Meet the Team - Gabriella Macari

What does financial wellbeing mean to you? 

For me, financial wellbeing – like any other kind of wellbeing – is achieved when you feel a sense of comfort. In my experience, the most common obstacle to achieving this sense of comfort is a lack of clarity or understanding of one’s financial situation.  

I am not suggesting that everybody needs an in depth understanding of markets, financial planning, asset allocation, tax rules, performance calculations, and so forth – most people choose to outsource this  kind of knowledge to professional investment managers like us. Instead, I am an advocate for anybody and everybody to have a comprehensive understanding of what they have, where it is, what they want to achieve with their wealth, and how they plan to get there.  

This knowledge is what will give you comfort and allow you to remain calm when we inevitably encounter bumps in the road.   

How do you help your clients to make informed decisions when it comes to their investments? 

It is essential for us to tailor our approach to each client’s personal level of understanding and interest. Some clients will be interested in the detail and the nuance of an investment proposal, others would be happy with a top-level overview.   

Regardless of the depth of the detail, in my opinion the most important part of my job is to provide context. Whether my recommendations are to adjust the risk level of a portfolio or proposing a new mandate, it is crucial for me to explain why the current strategy may no longer be suitable and why the proposed changes are more aligned with the client’s objectives.  

Empowering clients to make informed decisions hinges on their understanding of the rationale behind our advice and how it relates to their individual circumstances. This requires a personalised approach which fosters trust and enables clients to confidently navigate their financial journey.   

What’s the most interesting part of your job?  

The variety of individuals that I get the opportunity to work with and the ever-changing nature of financial markets, both of which mean that no two days are the same.  

On the client side, we have such breadth in the types of individuals we look after at Arbuthnot Latham, from entrepreneurs to musicians, artists to C-suite executives. I could have back-to-back client meetings for a week and not have the same conversation twice.  

On the investment side, we can have a consensus as to what we expect from markets in the coming weeks, months, or years that gets turned on its head in a matter of days. The fast-evolving and severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is a great example of this but truly, there are events happening around the world every day which have the potential to influence financial markets.  

What do you like to do outside of the office? 

I am a very keen home cook and like nothing more than collecting cookbooks, trying out recipes, and having a few friends sat around the dining table for a big lunch at the weekend. I also enjoy running, reading, and I am a lifelong fan of Formula 1.   

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