Flora Stamato

We meet Flora Stamato, financial planner and partner at the investment consultancy St. James’s Place. Early in her career, Flora wanted to work in a luxury hotel — possibly in Italy, where her family roots are. She now works in a luxury setting indeed — right opposite Harrods in London — but rather than organising hotel rooms, she is managing people’s investments, pensions, and savings.

While still training in hospitality, she had already noticed her joy and talent for working with numbers, and soon after leaving the sector, she found herself climbing the career ladder in finance.

Managing high client expectations remains a key element of her job. “I figure out what works best for each client: are they people who prefer phone calls, or do they rather be emailed? What makes them worry? How can I serve them best?”, Flora explains. “I make sure my clients know what to expect next, when they will hear back from me, and I create many touchpoints, keeping clients updated on what I’m doing for them.”

These touchpoints not only take away any uncertainty the client might have, but they are also opportunities for connection. “Clients don’t necessarily know the complexity of your job, and you need to make sure they are not left wondering what’s going on — communicate what you are doing. You are the expert, after all.”