Julie Currie

What do you love about your career?

The pleasure of working with purpose led multiple businesses and people intent on making a difference.

And the learning. I am energised by variety, whether it comes from meeting different people and cultures, entering an alternative sector or picking up a new skill set. It has helped me consider questions from different perspectives which offer such a fantastic opportunity to learn.

What do you dislike about your career?

I really struggle to answer this question. I love my job and it is a privilege to be on the Board of these fantastic businesses.

What advice would you give a junior coming into the industry now?

Do not just stick to one product or specialism, go for breadth to gather skills and experiences. If you are not learning, find a way to challenge yourself. You will be investing in yourself and your career today for the tomorrow.

To that end, when I consider a new role, I like to ask myself what outcome I can expect to have contributed to, and what learning I will have gained, over the next 3-5 years. Then, whether I will be proud of myself if I do.

What do you see as the biggest advance in technology in your field in the last five years?

We are looking ahead rather than back to what will be the biggest advance in technology and therefore disruption in Financial Services in the next 2-5 years.

In the Space sector, the ability to beam commercial energy from space is 6 years away and in-space autonomous robotics, capable of assembling large structures, in 2. The era of widely used wireless power transmission is also just around the corner.

What excites you about the future of your industry?

A future where Space Based Solar Power will make a significant contribution to the world’s energy equality and therefore growth and social outcomes, and green energy.

What is the biggest challenge you see in your role over the next 12 months?

At a strategic level, how to position the business strategically for the next 3-5-10 years, ensuring a culture of agility and empowerment to respond.

At a practical level, ensuring financial services regulation does not become the main topic of Board room discussion.

At a financial level, securing capital for growth. The UK is great at innovation but culturally risk adverse, with risk capital now thin on the ground for the start ups and early stage. We fail to capitalise on our innovation losing early stage businesses to the USA as a result. In Financial Services, capital for growth has to compete with the significant pull of investment in regulation, risk and systems, needed to stay relevant and safe.

What are you looking for from everybody?

Curiosity, commitment and ownership.

What do your days off look like?

Plenty of sport, social and family board games.

What is the worst gift you have ever been given?

A ceramic money box in the shape of a unicorn.

We would like to thank Julie for her generous time and for the personal insight into her life and journey. If you would like to feature in this informal, fun series aimed at creating a community of senior people who meet and network then please reach out to us on hello@dnevo.com. We would love to hear from you!