4. What word would you use to describe the culture at Close Brothers, and why?
I was privileged to be invited to help form our ‘Women in Motor’ forum back in 2018. This was to support and attract more diversity into our business along with becoming part of the Automotive 30% club. The success we have had from this has been incredible. We are about to set our strategy for 2022 continue to drive diversity across our business.
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Close Brothers in 2022?
We have recently partnered with Auto Trader to launch our forecourt insight tool which will bring added value to our dealer partners in helping them to sell more cars and will help strengthen our proposition of a consultative approach.
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
My proudest achievement is my son Joshua who was diagnosed with Autism at 5 years old. He is now 19 and is the kindest, most caring young man you could wish to meet. He attends college and is currently doing work experience at Manchester University along with working in the evening at our local Co-op. It is difficult for any parents raising children whilst trying to further their career but, thanks to the support of my husband and my parents, I have been able to do both.
1. What do you do at Close Brothers?
I am the Business Intelligence and Data Manager for the Close Brothers Motor Finance business. Together, with my team, we help the business make informed decisions using data. Data drives most critical activities, including managing business performance, evaluating risk, engaging with customers, fine-tuning operational processes, meeting regulatory requirements and innovating with products and services.
2. How long have you been at Close Brothers?
I have worked at Close Brothers for five and a half years.
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Close Brothers?
Our culture.
4. What word would you use to describe the culture at Close Brothers, and why?
Caring – caring for its people, caring for its customers, caring for its partners.
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Close Brothers in 2022?
Continuing to enhance our range of data products and looking across the two Retail businesses for synergies and opportunities to optimise the way we drive value using data.
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself i.e. something outside of work or a proud achievement?
I obtained my first GCSE (in the Urdu language) at the age of 11. I was the youngest in the country at the time and may still be!
1. What do you do at Close Brothers?
I work in HR and have recently been appointed the role of ‘Inclusion Business Partner’ but I still retain business partnering responsibility for the credit, risk and compliance functions.
2. How long have you been at Close Brothers?
I started in March 2016 - it has honestly flown by!
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Close Brothers?
The opportunities and the people. We feel small enough that you can get breadth of experience in lots of different initiatives but big enough to be exciting and challenging. Oh, and the people are fantastic!
4. What word would you use to describe the culture at Close Brothers, and why?
Energising. As mentioned, the people are fantastic and everyone wants to do a great job so there is a great sense of energy at Close Brothers
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Close Brothers in 2022?
Driving the D&I agenda forward; we have made great strides and I want us to make even bigger ones this year
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
I absolutely love travelling and have just returned from a wonderful trip in Jordan, slowly ticking off the 7 (new) wonders of the world. I am hoping to travel to Peru later this year.
1. What do you do at Close Brothers?
I am currently a trainee on the Accelerated Commercial Experience (ACE) programme. The Programme is a three-year rotational scheme which provides the opportunity to undertake year-long placements in the Bank’s Sales, Operational and Credit teams. Having completed rotations within Asset Sales and Retail Operational functions, I am due to commence my third year placement within the Central Credit function.
2. How long have you been at Close Brothers?
I have worked at Close Brothers for just over seven years, having originally joined as part of the Graduate Scheme in September 2014.
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Close Brothers?
One of the best things about working for Close is the variety of products and services offered by the Group, and the opportunities provided to those who wish to gain experience across the Group’s various businesses and internal functions. Throughout my time at Close, I have had the opportunity to work within Winterflood and our Asset Management business our Property function, alongside my more recent rotations via ACE. While some of these have been rotations through the Graduate / ACE Scheme, I have felt that Close have actively encouraged me to explore new opportunities and challenge myself throughout various stages in my career.
4. What word would you use to describe the culture at Close Brothers, and why?
One word I would use to describe the culture at Close Brothers is ‘Supportive’. I have always felt that my team, managers and wider stakeholders have always been actively supportive in both a professional and personal capacity. While sometimes overused, I really do feel that Close Brothers feels like a family where everyone really does have your best interests at heart.
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Close Brothers in 2022?
Much of the ACE Programme has taken place within the context of lockdown restrictions, and while the interaction with my teams has been incredible, I am looking forward to the embedding of a more hybrid working environment in order to allow for greater collaboration and team building within my final placement.
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
I recently got back into rowing, having not been in a boat for seven or so years since University. It’s been pretty challenging to keep up with the training demands but have been proud to keep pace with the more recent graduates and have raced in some of the major events so far in the year.
1. What do you do at Close Brothers?
I currently work as a Technical Trainer within the Close Brothers Premium Finance Learning & Development team which is based in Wimbledon.
2. How long have you been at Close Brothers?
I have been with Close Brothers for over 3 years.
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Close Brothers?
I feel secure and supported and appreciate the work-life balance I have.
4. What word would you use to describe the culture at Close Brothers, and why?
The word ‘Brothers’ in the name says it all – the best way to describe it would be that it feels like working with one large family! A great working culture with lots of knowledge sharing and team focused activities.
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Close Brothers in 2022?
I am the Co-Strategy Lead for the newly created Mental Wellbeing Network (MWN) which we launched on Blue Monday (17th Jan) to kick start the work we will be doing. I am passionate about mental health, so I am excited to be involved with this project. I am currently working to complete the new Network intranet site which will host various wellbeing blogs, resources, videos and ideas of things to do to support mental wellbeing. Alongside this, our colleagues will be given 30 minutes out of their business day to do whatever they enjoy – be it to browse for a summer holiday, call a friend or just have a cat nap! They are then invited to post whatever they did on our Kudo board to help share ideas! We also have inspirational speakers lined up to help motivate and cheer us up!
Being a DEI advocate, I am particularly looking forward to raising awareness and educating people on mental health matters prevalent in minority groups, so a better cultural understanding is established where ALL colleagues feel supported. I wish more people from such groups would come forward to share their stories so that we can all learn and collectively create an environment of empathy, openness, trust, and respect.
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
I have a keen interest in all mental health and DEI issues which had steered me back to University to re-train as a Holistic & Herbal Practitioner. Outside my day job, I see clients for varying conditions, both physical and mental where I use my ‘Clear Cleanse Create’ program to help them. I also give talks, run Mental Health Boost Camps, empowering workshops, yoga and meditation classes and healthy cooking workshops. I also work closely with my two charities in India - Railway Children Project & TARA – an orphanage for disabled children.
My biggest achievement has been my solo travels, especially having fulfilled part of a dream to live with indigenous people! I have covered 65 countries so far - waiting for Covid restrictions to end so I can continue the count. My insight, inspiration and gratitude all come from the people I have met during my travels.
1. What do you do at Close Brothers?
I am a Retail Business Manager, working across Premium Finance and Motor Finance (Retail) in our London locations as part of the Business Management function.
2. How long have you been at Close Brothers?
Over 5 years.
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Close Brothers?
For me, the best things about working at Close Brothers are the people as I’ve been able to meet and work with so many different people in my time who I’ve learnt so much from, plus the opportunities to develop my career and understanding of different products through internal moves.
4. What word would you use to describe the culture at Close Brothers, and why?
I would describe the Close Brothers culture as ‘collaborative’, as people are always willing to help come up with ideas or help you resolve challenges, there’s really no such thing as a silly question or idea here.
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Close Brothers in 2022?
In 2022, I’m most excited about the developments being made to our proposition to further support our customers and partners’ needs.
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself?
In my free time I support my community and help maintain the village as a great place to live, work and visit, as a local Parish Councillor.
1. What do you do at Winterflood?
I am the Head of Compliance - Wholesale Markets
2. How long have you been at Winterflood?
I’ve worked at Winterflood for 4.5 years and prior to that I worked in the Internal Audit team at Close Brothers Group for 2 years.
3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about working at Winterflood?
The People. Everyone is working towards the same goal. There is a lot of transparency and there is very little bureaucracy and politics. People just want to get stuff done in the best way for both our customers and the Company. The size of Winterflood (300 employees) means it is still small enough so you are able to get to know most people relatively quickly.
4. How would you describe the culture at Winterflood, and why?
Transparent, collaborative and meritocratic. Simply, people want to do a good job whether that be the graduate analysts through to Phil at CEO level. People work together to get the job done and there is very little in terms of hierarchy. For example, in the early days of the pandemic, Alex Kerry, one of the Company Directors, was helping with scanning in contract notes.
5. What are you most looking forward to/excited about working for Winterflood in 2022?
Getting into a regular working pattern in the office where we can collaborate and see people face-to-face again.
6. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself i.e. something outside of work or a proud achievement?
My two children, Grace and Daisy keep me fairly busy and well grounded. I can run a sub 1:30 half marathon, own a Hungarian Vizsla called Peggy and am Chair of the Board of Trustees for a charity called ADD-vance, which helps families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pre and post diagnosis).
